New homeschoolers with lots of questions.

Today, we decided to take a quick trip to the local water park.  My kiddos were swimming and having fun.  I was sitting and reading the latest issue of Homeschooling Today.  A lady walked up to me and asked if we home-schooled (I guess she came to that conclusion because of my magazine) and I told her yes.  She plopped down beside me and started asking a lot of questions.  I never mind answering the questions and I try to be helpful but I also choose my words very carefully.  She said that she has had enough of government schools and will be homeschooling her 6th and 3rd graders this year coming up.  She really did not know where to start.  Our big homeschooling convention is coming up so I recommend that she check that out.  I did warn her that she would probably be overwhelmed by it all because there are a lot of vendors and college recruiters there.  I remember my first homeschooling convention.  I was like a deer in headlights.  I had no idea what to do or even look at.  After 6 years, I can confidentially say I do know what to do and can manage a homeschool convention like a pro.

Back to the lady and her questions.  She wanted to know how to homeschool.   Really, there is no wrong or right way.  I know what works for us but it did take me a while to figure that out.  I explained to her our methods but told her it might not work for her and that after some time, she will figure it out.

She gave me a few reasons why she has decided to homeschoool and I gave her a few reasons why we homeschool.  Her reasons included the school friends her kids hangout with, bullying, and not enough individual attention.  All very good reasons.  I gave her just a few of my reasons which include wanting my kids to not have a "herd" mentality so they can think for themselves and not just do what everyone else is doing because that is what they are suppose to do, to experience being with kids and people of all ages not just the kids that are the same age as them, and I want my kids to have a childhood which does not included boyfriends, smoking, and foul language.  For us, homeschooling is a way of life and while anyone can homeschool not everyone should.  This is a huge commitment and should not be taken lightly.  In our county, homeschooling is a very common thing with more than 5,000 reported homeschoolers for the last school year.  So good luck to new homeschoolers keep asking those questions and continued success to current homeschoolers.