| Although challenging, homeschooling is a wonderful | | | | challenging, be thankful that we even have the |
| investment into your children's future. | | | | option. In Sweden, for example, they are trying |
| Of course, every family has their own good | | | | to pass a law that makes homeshooling illegal. In |
| reasons for homeschooling. Some may desire to | | | | Germany, parents are already being imprisoned |
| provide an education tailored to a child's learning | | | | for even wanting to homeschool their children. |
| style. (I have a friend who is homeschooling her | | | | In Pennsylvania, homeschool laws provide two |
| children because the local public school system | | | | options. "Religious Exemption," is the first option |
| just couldn't meet some of their needs.) Others | | | | where you simply inform the public school system |
| may homeschool for religious reasons. Personally, | | | | of your intent to homeschool, and nothing more. |
| we decided to homeschool so we could spend | | | | (There are some trying to change that law, so |
| more time with our children and present our | | | | beware.) The second option involves the school |
| real-life values in a daily, real-life way. | | | | district a bit more. At the beginning of the school |
| Early on, we learned that formal qualifications | | | | year, you must provide a notarized affidavit of |
| could be valuable, but didn't matter too much | | | | your intent to homeschool and later provide a |
| from a legal standpoint. That didn't mean we | | | | portfolio of your child's curriculum with a letter |
| knew where to start, however. For that we called | | | | from an evaluator. Again, each state has different |
| upon trustworthy friends who also homeschooled | | | | laws, so be sure to look into them. |
| their children. This "community" of families were | | | | Additionally, there are organizations that provide |
| able to directs us to websites provided | | | | legal representation for a yearly fee. They are |
| information and various curriculum options. Some | | | | certainly beneficial if you live in a state with many |
| families actually mixed curriculum, using different | | | | and complex homeschool laws. |
| resources for different subjects. | | | | Clearly there are many issues to consider when |
| Before homeschooling your child, you must learn | | | | deciding to homeschool your children. Don't be |
| homeschooling laws - which change from state to | | | | intimidated or discouraged. Resources and help are |
| state. Although it can be inconvenient and | | | | available, and your children are worth the effort. |