When to start research?

[Katrina]

I have a six month old daughter who we plan on homeschooling. When do you all recommend starting to research this? Where should I start?

[teastaigh]

Hi Katrina,

Well, it looks like you've already started!

I think reading this forum, the articles in mothering about homeschooling are a great place to start. Depending on how you like to learn about things, you might like to talk with and hang out with some local homeschoolers. There are quite a few moms with babes and only babes who come to the local homeschool support group where I live. They attend the meetings, get information, come to park days sometimes, and meet other moms.

I also think that "Homeschooling, The Early Years" by Dobson is a good start. If you'd like something quicker with a bit of fire and bite, you might try "Dumbing Us Down" by John Gatto.

You are wise to be looking into this now!!!

teastaigh

[anythingelse]

[HimalayanGyrl701]

Katrina, I'm giggling because I have been ready to start researching as well and my dd is also only 6mo. Good luck.

[opal]

Hi,
It's never too early to start. There is so much to know. I started contemplating whether or not to homeschool at about the time my son was 6 mo old and now he is 19 mos. I still have a lot more to learn but I am at least going in a particular direction. Find out what other h/s groups are out in your area, get to know them, if you find out you don't really have any, you may need to think of forming your own little informal group, read, read, read, there is so much material out there, either on the internet or books, John Holt is a good author about Unschooling, research cirriculums to follow if you choose not to go the unschooling route, build your support network. Good luck!

[gilnikche]

I highly recommend reading "You Are Your Child's First Teacher" by Rahima Baldwin. A great book to get you started.

Do you go to LLL meetings? I found that there were always homeschool conversations going on afterwards. Crunchy mamas tend to hang out together. I have a link for you for info on NY homeschooling:

http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschool...al/NewYork.htm

This is part of a site called A-Z homeschooling (lots of fantastic links there!).

One thing I wish I had done...Started hanging out with homeschoolers when my child was about 3 y.o. instead of 5 1/2. Do not wait until the child is of "legal age":