Wow Sandra! THANKS!! :)
don't see why it wouldn't be legal. Maybe in states where you have to present your cirriculum and meet with advisory boards etc but I think you could easily work around that too.
I'm in Alabama, and as far as I know, there aren't any advisory boards, etc. My dh's cousin is hs'd and I was talking with her mom about it & she said it was reallllllly easy, as far as legality goes...<Our ps here are aweful! I know *lots* of people here who homeschool>
I have considered taking in others people children but no one wants topay what I am asking.
How much $$ are you asking? When talking to dcp, she said she would hs him for what we're paying now <$100/3 days/week> but I would be responsible for books/cirriculum/supplies, etc. That would be ok with me.
here are the major points:
1) she isproviding you with daycare. and you are ahomeschooling your child.
ITA--I would basically write the cirriculum <if we didn't go with something pre-packaged, etc> and I would basically give it to her to 'go over' during the day. I would really 'work' with ds at night/weekends if there was something he wasn't picking up on, etc. <he's a pretty smart cookie, tho, so I don't see this being a problem!!>
homeschooling takes on a bunch of different styles, can be done at any point during the day, for as many or as few days a week as you want (regardless of what any paperwork says) you can school at home or unschool or anything inbetween. In the end regardless of where your child goes to school, be at public school, private school or homeschool, you are totally responsible for thier education and at the end of the day it is up to you to mkae sure your child is learnign somehting.
ITA!
So it doesn't matter that she is doing the book work or arts and crafts projects with your child you are still the homeschooler and she is just a daycare provider. It doesn't even matter if she picks the cirriculum and send your child home with report cards and homework you are still responsible for making sure your child is educated. Most homeschoolers use an outside teacher to tteach thier children something at some point. wether it is music lessons, dance class, a sports coach, a neighbor teaching them about thier new puppies or grandpa teaching them woodworking. Kids learn from everythign around them. We as parents are still totally responsible for what they learn. anytime someone else is taing care of them they are just taking care of them even if they do happen to learn something.
ITA!
2) Since she is doing nothing more than providing daycare she should be paid as a childcare provider (get reciepts, what you pay her is tax deductable), should file her taxes as a daycare provider (it is a freakishly high amount but she can also deduct her rent, utilities, food, supplies, anything she uses in the course of the day while watching your child, etc as daycare expenses. I could usually find a way to deduct most of our purchases and usually ended up paying very little taxes. Also there are a few extra forms to fill out that i was able to wade through with ease and the book "taxes for dumbies". no sweat. and said book is also deductable. She could probably get it from barnes andnoble with her educators discount card ) Also as a daycare provider sh3e sould get supplemental home insurance. I think it was about $5 a month.
Thank you for this info! I never realized that rent could be taken out as an expense...What about mortgage? Would that work the same way? I just never said anything to her about taxes, cause I didn't want it to cause them to have to pay more to the gov't than necessary, but I *do* miss that $$$ we get back on our taxes from daycare expenses!! I'm going to get her to grab that book & look into filing taxes, etc. Seems like it might benefit BOTH of us! Thanks!!
3)filling out paperwork for the state etc. . .
a) rmember you are the homeschooler. When you register and it asks who will be giving instruction give your name.
Will DO!
b) if it asks for hours give hours you will actually be with your child. you can break it up to before and after work if there is a minimum requirement. even if you never lift a pencil during this time that is fine. I htink it is silly to try and devide your life into school hours and non-school hours. my children learn stuff all the time. I wouldn't feel one bit guilty about doing this. Even though your child will relisticlly doing the magority of what appears to be traditional schooling at someone elses house since you are still responsible for his education it will be your job to find out how his day went, what he learned, look at his work and fill in gaps as nessecary. (which brings up an important point of not stepping back from his education and let this other peson do all the work. you will still play a major roll)
ITA on that last sentence...right now, he just basically plays dirt & dumptrucks & stick throwing & campfire building <you get the pic!> when he's with her, and I *like it* that way! I would like for her house to be more of the 'eclectic/unschooling' variety <this is what she wants for her boys too...the reason she's sah with them instead of taking them to school with her!> Like I said before, I can teach him everything he needs to learn <heck, he picks up on stuff that we haven't even 'gone over' just from everyday activities!> and I would certainly hold myself responsible for his 'education'...
You are still the homeeducator, What your son does at her house is just fun stuff to keep a young mind active
ITA!
c) if you have to fill in cirriculum be sure you get this one right. Talk to her. in general this is something you should discuss.
Certainly. Not only is ds' dcp his dcp, she's been a 'friend of the family' for a while <we went to school together, grew up together, etc> I stay over there for about an hour everyday when I pick him up <he goes T-Th> and we just chat about him/her boys/just everything. I'm sure this would be the same when we got into more detailed work, etc.
I would worry about having my child with someone who had a masters in education because I really feel that is a hinderence to the natrual flow of home leanring.
She is TOTALLY understanding of this. I think she was a bit turned off by some of the things she was taught in school, and what she actually read for herself in child psychology books, etc. She's totally going 'unschooling' with her boys, and I'm sure this is what we'll do mostly for our ds too. Oh--she taught for 3 years before her boys were born too, so she realizes the hinderances that 'system' can have on a child. She's btdt, kwim?
be sure she is willing to at least meet in the middle as far as what you want him to be doing and the approach you want her to take.
ITA--we're pretty much on the same page now, and kindof make decisions for our boys by consulting with each other first <kindof a tag-team mommy approach 
We think WAY alike on everything...>
I would want to be responsible for picking the materials my child uses to be sure they fit his personality and intrests and making lesson plans if nessecary that she would be willing to carry out.
ITA...my boy is muuuuuch more 'gross development skill' centered than her two. He *has to be active, and learns MUCH better when he's gotten all that energy OUT! He's always been a big reader <ok, I've always read to him LOTS> and he will sit & read books OVER & OVER & OVER...that's how her boys are too, but they don't seem to need all the running around/being boys before they can sit & read, etc. But--she gives them that opportunity also...just because, ya know?
wither way, make sure you are on the same page and such and know what is going on exactly.
d) find out the laws ans come up with creative ways to meet them. If you have to provide a portfolio or meet with an advisor I would definitely do both of those yourself. It will h elp you to actually know where her is if you do the portfolio and you have no option really except to be the one whomeets with the advisor. But you do want to know, daily, what your son has been u p to so maybe have her keep a journal otr schedule 15-30 minutes at the end of each day to go over with her what exactly they have done.
ITA! Will DO!
I don't know how much you work but I know several moms who work and still manage to be the primary educator.
I work 40hrs a week/M-F. I go in at 6a and work till 2:30p. DS doesn't go to bed till 8, and has usually had a nap before I pick him up, so we have a good 5 hours <discounting dinner/bath/etc> that we can play/learn/etc. Plus--WEEKENDS!
The babysitter just babysits and maybe helps the child with some assignments/worksheets.reading books that sort of thing and she does the rest on her weekends and days off (3 days total). So that may also be an option.
I know this can work. I really just needed to know if this was 'legal'...but thank you SO MUCH for all of this information. You have helped me IMMENSLEY and I want you to know that I appreciate your thoughts! Thanks, Mama!! 
good luck.
Good Luck to U & Yours TOO!! 
Alayna
