Although many homeschooling families start from the very beginning, just as many find themselves homeschooling when that was the last thing they ever saw themselves doing. Maybe you started out sure that your schooling choices would serve your child well, only to be sorely disappointed, again and again. Then came the straw that broke the camel’s back, and you made the call. You pulled your child out mid-year, thinking there had to be a better way. So what do you do now?
Check the legal requirements for your state
Fortunately, there are legal ways to homeschool your children in each state in the USA. However, the requirements vary quite a bit from state to state. Do I have to legally withdraw my child from their school? Do I need to register as a homeschooler? Do I have to use a specific curriculum? A great first stop for those answers is HSLDA’s website. They have a page for each state and break down the steps you need to take to legally homeschool.
Local homeschooling families can be a valuable source of information and can offer firsthand experience of meeting the legal requirements. Sometimes red tape can be confusing, so another parent who has been there, done that, is a great resource!
Take a deep breath!
If you have found yourself homeschooling with not a whole lot of notice, give yourself, and your child, some grace. You are tackling something very new and you will likely be learning as much as—if not more than—your student those first few weeks. Start a “brain dump” notebook of your initial thoughts, ideas, obstacles, fears, dreams, and goals. Having a written list of your questions and concerns makes it feel less overwhelming! No need to panic. As you approach a crisis with a calm and positive attitude, your child will learn to do the same. Little by little, it will all come together.
Guage where your student is at
Taking charge of your child’s education can be quite eye-opening to what your student can and cannot do. And it can be discouraging if you find more learning deficits than you expected. But you can’t begin to plan a path forward until you have an accurate picture of the present.
Where is your student at emotionally?
A sudden change in their schedule and environment can be a lot to process for a child, even if it’s a welcome change. If your child had psychological struggles (anxiety, depression, bullying/abuse, feelings of failure) in his former school environment, find him the resources to begin to heal and grow. Although homeschooling may help remedy some of those issues, additional support may also be necessary. Spending more time with your child will help you keep a better eye on their overall well-being. Good mental health will contribute to their academic growth!
Where is your student at academically?
How has your student been doing at school prior to coming home? What kind of assignments have they struggled with? What kinds of tasks are easy for him? Does he need differentiated instruction for a specific diagnosis? You can look through some of the placement tests (for Math and ELA) on our website to get an idea of whether your student is at, below, or above grade level.
Don’t panic if your child doesn’t fit perfectly into an exact grade level for every subject. The important thing is to meet them where they are and move forward. If you’re starting mid-year, focus on starting new habits, growing confidence, and making progress, even if it is slow. You may find yourself having to fix a faulty foundation and shore up basic skills first.
What is your student interested in academically? How do they learn?
What wakes up your child in the morning and captures his attention? In evaluating your student, it’s not just a matter of what questions they can answer or which skills they have mastered. How do they learn? What motivates him? The benefit of homeschooling is being able to customize the education to what best fits your student. Be willing to experiment to see what works best.
What does the future look like for your child/family?
Is homeschooling a very temporary situation or do you plan on keeping him home for the long haul? Do you want to keep your options open? How soon you plan on re-enrolling your child in a traditional school may determine what curriculum and subject areas you cover.
If your child is a teenager, it’s important to keep their post-high school plans in mind. Most families aim to prepare their child for college-level work, regardless of whether they choose that path. If your child already has a career path in mind, then you can tailor their high school program to what will prepare them well for that destination!
Start researching
Your first priority is finding curriculum to develop their math and language arts skills. We have a Resource Page and a YouTube channel that was created with you in mind as you make these decisions. We talk a lot about the “FAMILY Way”—a rubric we developed to help you find the curricula that best fits the needs of your family. Once you know where your child is at and what skills you want to work on first, you can find the right curriculum to meet those needs.
Request a Rainbow Resource Catalog
Instead of wandering aimlessly through cyberspace, request (or download) a Rainbow Resource Curriculum Catalog. We have included a wide variety of the most popular and high-quality programs in an easy-to-read format. And the catalog is full of QR codes to coordinating YouTube videos if you want to do a deeper dive on a specific curriculum. We also sell many books for new homeschoolers. Some popular ones include: Hesitant to Homeschool?, The 4 Hour School Day, and Teaching From Rest.
If you don’t have the capacity to do extended research, many new homeschoolers choose a Rainbow Resource Starter Package. These are grade-level, complete subject packages (Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies) that we curated with time-tested materials that are easy to jump into. Then as you feel more confident, you can mix and match curricula to what works best for you and your child.
Talk to real people!
Check out your state homeschool organizations to see what homeschool support groups or online groups are available in your area. Local homeschool families can be a treasure trove of information about non-publicized events, classes, and resources. And they just might become new friends, too!
And always feel free to call the Rainbow Resource Office and talk to one of our friendly Curriculum Consultants, who can help you talk through your concerns and narrow down your options. We’d love to give you the information and confidence you need to succeed! Call us at 888-841-3456.
In the meantime, what should my child be doing?
Some people who pull their kids out mid-year plan for a time of “de-schooling”: slowly introducing a new schedule and way of learning without all the negative connotations of school. It’s trying to reignite that natural wonder, curiosity, and interest in learning that might have been lost along the way. Homeschooling is not just replicating “school at home”—it has different schedules, rules, and rhythms.
Focus on non-screen and hands-on activities as much as possible while you’re still planning your academics. Ruling out hours of video games or mindless YouTube, let your child think of what they want to do, make, or learn. Drawing, cooking, building, board games, playing an instrument, craft projects, and journaling will keep them occupied and encourage creativity. Playing outside, getting fresh air, and exercise are always beneficial for developing brains. Doing indoor and outdoor household chores also helps with hand-eye coordination, organizational skills, and a feeling of accomplishment. For younger children, offer plenty of free time for gross-motor and imaginative play. For older children, include them as much as possible in planning what they want their school day/year to look like. Then add in family outings, errands, and social activities, and your days will fill up quickly!
One non-negotiable activity is independent reading and being read to, regardless of their age. Find a good novel to read aloud from together (Newbery Award Winners are a good place to start!) and see what conversations and activities spring from the story. Take a trip to the library and fill a bag with a variety of fiction and non-fiction books. You’ll also notice where their reading and comprehension skills are at!
Enjoy your new normal!
New homeschoolers—parents and children alike—often need a couple months to fully acclimate to a new lifestyle. Figure out what your day needs to look like to accomplish your goals. Try to take the pressure off and enjoy the simple pleasures of home-based learning. Gradually add in your formal academics, and after some trial-and-error, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try this sooner!
Have I mentioned you can call our office for a free consultation? We are here to help! Call 888-841-3456. We’re here M-F, 8:30-5pm CST.
