We just started our eighth year of home schooling at my house, and these days I’m teaching four kids while wrangling another. Sure, there are nutty days. But 99 per cent of the time, it just works for us. If the thought of home schooling makes you cringe, definitely don’t undertake it; it’s not for everyone and some kids thrive in a regular school setting. If you’ve been toying with the idea and are wondering if it’s for you, read on for some things to consider while you explore this thing called “home schooling” that’s gaining popularity every year.
Give choices in subject matter, time or place of study. For example, would the child like to do Math or English today? When is their best, most alert time of day? Would they like to study in their rooms, outside or on the couch?
In 18 years of home schooling, we’ve probably spent less than $1,000. I’m not counting things like school supplies or field trips because those are things I would spend money on anyway. But for specific school curriculum, we’ve spent less in our entire home schooling career than we spent on one year of our oldest child’s private school tuition. For a one-income family with six children, that is a substantial savings.
It’s not too early to start planning for the Fall, especially for those teens graduating high school. However, deciding what to do for the rest of their professional lives can seem daunting, if not overwhelming. After all, a post-secondary education is one of the most significant investments - both personally and financially - that a person will make in their lifetime. Often, this investment is supported by parents and the pressure to choose a discipline wisely and perform well can create a lot of family stress.
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