| This article, Part Three of Four, contains a few | | | | lessons? Obviously there will be some days when |
| topics to be considered before you pledge to | | | | your child is too sick to have lessons. Days when |
| teach your child(ren) at home. You will be faced | | | | any kid is just under the weather and does not |
| with more as you continue to progress towards | | | | want to go to school can be used to incorporate |
| the beginning of the school year. Every school | | | | shorter lessons or to skip subjects in which you |
| year, we evaluated whether or not we wanted | | | | are ahead of schedule. Being consistent and |
| to continue homeschooling. Until the 9th or 10th | | | | persistent are necessary but a little change in |
| grade, the answer was an immediate and | | | | routine reminds your student that you are first |
| resounding vote for home. But my child got older, | | | | and foremost their loving parent. |
| subject matter became harder for me to teach, | | | | While teaching my son, I found a reliable |
| and a paycheck was needed. Being taught in a | | | | substitute teacher for testing and outsourcing. |
| video classroom was not for us. | | | | There are subjects you are not going to be able |
| When considering homeschooling, you must | | | | to teach. You will need to enlist help from a friend, |
| consider both the parent's and the student's side. | | | | family member, school teacher, or other qualified |
| This decision should not be taken lightly. You are | | | | individual so your child gets the best education |
| responsible for your child's future even more so | | | | even in those subjects. Meanwhile you can |
| now that you are parent and teacher. Since you | | | | purchase the annual standardized testing from |
| have positioned yourself as educator, you must | | | | Bob Jones University. I strongly encourage you to |
| be persistent and consistent. It is a 24/7 365 day | | | | use a substitute to administer the testing even if |
| a year job. You now have year round school | | | | you have the qualifications to do so. I felt better |
| even if you are not having classes daily. | | | | outsourcing so the validity of the results could not |
| Also you cannot take days off just because you | | | | be challenged in any way. I chose not to be |
| do not feel like having lessons. There will be lots | | | | present during any of the testing. |
| of days you and/or your child do not feel like | | | | Actually this practice paid off when we moved to |
| having lessons. Just as important, have a morning | | | | traditional schooling. The principal of the school in |
| routine as if the child was in a traditional school. | | | | which I elected to enroll my son reviewed the |
| Get up, have breakfast, get cleaned up and get | | | | documentation I presented and said he had never |
| dressed. Have prayer, say the pledge of allegiance | | | | seen such excellent records from a home |
| and incorporate anything else in your routine that | | | | schooling family. They were quite anxious to enroll |
| a traditional school includes if it does not go | | | | my child. Later people said I must be a genius |
| against your beliefs. | | | | since I taught such a brilliant child. I reassure them, |
| Also, you have to prove that homeschooling was | | | | it was the student and not the teacher so we |
| in the best interest of the child. All eyes will be | | | | have come to 50/50 terms on the quality of |
| upon you to see if you have made the right | | | | student and teacher involved. I still believe in my |
| decision for your child which is okay if friends, | | | | heart that I had the remarkable opportunity of |
| family and community are showing they care | | | | teaching an exceptional student who loved learning |
| about your child. | | | | and still does. |
| Another consideration: Will you take "sick" days | | | | Feel free to contact me with homeschooling |
| off or continue lessons to some degree if your | | | | questions or to share experiences. |
| child is not feeling well enough for a full day's | | | | |