The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start

If you are really nervous or worried about beginning your homeschooling adventure, this book can really help. It set my mind at ease. I ordered about 8 books to review to see what we were getting ourselves into, and this book was the one that really relaxed me.There are so many home school methods and this book gives you the basic run down from 'unschooling' to unit studies, to standard methods, to the value of a co-op or group. Learning about how co-ops or groups work really helped me see that I want to be a part of one or eventually start one soon.But this book has lots of feedback from other parents and what they wish they knew their first year after going through it all. The consensus from most was 'don't worry'. I realize that sounds easy, but after reading the parent feedback, the different methods, and also seeing a whole week of each plan (granted many seemed lite), I realized that it is really survivable and not that hard.I sat down and really thought about all the subjects the kids learn in school and thought about my oldest (going on 10) and most difficult child.This book really let me see that while she probably won't be covering exactly everything she would in her normal school, she will be able to cover enough more in depth at home in a positive environment. And it also showed that there are ways to encourage a child to learn without blatantly forcing them to 'study'. I know that is more effective when you stimulate the curiosity rather than making it an obligation for the child.

This book was exactly what I was looking for as I contemplate whether to homeschool or not. It gave a great overview of everything from learning styles to schooling methods and real-world examples of some ways homeschooling families make things work, while stressing that each family and homeschool is unique. I especially appreciated the wide variety of families represented. Some of the material seemed dated (multiple references to late 90s and year 2000 studies) so I was surprised to see that it was a 2009 publication date. The reason NOT to get this on Kindle is that in each chapter there are multiple boxes where families have shared tips, project ideas and so on and it is barely readable because it is so small, and many were completely unreadable. Increasing the font size did not help because it was like a picture box instead of actual text so I'm really disappointed to have missed out on what I'm sure were many great ideas and advice because the ones I read were very interesting!

This is a great book for deciding if homeschooling is right for you. It makes all the arguments for homeschooling and uses great examples of others who have chosen to homeschool vs. public shool. It demonstrates personaly the results of that decision. Plus gives lots of info of the different methods used ect. A great read for anyone contenplating home education! An easy read for those hungry for all the basic ingriedients of getting started! I highly recomend this for those (like me)just entering into the world of homshooling!

It's very informative and easy to read. I'm already 1/3 through this thick book in no time. I really relate to a lot of the content which is how I know that home school is definitely for us. It talks about why you would want to home school, how it can benefit you, where to start, and more. I really enjoy this book and don't regret this purchase. Highly recommend to anyone just starting out home school or thinking about starting.

This book helped me get over that self doubt hurdle of starting homeschooling! It's full of sound advice from an author who is unbiased as to HOW you homeschool, and just passing along why homeschooling is so beneficial to families and how to get through your first year without getting burned out. Add to that all of the added testimonials from parents about what they wish they'd known their first year and fun blips of lesson ideas, and you have a perfect book for the parent who is on the fence about homeschooling and just needing that little nudge to take the leap!

We ordered this book when it became obvious that in our area, homeschooling wasn't just the best choice; it was (for us) the ONLY choice. "The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child" covered a great deal, mostly from the advice-to-parents angle (as opposed to covering curriculum/testing requirements). We learned about the emotional/logistical hurdles we would be likely to face, and how to clear them with ease. Overall, the book covers the objections, concerns, fears and difficulties a novice homeschooler will face, and offers concrete suggestions, reassurance and encouragement. Don't expect Pollyanna; expect real, helpful advice from other parents who have been where you now are.

I'm still reading this, but it has TONS of info in it, along with stories from actual homeschooling parents telling about their first year homeschooling their kids. This fall will be the beginning of my first year, and this book has made me realize it isn't as daunting as it seems!

I bought this book for my daughter who is deciding whether to homeschool her three children. She has found this book very helpfull, and would recommend it to anyone wishing to look into this avenue.

This is a great book for those who are considering homeschooling their child/children. It provides basic information on homeschool methods or approaches as well as things to consider during your first year of homeschooling. For me, one of the key things that I’ve taken away from this book is the idea of flexibility and the “unschooling” process. I’ve also found the resources/websites useful although some of them are a little old.