5 things you need to get started homeschooling

1. You must like your kids.

If you are the person who says, "I can't wait for them to go away!" then maybe homeschooling isn't for you. Where you aren't entertaining and teaching them all day, you are spending a huge amount of time with them. This is a blessing, and a curse.

2. Commitment

You have to give it time to work. If, at the end of the week you are not having it, you can't say, "I'm putting you on the bus on Monday!" The kids need to feel secure in your commitment to teach them, no matter how hard it is. Give it a year, and then reevaluate.

3. Willingness to fail

You, like every other homeschooling parent, will make mistakes. We all are learning how to do it, and sometimes failing is a daily thing! Pick yourself up, dust off, and say, "Okay, let's start again." You and your children will need lots of grace.

4. An idea of what to teach

This isn't as hard as you think it is. There are scads of lists and books everywhere that tell you what to teach when. Of course you could just ask your child what they are interested in learning and make that your jumping off point. If this makes your nervous then just go to the government's website http://www.corestandards.org/ and get their list of what to teach when. There are also a set of books called What Your First Grader Needs to Know (or whatever grade they are in.) These can also be a great starting place and give you some peace of mind. Please remember that each child learns at a different pace and these ideas are just a guide!

5. A library card

This is a must unless you plan to spend money building up your own library. Every child should have their own card as well and library visits should be put into your weekly calendar.