Who is the homeschooling mom here?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Who is the homeschooling mom here?
3
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 1:06pm

Sorry, I read the post fast and didn't look to see who it was...I am going to take ds out of public school in June when the school year ends and we are going to start homeschooling then.

I was wondering how it impacts your budget? I get tons of free printables and lessons off the internet but there lots of things I just can't find online. I also create a lot of my own materials.

However, there are several subjects, lessons, etc I can't find online and purchasing the materials for such things gets spendy! We use the library a lot but our library system leaves A LOT to be desired!

Also, do your children take any lessons or classes? How do you usually manage those expenses? I want to sign ds up for a science camp this spring and again during the summer but that adds up! I'm hoping his dad will help with half the cost but we are in a custody/support dispute right now... I also want to send ds to swim school...he loves to swim and really dislikes any other sports but the swim school is expensive too! Sigh...

Thanks for any advice/input!
Malea

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 2:19pm
I used to officially homeschool my daughter (age 7). It was hard, and expensive, because nothing was supplied, and worksheets only go so far. I bought lots of books and supplies. This year we are doing the k12 Wisconsin Virtual Academy. She is still learning at home, and I am still teaching her lessons, but there is more of a framework with which to work. I like it alot, and it was developed by former sec. of education William Bennet. It is available in lots of states. I do usually spend still a couple hundred per year to have her involved in extracurriculars, but I don't know that is any more expensive than sending her to school. What I do know is that her education is far superior. I'm sure that some people do quite well homeschooling and picking out their own curriculum, but for me, i divide my time between helping to run my other daughter's autism programming, and I also work full time. With true homeschooling (unlike cyberschooling, which we are doing now) you really have to be able to spend an hour a day just gathering materials, on top of the hours you would spend teaching,. Out of pocket last year? Probably around $500. This year, far less, the school provided everything except paper, printer cartridges, etc. You are accountable for everything, and unless you have time to network with other parents, you are pretty much on your own. It is a very ambitious undertaking, to say the least. It can be done, and done well, but it is not cheap in either money (or especially) spent. But either way, it is definitely worth it, you bond with your child in a way that you can't otherwise, and it keeps things family centered. Let me know if you have any more specific question : ) Heather
Avatar for sohappilyme
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 3:16pm

We homeschool!

Sarah
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-05-2004
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 9:39pm


Hi! My Dh is 6, and we're homeschooling for First Grade currently. We started homeschooling during the preschool years.

When I began, I started with prepared curriculum sets from Abeka. I wasn't exactly sure what to begin with for preschool, as far as skills, so that worked out for me. The Abeka sets cost us under $100 each year of preschool...for ages 2 and 3 and 4. That doesn't include the small extras like packages of construction paper, glue, glitter, safety scissors, markers, crayons, etc. Things from dollar stores mostly.

For Kindergarten and First Grade, I checked our State educational requirements (I'm in GA) to find out what is taught in those grades. Then I searched for curriculum books, workbooks, and activities in used bookstores, the library, and online, that would help me meet those requirements, and then I chose a few extra things to help exceed the requirements. The "Everything your child needs to know...." series of books are wonderful. So far, I have the Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade books, which helped me to put together units on the Ice Age and Ancient Greece, which I know are not covered in our local public schools at this age. In total, beyond art supplies and normal school supplies (writing tablets, composition notebooks, pens, pencils, etc), these two years of curriculum cost around $75.00. The benefits are the cost and the ability to tailor the learning to my son's way of thinking. The cons are the amount of work it takes me to accomplish each day's lessons. Evenings are often spent putting together wall charts, making board games out of poster board, writing lesson plans, etc.

For special lessons, such as art classes, or book clubs, I rely on my library and Parks and Recreation classes in our area.

I get an Educator's discount at most book stores by showing my "Declaration of Intent" form that I filed with the public school system saying we were going to homeschool this year. That saves quite a bit too.

For your son's science camp, you may be able to teach science in a fun way by looking around for bargains, rather than paying for a camp. We belong to a BJ's Wholesale Club here, and I was able to find kits about studying magnets and chemisty there for $14.98 each. I wondered if it would be too difficult for him, seeing as I didn't study chemistry until 11th grade when I was in school...but there he was, at 6 years old, explaining atoms and molecules and density to me as if he'd known it all his life. The kits were set up in such a way that it made it fun through experiments and little tests he could perform himself using household items.

For extra-curricular activities, our son takes karate 5-6 days a week for $149 a month. Each lesson is 30-45 minutes, and he gets to run around with other kids and get all his wiggles out. :-D

For us, homeschooling just works. My son is comfortable at home, I get to enjoy every moment of his learning, and the best part is that by using a one-on-one tutoring type of teaching style, we can usually finish all his schooling in about 4 1/2 hours, and that frees up the rest of the afternoon (before karate) for bike riding, ball playing, and swimming when the weather is nice.

He used to wonder why he couldn't ride the big schoolbus like other kids in our neighborhood, but one day we went swimming and I said to him, "Know what the other kids are doing right now?", and he said, "What?", and I answered, "They're sitting at their desks still doing schoolwork", and he smiled and said, "...and I'm done for today". :-D

Pat