Donald Saunders

5 Things To Think About When You Move Your Children From A Public School To A Home School

If you find that your child is struggling in a public school and is becoming more and more downcast with each passing month then home schooling could well be an option that you should think about.  However, prepare yourself for a period of transition after taking the child out of the public school system before diving into 'full-time' home schooling.

If you find that your child is stressed in a public school and is becoming increasingly disheartened as the year progresses then home schooling may be something which you should look into.  But, prepare yourself for a period of transition after removing the child from public school before leaping into 'full-time' home schooling.

If your child is in public school at the moment then you will have to begin by studying the home schooling laws in your state. Ensure that you are able to comply with all of the state's requirements before taking further action. After you are confident that you can meet all of the  state requirements you must contact your child's school and inform them that you are removing. If you fail to formally remove your child then this may lead to truancy issues in the future. Additionally, be ready for the school to question your action and perhaps to try to dissuade you from this course of action.

The procedure for withdrawing your child will depend on where you are living however it will normally involve simply addressing a letter to the superintendent of your child's school system.  You will need to state that you have elected to school your child at home. You will also need to furnish evidence that you are adhering to the laws of the state and that you are legally allowed to remove your child from the public school. If you are able to quote sections of the law in your letter then it will help to show that you are familiar with the regulations and with your rights as a home schooling family.

Having dealt with the formalities you will then need to think about the following 5 points:

1. Your child is no longer a prisoner of the rules of the public school system and will have to be given a little bit of time come to terms with the change. Consequently, you ought not to rush into schooling but ought to allow your child some time to get used to this new lifestyle.

2. Take some time to get to know one another again. You might think you know your child however you could be surprised to find that you do not know him at all. You may unearth areas of your child's character which you did not know were there and he may also learn some new things about you as well.

3. Do not be surprised if your child continues to do some things which he has grown used to doing at public school. Some new home school children will raise their hand if they want to ask a question or when they need to use the restroom. It may take some time to do but those school habits will disappear eventually.

4. Try to keep some of the better habits which he has learned at school. If, for example, your child is used to doing spelling tests on a particular day of the week then continue to keep that schedule. If you permit him to stop doing everything he did in public school then you may end up creating more problems than you are solving.

5. Finally, take the time to enjoy the process with your child. Electing to home school is of course chiefly for the benefit of the student however it should also be fun for you. Try not to take things too seriously and cut yourself some slack and enjoy yourself. Perhaps of prime importance remember why you chose to home school your child and take joy in the freedom which home schooling offers you and your family.

Article Tags: Think About, Public School, Home School, Home Schooling, Some Time

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