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5 Things you Should Know Before you Homeschool w/Trisha Pull · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of the Five Minute Parenting Podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Karen Ferguson, wife, mom, grandma, and children's book author with a background in KA education and a passion for equipping parents to raise confident and god-confident kids.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: In this podcast, we'll cover parenting practices for both a practical view and a physical view.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Our goal is to help you raise kids with a positive, godly self-image so they can become all they were created to be.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're busy, so we'll keep it short.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Let's take just five minutes to dive in.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, listeners.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Today we have Trisha Pohl back on the show to share five things you should know before you homeschool.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Trisha has 12 years of experience teaching at home and is currently educating her six children in grades six, seven, eight, ten, eleven, and twelve.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: She has used a variety of teaching approaches because different kids have different learning needs.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: She believes that school customized to the individual student is one of the great strengths of homeschooling.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Following Jesus, not by obligation, but as a relationship driven by hearing his voice, is Trisha's goal in all she does.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Trisha has a bachelor's degree in Oval Performance and Music Education, and her favorite hobbies are music, University of Kansas, Kansas basketball, tea, strategy board games, and running.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Home renovation television shows are one of her vices.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Tricia, welcome back to the show.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I know you've been on the show many times before.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: You're always so great about bringing helpful tips and tools for parents.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm excited to have you on today and I'm excited for today's topic.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: I know there are people listening who have thought about homeschooling or maybe are preparing to start.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: My daughter's one of them.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd love for you to just jump right in and share those five things to know before we get started with homeschooling.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: I am super excited to be back.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: I love homeschooling and I love talking about it.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: And so we are just going to jump right in today.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: What do you need to know before you get started with homeschooling?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think the first thing you need to know is what does the law say about homeschooling?
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: And so each state has its own set of homeschool laws.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: They govern the educational system in their state.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: Each state does, and they get to make the rules about what happens in all educational settings, including homeschooling.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: And so since each state establishes its own requirements, they can vary widely from almost no requirements and no oversight to a lot more restrictive requirements and oversight.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: That means a little bit more time and a little bit more work for the homeschooled parent.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: And it is legal in all 50 states.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: So that's really great news for homeschoolers everywhere.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: You're going to want to familiarize yourself with those homeschool laws before you begin.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the best place to find out what those laws are and how they impact your family is at hslda.org.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's the Homeschool Legal Defense Association.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: And they have a video and some written text about your state and what the laws are and how you can be in compliance with those.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: So don't be intimidated by this one because homeschoolers in your state do this every year, and they are successfully homeschooling their children in compliance with the laws of the state they live in.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: All right, number two, what do you need to know before you get started with homeschooling?
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: I think you need to know that you and your spouse, as in all things once you're married, are a team.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: And so homeschooling is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, but it has a cost that it comes with.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: Finances and family resources are tapped.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_01: And so you and your spouse need to be on the same page when it comes to homeschooling, then.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Meaning that if you have a spouse that's not enthusiastic about this prospect, or if they're not on board at all, I want to caution you about starting homeschooling.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: For many, homeschooling is a lifestyle.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: We don't contain our teaching and our learning to three to five hours of the day.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's the way we run our lives.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so it affects our home management.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: It affects the conversation at the dinner table, sometimes even when we eat dinner, right?
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: The activities that we do and don't do, just about everything is touched by the fact that we homeschool as a family.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you have a parent that's not on board, it can create tension in the home.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think if you're not united about that decision, um I just want to encourage you to pray and to ask for um your your spouse's heart to be softened or for you to accept that this is maybe not the right choice because you need to embrace this as a family.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so good communication among you and your spouse, and then consider waiting, or consider um not homeschooling at all.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: It really is a family endeavor to homeschool.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: Number three, uh, what you need to know before you get started is that you don't have to imitate anyone else, not the public school, not the private school, not your neighbor down the street that homeschools.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: So we homeschool at our dining room table.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's uh where all the action happens.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: There's books piled up there all day.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we're over on the couch.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, some of my kids go in their room.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so we, this is we've got marker boards and corkboards on the walls of the room.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's not a beautiful uh dining room, uh, but it is where we live our life.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's what works for us um regarding homeschooling.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: I have friends who use classrooms, um, who have a room set aside in their home, and that is their classroom, and that's how they do school.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_01: We have friends who um who homeschool at night because parents work during the day.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: We have friends who homeschool on the weekend because both parents are working.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so what I'm trying to communicate here is just this idea that homeschooling is unique, as unique as your family is unique.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: And so don't be afraid to do it the way that makes sense and works for your family.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: And so um it doesn't have to look like somebody else's idea of what school is supposed to be.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: Number four, there are a lot of wonderful resources to help you.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: And the one I want to point you to, because I think you need to know about these guys before you enter into homeschooling, because I think they're gonna help you homeschool well, is your state homeschool organization.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: You need to know about those guys before you venture into homeschooling because they are going to be one of your best resources.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: So, again, back to HSLDA, um, the homeschool legal defense association, they have on their website a page and it'll be in the show notes today.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they have a page on their website that has a list of each state and the homeschool organizations that that reside in that state.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: And these state homeschool organizations are not for profit.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: They're out there to help the homeschoolers and support the homeschoolers in every way.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want to get connected locally in a co-op or a support group, you can find that information on their website.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um they'll have a list of co-op and support support groups from all around the state.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they also do something that's amazing.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: They have a spring convention.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: I think almost all 50 states have a spring, they have a spring convention um coming up here in March, April, May, June.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you can get on their website and find it.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: And they um put these conventions together to encourage and equip families.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: And there is a chance to get your hands on curriculum and talk to people who have done this uh for a long time, people who haven't done it hardly at all.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: You can attend workshops.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you're talking about parenting, you're talking about schooling, you're talking about all the issues that come uh in a home with people like you and me.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just want to, I think they're one of the best resources out there.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: And they're usually, they have many resources on their sites that are free of charge or very little at very little cost um to partake.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you need to know about your state homeschool organization.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you'll check them out.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: And number five, what do you need to know about homeschooling before you get started?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: And that is why you want to homeschool.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: Why we want to do this affects everything about what we do when we start.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: And so, why do you want to homeschool?
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, one of the one of the things, one of the tenets of our whole home, but also why we want to homeschool is we want to transfer our faith, our knowing and loving of Jesus Christ.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: We want to transfer that to our kids.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: And we think homeschooling is a really good way to do that.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: We homeschool for a lot of other reasons, but this is just one I'm going to share with you today.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so, how does that affect our homeschool?
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: Well, um, it means that Bible is a part of our school days.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: So we um we have right now I just am reading through the Psalms and New Testament each morning and praying with my kids.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's meant Bible curriculums over the years, um, but but it's meant that that's a priority in our day.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it means that that affected the co-op that we joined.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: We we joined a co-op that we saw other families who had a like faith and who were teaching their kids to know and love Jesus.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: And we knew that if we joined that co-op, that they would teach our kids to know and love Jesus.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: It has affected the curriculum that we choose.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we choose curriculum because we want um, we want a Christian worldview.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: I want science taught from a creationist point of view because I know that God created the world and I want my kids to understand that.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but sometimes we choose a text that isn't Christian because we want to have those secular conversations with our kids.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: But either way, our choosing of curriculum is certainly informed by why we are homeschooling.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: It also affects how we spend our time as a homeschool.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, service is a part of our homeschool curriculum.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and so we spend time each week loving and serving the people that God has placed in our lives.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: And that all stems from that why of um why we homeschool.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_01: So I just have one bonus thing I'm gonna share with you.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_01: And this is maybe one of the things I hope you'll take with you from here most, and that is you can do this.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: What should you know before you homeschool?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: You should know that you can do it.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to have a teaching degree to teach your children.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: You are an expert in your children, and no one knows them better or loves them more, and that more than qualifies you to make educational decisions and educational plans for your children.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: And God will help you every step of the way, just like he helps you now in parenting and raising your children.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: This is just an extension of that parenting.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_01: And so ask God continually for help, and he is going to meet you every step of the way as you homeschool with confidence.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wonderful! These are great points to keep in mind and encouraging words.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Tricia.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you're a great resource for people stepping into homeschooling or those who are right in the middle of it.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you have a ton of experience in this area, and I thank you for sharing.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: I do want to mention before we close that you have a website full of resources called homeschooling with confidence.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, tell listeners a little bit about that.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's hswithconfidence.com, and I think Karen will again put that in the show notes.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_01: But um, we have some great resources, free, uh free written resources like on our blog.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: But then there's also other things like in our shop.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um, resources that might interest the listeners today would be our homeschooling with confidence guidebook.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_01: It's an 80-page book.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: It's pretty short actually because it's full of um worksheet type things that you read about something and then you try to process that through and have that affect your school by working that out, um, answering questions, um, assessing learning styles of you and your kids, and just trying to walk out some of these really practical things.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: There's also an all-in-one planner on there in our shop that um met that Chris Cox, um the owner and still associate with homeschooling with confidence, created years ago to help homeschoolers get organized in their home, in their school, to help record keep and schedule keep.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: And it's just chock full of really practical things to help you at any stage of the homeschooling journey.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you, Trisha, for being here.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: And thank you, listeners, for joining us.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: Be sure to check the show notes for links to Trisha's website and the resources she's recommended, as well as some others.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And be sure to come back next week for another episode.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: Have a blessed week.