How to Start Homeschooling & Conquer Fear

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV"

Was I afraid to homeschool? Absolutely. As a Christian, there was something else I feared even more; my children losing the faith in Christ that was budding in their hearts. Statistics show that over 75% of professing Christian children come out of public schools atheists and agnostics. That’s not great odds. I didn’t want to give them the Hunger Games salute and say “may the odds be ever in your favor!” as the yellow bus rolled by. No. My job as a Christian mother was and is to reinforce that faith. Yet there I was, throwing them to the wolves.

For me, it came down to this; what am I more afraid of? Losing my children to the culture? Or the slim possibility that I could run into some legal issues if I made a mistake? The choice was easy.

Fear can be crippling. It’s one thing to be scared for ourselves, but it’s an entirely different feeling to be scared for our children. I’m talking about that knot in your stomach when you first decide to homeschool and you start to question all of your life choices. I’ve yet to meet a homeschool parent who hasn’t gone through this, and I’ll tell you why; society has brainwashed us into thinking there is only one way to educate our children. Anything outside that box is foreign, and must be dealt with accordingly.
There are a few things you can do to help that knot untangle in your gut. I outline these, along with my thoughts, in my latest YouTube video.
This video is so personal to me, as one of my very best friends in the world is pulling her kids from the school system in a few weeks. She’s scared, terrified even. Although it’s been a few years, my conversation with her took me right back to the same moment that Danny (my husband) and I made the decision to homeschool.

A Few Things to Remember

1. Be Prepared. This includes knowing what your state requires of you. HSLDA is a great place to start with this. Have your documents ready, in a folder, in a secure place. Remember, NO ONE can take your kids without a warrent. If you have questions about that, contat HSLDA. That's exactly what they are there for.

2. Don't be afraid that you can't "teach" because you don't have to. No teaching degree is required! Homeschool teacher manuals tell you exactly what to do, no planning required. See the video above for an example of this. They even tell you what to say! It's so easy, no "teaching" is needed for many curricula.

3. Find your tribe. We have a great place for you if you don't have any friends who homeschool. My homeschool community is a great place to start. Find a homeschool friend and never let go! They can become your lifeline when you get frustrated or have a question. They uderstand your fears, concerns, and frustrations. Click here to come join our group!

4. Try Before You Buy. Try homeschooling out for 6 weeks before fully committing. I did the the summer before we officially began and it really boosted my confidence as a homeschooling parent. Just don't tell your kids it's a trial, trust me. More on this in the above video.

5. Do It Afraid. A lot of things are scary. You can either let that fear control you, or you can go for it. What's the worst that can happen? Do you think your kids will go off to college without understanding fractions? Most likely not. But if you asked me as a freshman in college to do a 5th grade fraction problem....I wouldn't have been able to do it. Guess what? I still have a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education 🤷‍♀️ No fractions required. You won't screw them up, I promise. No fear!

Until next time...Soli Deo gloriaMandy