EHO Homeschooling FAQ

By EHO Staff

Is it legal?

Yes, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. Laws and regulations differ from state to state. Information about homeschooling in all 50 states is available on the Eclectic Homeschool Online website's Support section.

What about socialization?

First you must ask what does socialization mean? When you start defining what socialization means then the answers become more obvious. Children are properly socialized when they are able to interact appropriately with people of all ages in a variety of settings and situations. Many believe that proper socialization comes not from children interacting with each other, but from children interacting with adults and modeling proper behavior. Homeschooling is ideal for this type of socialization. Interpersonal skills are practiced in a controlled environment amongst those that love and support children—their family. As children learn to relate properly within the family structure, they then use those skills as they become involved in the community through support group, church and community activities.

How do you manage to teach so many children all at once?

You don’t usually work with all the children at one time. While one is working on math, you may spend time with another working on editing a composition. Children learn to work on something they can do without assistance until it’s their turn to work with you. You can also teach science and social studies with all the children together. If you have preschoolers, allow them to participate. They can draw story pictures while an older child writes his story.

How do you have enough patience?

You don’t always have enough patience. You’ll find that you have the same level of patience with school work that you do with kids and housework. If that worries you, remember that God chooses to use the weak, and He will work through your weakness. He has a full storehouse of patience ready to supply those in need. Ask on a minute by minute basis if that is your need.

How do you make your kids do their school work?

First off, if you are creating a homeschool program that is interesting getting kids to do their school work is not as difficult as you may think. Schoolwork in the traditional school often includes so much busy work and silliness that kids develop a basic dislike of schoolwork. Homeschooling eliminates the twaddle and replaces it with interesting learning. You also want to begin to develop your child’s understanding that his education is not for your good; it’s for his good. Children need to be told often that God has a plan for their life and that they need to spend time seeking him for an understanding of that plan and preparing themselves to accomplish what God desires them to do. They need to develop a God centered motivation for learning. Along the way there will be some things that really need to be covered that your child may not want to do. There really is no difference between getting a child to make his bed and do his math. If you can discipline your child to do housework, you can discipline them to do their school work.

How do you manage to teach algebra and higher maths and sciences?

There are a variety of ways to teach these subjects.

1. Use purchased curriculum and by all the necessary science supplies.

2. Use a correspondence course.

3. Set up a course with other homeschool parents in your area.

4. Take courses offered through the local community college.

5. Find a tutor in your local area to tutor the subject.

How do you ever have time to do anything else with your kids there all day?

This question especially applies to those with younger children. Once you have at least one child over the age of 12, you have a little more freedom to come and go as you need to. Homeschooling rarely takes the whole day. It’s not as time intensive as you might think when comparing it with the length of time children spend each day at public school. The first year is probably the most time intensive because you are learning so much yourself and developing the organizational plan that will make the most of your time. During my first two years of homeschooling I dropped several outside activities including teaching Sunday School. That gave me the time I needed to focus on homeschooling. Once I got my sea legs, adding in other activities became possible.

If you homeschool, how do you manage to do housework, too?

Housework is a family affair. We all work together to get the housework done. Tasks are divided up according to age. We’ve also learned that with six people home all day working, playing and learning that we are going to have a messier house than people that spend the majority of their time away from home. We have come to accept the lived-in look of our home and find that most guests don’t mind the clutter. They are usually astounded by the number of books we own and never get around to noticing the dust on top of the piano.

Do you ever have any time just for you?

We have a bedtime. One time for the younger children and one for the older children. This allows parents to have time for themselves. Some people also get up an hour before their children. Others simply have a set time that they retire to their bedroom when children are allowed only to interrupt for life and death situations.

How do you afford all the different homeschool materials?

Homeschooling can be expensive if you try to buy everything that is available. Use your local library whenever possible to avoid purchasing books. Many libraries also offer CDs, book tapes, and software. Buy used materials whenever possible. There are quite a few online used materials message boards. Buy materials that you can use with more than one child. Remember that expensive doesn’t always mean best. Programs like the Miquon Math series are quite inexpensive and excellent materials. Each year plan to buy one expensive item such as a good quality microscope. Consider your most important needs and buy those first. Multi-level curricula often saves you money over the years. For instance Understanding Writing is a K-12th grade curriculum requiring just a few extra books. Plan on spending up to $500 per child each year to begin. Once you are able to reuse materials that amount will drop drastically. Complete curriculum packages are the most expensive.

How do you homeschool with babies, toddlers, preschoolers wanting your attention, too?

I homeschooled with the baby right on my lap. You also can take advantage of nap times. Have a number of play things that they can call their school. If the baby really needs your attention, then stop and deal with the baby. If you can’t do school that day because the baby has an ear infection, then just call school off for the day. Remember that you accomplish more in one day than most public schools. Older children can continue working on their own in these circumstances.

How do you know WHAT to teach?

There are a number of good scope and sequences available that take you through grade by grade what a child should study. These can be very helpful. Most homeschool resource catalogs offer one or two of these. There are also several good books available that detail what should be covered through high school.

How can homeschoolers get into college?

As more and more homeschoolers graduate colleges are developing their own admissions requirements for homeschoolers. Often these incorporate SAT or ACT test scores and transcripts of work completed. Private institutions are usually much more amenable to homeschoolers. Many offer homeschool scholarships. State schools often require a GED and some are also requiring SAT subject tests. High school students should find out the requirements for the schools they are thinking of attending. Most universities will accept you, if you already have 12 credits of community college work.

How do you get by on just one income?

Tamara Eaton shares...

Some of the ways we manage to get by with one income...

1. Matt.6:33, our "life" verse. Without the Lord, I don't know HOW we'd do it.

2. We don't drive new vehicles. One of these days the kids will be grown and we can always invest in one of those "dream vehicles". (On the other hand, I hope that if the Lord tarries, our children will be frequently bringing our grandchildren to visit and we might decide to keep those big vans so we can cart them around.)

3. We don't buy expensive clothing...we plan our wardrobes, usually stick to classics, purchase things on sale, and never refuse used clothing or hand-me-downs unless they don't fit or we really don't need them. The Lord blesses us in so many unexpected ways...for example, in the past year when I lost weight, my mom's good friend gained weight. She always buys classic styles of excellent quality, really expensive brands, too. She gave me all her outgrown clothes! We pray for our needs to be supplied and then just rejoice in the Lord's faithfulness to us!

4. We rarely eat out, instead we make it fun to prepare together easy meals that are treats. We make homemade pizzas that are actually better tasting than takeout, and they are much more nutritious.

5. We buy groceries in bulk when possible, and stock up on meat when it is on sale. We don't run out to the grocery store just to pick up an item or two, but plan our trips...making do if we run out of something, if possible.

6. We also plan outings to conserve gas.

7. We buy a lot of items used...furniture, VCRs, etc.

8. We don't spend much on entertainment or travel...our kids are our entertainment! We enjoy games as a family, singing together, doing "old-fashioned" things like making homemade doughnuts together and popping popcorn. (OK, we use the microwave kind of popcorn...so we cheat a little there.) When we entertain, we do it family style!

9. We almost never take vacations. This we hope to change one of these days especially now that our little ones are bigger. Still, several times a year we take "mini_vacations" by either going somewhere not too far for us for day trips, or by staying home on a weekend and turning off the phone, and planning lots of fun foods, activities, etc. together as a family. No chores are done...we only pick up after ourselves, use paper plates for meals, etc. It has been a big hit and our kids ask us when we plan the next vacation! If we have extra money at that time, we might eat out a meal (brunch is a favorite!) and/or give the kids some cash and take them on a shopping trip somewhere kind of different.

10. When something is broken or not working, we try to repair it ourselves instead of calling in the "professionals". This is great experience for all of us, including the kids who are learning basic household repairs. My teen son even repairs appliances, the riding lawn mower, furniture, etc.

11. We barter when we can! William and Micah have done this a lot with computers and equipment. Micah bartered his time putting together a computer (it took him 2 1/2 hours) for a laser printer that works perfectly. He also was able to "purchase" a riding lawn mower (his regular chore was mowing grass!) by working it off on a farm doing chores and repairing things.

Is there anyway both parents can work and still homeschool?

Some homeschool parents manage to do this by alternating their work schedules and sharing the teaching responsibilities. Some have work at home arrangements or run their own businesses. It can be done, but you have to have a high level of commitment.

How can I get my child to be faithful to do their assignments without me standing right over them?

Tamara Eaton shares

Here are some suggestions to help children become faithful in completing their lessons or projects without having to have a parent standing right over them all the time.

• Give them smaller, shorter assignments and let them have an opportunity to learn to be faithful and diligent in the small things before being given bigger lessons or tasks.
• To someone not used to being self-discipline, even a regular amount of assignments becomes overwhelming and they feel as if it's too much, that they will never finish! The younger the child, the shorter the assignments should be...
• Especially if they are used to public or private school instruction methods, it takes some adjustment for many children to learn to work on their own. Or even if they have been homeschooled, but you have been bearing the "burden" of seeing that they are completing their work.
• When they have shorter, more obtainable goals, they will sense accomplishment when they are through and that will provide them with motivation for future assignments!
• Make the work neither too easy nor too hard. Keep the child aware of his progress.
• Notice the good things they do and praise them! Focus on future success and not past failures. "Demonstrate" your love and confidence in them! Make a big deal over when they finish an assignment. Help them set goals and understand the purpose of their assignments.
• Take time to look it over and appreciate the child's work. When a correction is needed_ be gentle, yet firm and add encouraging words as well.

We should look to the Lord as our model for behavior in these areas, He never overwhelms us with His loving conviction and correction (If we feel overwhelmed, it is the work of Satan, not God!) but instead He always gives us HOPE and encouragement that we CAN overcome the problems with His help. His timing is always perfect, too. We should be led by the Holy Spirit in when and how to correct our children!

Don't you ever just get too tired to homeschool?

Absolutely. And when we need to take a break, we take a break. Often in the middle of winter when everyone is a little glum, we will change what we’re doing. That doesn’t mean we stop learning. Last winter I got the kids basketball math workbooks. Suddenly math was fun again. Break time also might me the perfect time to pull out the Slime Chemistry kit you purchased and let the kids have at it. They’re still learning, having fun, and you’re free to rest or work on your own fun project.

How can I get my husband more involved since he's so busy already?

Share with him daily what’s happened. My husband loves to work on various projects with the kids that involve the things he loves to do. He has taught them to do some woodworking and continues to teach our oldest son how to build computers. Let Dad’s know how important it is for them to come to the yearly homeschool convention. It is one of the best places for fathers to catch homeschool fever.

How do I know which curriculum is best for my family?

You may not know at first. Reading a curriculum manual like Cathy Duffy’s helps and learning more about homeschooling methods and styles from a book like The Home School Manual by Ted Wade will help you to decide. However, once you start using something you may find that it wasn’t the best fit for your family. That’s not uncommon. Your first decisions about curriculum are based on what you remember from school and what you perceive as your children’s strengths and weaknesses. Over time you will perhaps change your ideas about your children and how they learn best.

What do I do when it just seems like my child isn't "getting it" when I am trying to teach him?

You may simply need to take a break and come back to that area at a later time. Or, you may need to find a different way of presenting the material. It’s a judgment call. However, you should not continue to force a child to do something that is obviously causing them distress. Pray and ask God what to do in this situation. His perspective is greater than your own.

How do you make sure you're covering "everything"?

You don’t. If your focus is teaching your children the skills they will need to continue a lifestyle of learning, you won’t cover every facet of science or history. There is simply to much knowledge in the world today for any one person to have a working knowledge of it all. If however your child has the tools to learn, if and when he needs a particular type of knowledge he will be able to get that knowledge on his own. It basically boils down to reading, writing and math.

Don't they get bored staying home all the time?

My children rarely get bored. If they do, we offer them the choice of doing a little housework or finding something to do. They usually find something to do. We have in our home a wealth of resources for the children to use on their own. We have puzzles, games, books, kits, science materials, software, art supplies and building sets. Sometimes they might need a suggestion, but they usually can find something to do that not only keeps them busy, but makes them happy.

Copyright ©  2003  Eclectic Homeschool Association