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The decision to home school isn't one intended to be taken lightly. As with any other endeavor, there are pros and cons to be weighed. Red Tape, Time consumption, Curricula, Schedules, Socialization and the list goes on.

First indeed, the Red Tape, you must decipher what is expected of you by the state. Is your state one that is relaxed, with little or no specifications, or one that wants a truly defined and refined syllabus of whom will be teaching what, when, why, and for how long? Whom do you have to notify, when and in what manner? In my state, you must file an "Intent To Home School Waiver" to the local school district on or before August 15 (if starting in fall); or on or before December 15th (if starting in the spring semester) and 14 days before the withdrawal of the child if mid-semester. This form states that you are releasing the local school district from the responsibility of educating your child. It also serves to let the state know that you will need to be notified by mail of testing dates. Children, grades 3-9 must participate in state- mandated tests, such as the Iowa Basic Skills or SAT-9.

Time consumption is a matter of personal preference. If you can teach what is necessary in only two hours a day and see that the child is maintaining a grip on the information- So Be It! If it takes you longer, for medical reasons, personal reasons, any reasons- So Be It as well. There is no limit to what can be done, or when, or how. If you are like me, with four home schoolers in tow, you quickly realize how many things can be taught once and picked up by all. You simply must up the expectations of the lesson per child, as the age increases. For example- My four year old preschooler learns that coins are circles, are silver and copper in color (maybe even that they are worth one cent, five cents, ten cents etc.), while my six year old first grader learns how to add coin amounts together, and that five pennies equal one nickel, at the same time that my seven year old adds and subtracts various monetary amounts and learns a basic understanding of "change", whilst my nine year old fourth grader uses larger amounts, gains a better comprehension of "change" and word problems such as "If George works for x- amount of money per hour, from 6 am til 12pm, how much money will he earn today?". For older children, you could even hand out an empty check register and teach how it is used for a simple accounting lesson, and still be in keeping with the monetary

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