Experienced Homeschoolers - What do you want to know more about?

The constant assault on the rights of parents to choose the method of their child(s) education.

The blurring of the lines between traditional homeschooling and all the new alternatives that are available and evolving.

Generally, more high school resources and information. It seems that 90% of the "stuff" out there is oriented toward younger children.

Information and reviews of educational camps - especially those that grant college credit. I've asked a related question on this topic here before (and in other education sections) and did not get any response. We can't be the only family that includes this as part of the mix.

Help, information, support, association for homeschool family owned businesses. Seems like a natural combo to me and I'm sure there are a lot of entrepreneurial homeschoolers but I've had a difficult time finding and connecting with them.

None of it really keeps me up at night ... but hope my input helps.

What concerns do I have?

This is a great question. My main homeschooling concern is the future. My kids are grown from age 16-28. My homeschooling days are almost over. My concern is the future for home schoolers. Do you know the price the people paid to homeschool back in the 80s? Someone paid the price by being arrested, harassed, dragged into court just for all of us to homeschool. And too many newbies take that for granted. My cousin was arrested and tried for homeschooling her child. She helped pay the price for our family. I want to value that.

The future outlook for homeschoolers, for my grandchildren, scares me. It scares me because the homeschoolers of today lack passion. They don't call their reps on bills of importance or issues of importance. They don't go to homeschool days at the capital of their state. They don't support each other without question, and often turn on each other because they don't feel that the other homeschoolers does it "right". I could harp on this for several paragraphs, but suffice it to say we need to protect and value the freedom we have.

What struggle do I face?

I wonder what I will do when my youngest child goes out into the world. How will I spend my days when I am not working? Will I ever be able to pass up a good booksale? Will I be moved to tears when I see a children's book of our past? That is my struggle.

If you're connected with a local group (perhaps a panic attack disorder support group?) you might be able to ask them for recommendations on particular doctors. Once you get a name, call up the office and, without giving your name, state that you feel you need treatment but you're worried over some rumors that you've heard regarding mandatory state intervention, and it's preventing you from seeking help. You're calling to find out if these are just rumors or if they are indeed true. They may answer, or they may refer you to a lawyer for a firmer "legal" answer. Being a minor does have more of a potential for an investigation of any kind (minors, after all, have very few rights of their own and are pretty much at the mercy of their parents), but you're not five years old. You're seventeen, and very close to being a legal adult. Also be aware that some mental illnesses tend to develop (or show symptoms, really) when people begin to enter their early 20s. With a family history of mental illness, it might be very, VERY beneficial for you to be seeing a professional about this before it grows into an even bigger problem.

Hi! My main concern is that some states seem to be working on stopping us parents from home schooling our children at home or threw a cover school. It really has kept me up at night. I live in a state that the laws are very specific about it, in our favor, but, if CA. can do all this, than what can the future hold for us in other states? I know that I have to be prepared, and I am!!!!!

The other concern is that I am worried about choosing the curriculum for my son. We are starting home schooling at the end of this public school year. I have a teenage son & we are really having problems with the public school system. Over the last couple of (elementary school) years with my youngest son, he has just begged me to take him out and put him in private or other system! He is smart, has great grades, good attitude, and plenty of friends. He is just miserable with all the petty control they have achieved. We can only send certain foods to school and so on. Over the last year, we have been researching and preparing for this change. I think we are ready except for those two concerns. I guess we will have to let God handle our worries and do a great job. I really could use some help on the curriculum though. There is so much to choose from!

Nothing keeps me up at night....much less than if I knew my child had to attend the local PS. My only concern is that our rights to HS may be challenged in the near future, but hopefully the HS families around the nation would step up and protest.

I just wonder why the HSLD or some other group hasn't paid for commercials featuring real-life HS families to be aired on nationwide TV. I think it might help clear up some misconceptions that still linger. I think there are still some people out there who still have the impression that all HS'ers live in remote cabins in the mountains and raise goats. (Well, I raise goats, but that's another story :) ) I don't think people have quite grasped the number of HS families there are in the US, how much curriculum is available, how well homeschoolers do academically and socially, and that we are more and more "average" middle-class families who just want the best for our kids (who are generally pretty normal kids.) I also don't think that some of the older generation understands that PS isn't the "Happy Days" atmosphere that it's nostalgically remembered to be.

Nothing keeps me up at night. What my kids are is safe, fed, warm, cared for, healthy, happy, confident and one to two grade levels ahead . What they are not is bullied, intimidated, bored, scared, confused, pressured by peers or stereotypical. They can choose what they want to learn and, as a result, have never been taught to hate learning. If you are considering homeschooling, my one piece of advice to you is to turn a deaf ear to all of the "socializing" nonsense. My kids are well settled, well socialized with all age groups and regularly attend events and functions with other homeschooled children. Due to our flexible schedule, they also get the opportunity to participate in many things that kids on a regular school schedule can't. We do monthly visits to a seniors' home where my kids, even the little ones, read to elderly patients. We also attend climbing, creative writing, woodshop and dance during school hours. My kids have no homework and the evenings and weekends can be exclusively dedicated to our family. I'm in Canada. We receive funding from the government for homeschooling. Most areas have supervising boards that will help you get on track and stay there. I hope this helps.

My main concern right now is my state (California) trying to stick its nose in my daughter's education.

Up until this point, we were very comfortable about her schooling. She is 2 grades ahead of her age and tests very well. I think we are doing an admirable job, even if we aren't CREDENTIALED teachers..like the state wants.

Other than that, the only concern I have right now is trying to incorporate the higher mathematics. But even that is not too bad, since my husband is really good at those and can help teach her those specific courses.. (Calculus, Trig, etc..)

I like North's answer up there..that is it in a nutshell.

The only thing that ever concerns me is if they forced laws in our State of California to make homeschooling illegal or regulate it to the point where there are no freedoms.

We refuse to ever let our child attend a school outside of home.

Well I'm not a homeschooling anymore...But i was at 1 time. and to answer your question.

I didn't have alot of struggles, the only 1 was my mom teaching me stuff i wouldn't need to know till college!

What kept me up at night would be studying algebra when i was in 4th grade!

More information? eh I'm a pro at homeschooling i'm good no information needed! =D

??? are you asking home schoolers what concerns they have??? well i was home schooled for 7 years and all the concerns i had was state tests.... also when i switched to a regular school i didn't have much social skills but that wore off [pretty quickly...