Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Are you considering homeschooling your children? Home School Legal Defense Association Chairman and General Counsel Michael Farris gives answers to some frequently asked questions, on this edition of Home School Heartbeat.

Michael Farris:
A Virginia couple considering homeschooling their 5-year-old daughter wrote to me for advice. The mother was a former teacher with a master's degree in reading and ten years' classroom experience. Their questions included: How do we keep the younger children occupied? How do we manage our home in addition to teaching children? And—the real question—do we want one more area of potential conflict with our strong-willed 5-year-old?

I commend this couple for asking those questions. It's wise to count the cost before making the commitment to homeschool. Today, I'd like to share with you how my wife and I have solved the problems foreseen by this couple.

First, use the younger child's naptime to accomplish academic work with the older child. Or, plan a purposeful activity to keep the toddlers busy while you teach. Try breaking the teaching sessions down to 30-minute segments, taking a break to focus the younger children; but if you have older children, have them watch the younger kids for short periods of time.

Second, plan one day a week for major housekeeping duties. Don't try to be Martha Stewart. A regular schedule will help you maintain your home at a level everyone can live with.

Finally, there's no question that a child with a strong personality presents extra challenges at times. Such a child needs more, not less, interaction with his or her parents so that stubbornness can be dealt with consistently and lovingly.

Homeschooling involves commitment and sacrifice, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. I'm Mike Farris.