Hi! We are still deciding about whether this is a good choice for our family. Here is a very BIG issue for us - we really really don't have very much money to spend on it. I might be able to spend $25 and get a big whiteboard and maybe a few folders (so each child has a folder for organization). We already have things like pencils and art supplies....stuff people with lots of kids have. I'm planning on using the internet and library - but am concerned about the little extras you don't think about. So Hi! and what were unexpected expenses (talking about things that were absolutely essential for starting out)? Also - anything you really thought would be key, and you really didnt need? (In case I'm overthinking.) THANKS SO MUCH! Very excited, completely terrified.
Welcome! It is completely normal to feel like you have to have it all perfect and do everything just right (all while being completely terrified) the first year you homeschool. Try not to stress out so much! You don't have to have ANY money to teach your kids. There are so many free curriculums out there, so you might want to look into those. There is a thread about free curriculum on here, just search for it. Also, really think about what you NEED, not want. If you want an all inclusive curriculum that covers a whole year for cheap, I would look into "Learn at Home" or "Home education curriculum". Neither are religious based (if that matters), and they go by grade level. I know you can get the Learn at home books from Amazon and Ebay for under $5 most of the time. There are alot of people on here who can help you as well. Again, DON'T STRESS!! Everyone goes through they terrified stage when they first start.
Haha. Should start a "Raise your hand if you're a scaredy cat" thread! Thats great. Thanks Minthia!! BTW - where did you get the supercute drawing signature? with appreciation.
Look up the World Book Encyclopedia's "typical course of study". It lists the general topics for each grade of school. You can also look up your state's Dept of Ed website and they probably have the general topics they require for each grade and each subject. Not that you have to follow these, necessarily, but you can make a sort of checklist of suggestions for each child's grade, and be looking online and at the library for resources (free!) to cover this information. Online, there are tons of websites that show you how to do lapbooking and notebooking -- the kids make their own books that they'll love to review again and again, and all you need are those library resources, and some folders, pencils and paper, scissors and glue. I keep reminding myself of something I heard years ago: You can get a very good education with nothing more than a notebook and pencil, a math book, and a library card! (Don't forget about inter-library loan!) Happy Homeschooling!!
I wouldn't buy anything until I needed it. I bought whiteboards when my kids were younger and they sat around for several years before I even looked at them. Folders are nice but cut off a corner of a cereal box to resemble a magazine holder (let the kids decorate it) and that will hold their work AND be easy to store on a shelf. So many school supplies can be picked up at thrift stores and yard sales. Honestly, the best supplies I had when my kids were younger (I'm assuming yours are) were spare egg cartons for sorting beads and creating their own games, wooden blocks (any friend who does woodworking can probably offer odd corners and bits that with a little sanding will beat store bought blocks any day) and lots of paper. The less I had in fact the more creative I got and the more fun we had.
