“I’m thinking about homeschooling! HELP! Where do I start?”

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First, congratulations on deciding to take a proactive approach towards your children’s education. Secondly, I know how scary this can feel, much like you felt the first time your oldest child was put into your arms, and you had to start parenting and had no idea what you were doing. As you look back, I’m sure you, like most parents, would’ve told your younger self to relax and enjoy it as much as possible. You really CAN do this! You’ve successfully taught them to walk and talk, and you can take it the rest of the way! You are not alone and there are great resources available, more now than ever before.

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In this article I would like to guide you a little on where to start with some practical tips to make the process move along a little smoother.

Before you enter the 10 steps: Take a breath! You are in good hands, you are thinking clearly, homeschooling is a beautiful world that you will share with your child. Thousands of parents homeschool their children in Nevada and you can too! Take some time to think about your decision and do some research.

1. Read, Read, Read - HERE are some book recommendations to help you and your child learn about de-schooling before you jump into homeschooling. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. These will help you get a basis for what homeschooling is, what you want to gain from it. Most of us know that we are running away from the public school system. But where are you running to? What does that look like for your family? Take time to think on this and form a loose idea of what homeschooling might mean to you.

2. Look into the difference between Homeschool vs. Microschool vs. Enrichment Classes vs. Charter School vs. Private School vs. Public School HERE - You may not be looking for homeschooling. A microschool might be perfect for you! Or a Private School or something else. Let’s help you find what fits your family!

3. Unenroll your child from public school. This can seem very scary. But it is the first step on this new path. You can do this at any time in the school year! You do not need to wait until the end of semester or end of year. Talk to your child’s front desk worker and ask for any forms they need.

4. File a Notice of Intent to Homeschool - HERE. In Nevada you simply need to fill out this form with what you intend to teach your child. You do not have to have perfect answers. Just fill it in. HERE are multiple examples by age. Feel free to use ChatGPT to answer these questions as well.  Email or mail it into your County’s District HERE within 10 days of unenrolling your child.

5. Take a break from schooling! Do NOT jump right into any sort of desk learning. You need a break and time to enjoy having your child at home as well as your child needs to reset their brain from the “school structure” that you came from. Read HERE to learn about the importance of de-schooling.  Some experts recommend one month for every year that your child has been in public school. But it is ultimately up to you.

6. Attend co-ops and local meet up groups. HERE is a list divided by area, subject, free or paid etc. Join one or more. Find your people! They are out there, and they will make all the difference. For our area, that is easy, because we have a lot of support out here and thousands of homeschool families.

7. Follow these Facebook and Instagram Pages: NEVCON  NEVCONFB  SNHA HomeschoolMasteryGroup They are constantly posting events, content, ideas, group thoughts and more. You will want to be in the know in these areas!

8. Curriculum - You may have been thinking while reading this list “But what about curriculum? What about ‘book learning’?” That’s a great question, BUT more important things need to come first. For example: You need to figure out what your end goal is. Who do you want your children to become? Do you want outdoorsy kids? Look for Wild Learning, Blossom and Root, or Homegrown Explorations.  Are your children little brainiacs? Love repetition and professionalism? You will do better with Abeka, Khan Academy or Saxon Math. Hand on lessons? Check out Oak Meadow or possibly a subscription box. All in one curriculum? Blackbird & Co., or The Good and The Beautiful. Find your end goal, and make your curriculum work for you! You will waste years of precious time and hundreds to thousands of dollars on a curriculum you don’t need.

9. Attend your first homeschool convention. These provide lots of great talks and discussions where you can learn more and tons of curriculum vendors to look through books you’ve had your eye on! If you missed it this year, don’t worry, they happen every year. One in Southern Nevada and one in Northern Nevada each year. They are a blast!

10. If you need more one-on-one guidance: Schedule a Discovery Call with a Homeschool Mentor - Here you can ask questions and get some basic homeschool information. The first 15-minute call is complimentary and if you need more information after that, we have a group of experienced homeschool parents ready to help! Email info@homeschoolnevada.org for more information!