In a traditional brick and mortar school, it has become established that there is a summer break. Now with homeschooling, it becomes your choice whether to have a summer break or not. Many homeschoolers view every day as a learning experience – this does not necessarily include curriculum. With the great weather we have been enjoying swimming lessons, hiking, biking and many other warm weather learning opportunities. Our kids read and write every day because they enjoy it. And we take advantage of our non-travel times to do our curriculum program with Progress Academy. We have the flexibility to look at the whole year and plan our studies accordingly. Some people do take a summer break in their homeschooling families. It really just depends on your lifestyle, goals and individual family choices. I talked with a mom the other day who said it’s only July and her daughters getting bored – so she was starting into her curriculum right now. Of course it is perfectly legal to homeschool all year round – even though your particular state may require notifications, assessments, and such on a traditional school schedule. So, enjoy your ability to choose and enjoy your summer however works best for your whole family!

I was in Florida vacationing with my family back in May. We had gone to the grocery store and saw these rubber band like bracelets at the checkout in fun animal shapes. It was an inexpensive treat so we bought some for the kids. Our girls started wearing these brightly colored rubber band bracelets called Silly Bandz. We were standing in line somewhere and the woman in front of us asked the girls about the bracelets – we explained that we had just found them at the grocery store. The woman said she was a school teacher and asked my girls if all the kids at school were wearing these bracelets. My girls said “We are homeschooled, we don’t know if the kids at school are wearing them.” I thought to myself – I’ll bet they won’t allow these fun bracelets at school because they would be a big distraction. And I said to myself – I bet they will ban these bracelets as soon as they can! I was suddenly very glad to live a more carefree life – homeschooling my children, free of the impositions and unnecessary restrictions. We still buy some Silly Bandz once in awhile for fun – my kids aren’t obsessed just enjoying the fun bracelets. We even use the packs to do a little math – dividing up the packs and adding to the collection! It is interesting how the relaxed atmosphere of homeschooling finds learning even in the silliest of things!

You have decided to homeschool, now what do you do? The first thing to do is figure out how to comply with the laws in your state. If you live in AK, CT, ID, IL, IN, NJ, MI, MO, OK or TX you are lucky, because there are NO notification requirements for homeschooling! If you live in MA, ND, NY, PA, RI or VT, get ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work, your requirements are a bit more involved. And for all of you in states not mentioned, it will be pretty easy to comply. Trust me, complying with the laws is much easier than hiding and wondering if you will get caught! To get started, you should read the homeschooling laws for your state. You can find these at www.hslda.org, along with summaries to help explain the laws. I always suggest that you print off the laws to have them on hand if anyone questions you (I have been homeschooling for ten years and not had to show the laws to anyone yet).

The next thing to do is find support groups, associations and resources in your state. You will want to talk with local veteran homeschoolers who can explain how to comply with the laws in your state. Also, it is best to have others who support your decision to homeschool and you will find that locally in groups. For many of us, our extended families are not that supportive. You can find the support you need at www.homeschool.com.

And finally, determine what homeschooling style best fits your family. For my blog post on styles, click here. Deciding what style best suits you will help you discover what kind of curriculum, method or path you would like to take in educating your child at home. There are only three styles to choose from which will make your job easy. Keep in mind that you may change your style over the years, so pick a style that will be best to start with for your family.

Here is a recap on how to get started:

1. Read the laws in your state, www.hslda.org
2. Locate local support groups, www.homeschool.com
3. Determine your homeschooling style

Let’s keep it simple! Encourage more people to join the homeschool community with an uncomplicated approach. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. If you search for homeschooling styles, you will find a huge list. I have been homeschooling for ten years, and have tried many different ways of homeschooling. I have come to know and believe that there really are only three styles, and anything else is a method or philosophy. Here are the three styles:

1. School at Home

If you have ever attended a brick and mortar school, or your child has; you will understand the School at Home style very well. You will be conducting your child’s education at home just as they would have in school. You may start with the Pledge of Allegiance, move on to home room to review the schedule of classes for the day and get started on a traditional curriculum. School at home is a scheduled, traditional type of educational choice for your homeschool. Most likely you will use a packaged curriculum, have the same schedule everyday, five days a week. School at home students will take the nationally normed courses for college preparation, such as English, Math, Science and Social Studies; paying attention to the specific courses that may be required in the local schools such as US Government, Biology, and a Foreign Language. This style is very popular among new homeschoolers and people who are taking their child out of a traditional school setting. School at Home also appeals to the orderly, schedule oriented, and structured family.

If this appeals to you, here are a few steps to get you started homeschooling:

1. decide on a schedule that will work for your student’s education time
2. search for a complete curriculum online ( you will not find this in a book store, mall, or educator’s store )
3. Prepare supplies to start your homeschool!

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