For various reasons, be it a family move, nationwide school lockdowns, or just trying something new for a little while, some parents just want to homeschool their child temporarily. If you fall into this camp, we hope to provide guidance on how to get started in homeschooling your child for a short season.
A Short Guide to Homeschooling Your Child Temporarily
Whether you want to homeschool your child for one year, for a month, or for an indefinite period of time, in this post we will pose some conclusions to your questions and consolations to your concerns.
Step 1: Figure Out Your Reasons for Temporarily Homeschooling
The first course of action in the process of transitioning from traditional school to homeschooling your child temporarily is to consider your reasons for doing so.
Of course, you’ve probably given this a fair bit of thought already. However, spend a few moments really trying to pinpoint why you want/need to homeschool short-term: Are you inspired by another family to try out homeschooling? Are you dissatisfied with the education your child is receiving in public school? Is there a major life event, such as a move, that makes homeschooling an necessary option for your family?
Understanding your motivations and reasons for wanting to homeschool temporarily may lead you to consider options you haven’t yet. For example, if your reason is that you are frustrated with the quality of education your child is receiving in traditional school, then perhaps homeschooling long-term should be on your radar, not just homeschooling short-term.
Step 2: Become Familiar with Your State’s Homeschool Laws
If you’re completely new to homeschooling, you might not know each state has different regulations regarding homeschooling, which can include differences in how to withdraw your child from public school.
Before you slam that panic button, these differences in state laws are fortunately made clear by HSLDA and their Homeschool Laws by State map. In viewing the map, just click on your state to see which regulations will apply to you and your family should you chose to homeschool temporarily.
Step 3: Choose a Homeschool Curriculum
If you will be homeschooling for more than a month, you’ll likely want to choose a homeschool curriculum or program instead of creating your own from scratch or attempting unschooling.
Doing any sort of research into homeschool curricula, whether online or at a homeschool convention, can lead to serious overwhelm at the sheer number of available options. So, to narrow things down in your search for the best homeschool curriculum for your family, there are a few questions to consider:
- What is your child’s learning style like? Do they thrive with structure, flexibility, or a combination of both? Do they prefer hands-on learning activities or are they more of a visual learner?
- Is it important to your family that your curriculum is based in a Christ-centered worldview?
- Is it important for your curriculum to include a weekly or even daily roadmap?
- Do you want your child to read classic literature or primary source documents?
Read: “Different Homeschool Methods Explained”
Step 4: Review Options for Socialization
If you will be homeschooling your child for a year or for a similar extended period of time, you should consider options for socialization. As a homeschool family, you must be more intentional in pursuing socialization opportunities. After all, your child won’t be around their peers everyday anymore!
However, this intentionality can be a great blessing. For example, many homeschool families find like-minded friends in local co-ops, communities, book clubs, sports teams, or volunteer opportunities.
Step 5: Plan for the Future
Considering all things run smoothly with homeschooling your child temporarily, what’s next? Should you homeschool your child long-term through high school?
While homeschooling your child temporarily is certainly an option, there are many great benefits of homeschooling that come from putting in the time and effort year after year.
However, we know committing to homeschooling long-term can seem daunting. Even so, if you are considering homeschooling temporarily, you should consider this “what if?” situation if your child thrives in a home education environment!
Read: “Pros and Cons of Homeschooling”
Homeschooling Temporarily vs. Homeschooling Long-Term
If you are considering homeschooling your child for more than a year, you don’t have to do it alone! For each Classical Conversations® homeschool program, we will connect you and your family to a local community of homeschool families all walking the same path together. In community, you’ll receive the support, accountability, and guidance to homeschool your child with confidence!
If you are interested in learning more about our community-based approach to homeschooling, click here. We’d love to hear from you!
