The Homeschooling Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like homeschooling, you are never alone.  Countless parents and other caregivers have faced the exact same issue and have survived and thrived.  The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.  

TSC has scoured the Internet and assembled links to the very best homeschooling resources: articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this Homeschooling Guide even more helpful to survivors like you.   

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Homeschooling

• Homeschool.com: The #1 Homeschooling Community 
• Home School World 
• The Home School Mom
  

The Big Picture   

Parents make the decision to educate their children at home for a variety of reasons. The most common include concern about the environment of other schools, concern about the instruction at other schools, to provide moral or religious instruction, to provide a child with special needs instruction as well as other reasons.

National Center for Education Statistics: Reasons for Homeschooling 

To help you get started homeschooling, be sure to visit:

The Home School Mom: Get Started Homeschooling

Your Homeschooling

To help you find a curriculum for your homeschooling:

Time 4 Learning: Homeschool Curriculum 

Because different states have different criteria for homeschooling, visit this link to help you find out what you need to know:

The Home School Mom: Local Homeschooling Resources

This provides legal requirements for homeschooling state by state:

HSLDA: Home School Laws

Your World

After making the decision to homeschool your child, you will want to find support from other parents and children who have made the same decision:

Home Educator: Homeschool Support Nework

Homeschooling Myths

• Homeschooled children aren’t as social as their public school counterparts
• Home-school parents need to be certified teachers
• Homeschooling is only for religious fanatics

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• Home Educator: The Place for Educational Entrepreneurs
  
• HSLDA: Parental Rights Issues Issue Center
  
• U.S. Department of Education
  

Creating a support circle

• Set up your TSC Survivor Profile
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own
• Interact and provide updates on your profile or our forums

Insurance & Work Matters

Insurance Matters

Because not all insurance companies cover homeschooling, this link can explain to you the type of insurance you need to safely operate your homeschool:

Home School Insurance Solutions

Work Matters

It can be difficult to work around a homeschooling schedule, but it can be done. This link provides tips and support for combining business work with a homeschool program:

Home School World: Combining Work and Homeschool

Resources to Find Support

Choosing and Communicating with a Homeschooling Specialist - How to reach Homeschoolers

How to Find a Homeschooling Support Center - Regional and World Wide Homeschooling

The Emotional Roller-coaster

The decision to educate your children in an unconventional manner can take an emotional toll. While many will support your right to choose the manner your child is educated, many may not understand. To help you through the comments and questions, as well as help you through the transition, these links can help you find the support you need.                                                                           

Books Survivors Recommend

• The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
• Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School
• The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to Homeschooling: A 20-Year Homeschool Veteran Reveals How to Teach Your Kids, Run Your Home and Overcome the Inevitable Challenges of the Homeschooling Life
• The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12

What Survivors Wish They’d Known

Dealing with Homeschooling: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors

How to build a support network

• Set up your TSC Co-Survivor Profile
• Create a support group for your friend or family member.
• Interact and provide updates

Give back

What helped you while you were dealing with the various issues surrounding homeschooling and your decision to teach your children at home? Take a look back at your journey and share with other what helped you and what you wished you would have known/done during your homeschooling experience. You can create a profile, reach out to other survivors, join support circles or share your story by following the links at TheSurvivorsClub.org. Check out some of the best charities for supporting homeschooling research or offering support to survivors:

The Home School Foundation