A godmom, in this case, and home-schooling wore out my BFF and did not in the long run help her son much. He always ended up having trouble when trying to adjust to a public school (usually with the teachers, b/c he wasn't used to anyone telling him what to do, only Mommy gently suggesting it), and now he's 14, he's been in and out of so many schools even I've lost count. Every public and private school in the county of his residence other than the one he's in now, and that one is where his mom nwo works, so that may be the trick....
So speaking from second-hand experience? Home school sounds great, but at some point, the kids have to deal with authorities other than Mom and Dad, and learn how to deal with outside environments, and keeping them in a bubble can have consequences nobody intends. (As in my godson's case. His mom, my BFF, home-schooled K-6, and it's been nothing but "What'd I do?" or "How dare they tell him what to do for homework" ever since she had to go back to work and he went to school... Our other BFF is a teacher and says she runs into that with home-schooled kids about half the time, they are so accustomed to home and parent that they can't adjust to traditional school settings. We're quite the trio, as you can tell....)

So that's what I "know" about it. I will add, btw, that it's good to look into what activities your kids can do *at* or *with* the school district, b/c some areas are lenient and some aren't, and if they want to be on sports teams, etc., that can be an issue down the road.

Luck and blessings and do not OVERDO!

I have a dear friend who home-schooled all three of her girls. She joined a network of like-minded parents, and it was not religiously affiliated. She is a nurturer, so this was a good fit for her. She had several resources, and also socialized her daughter's by enrolling them in extracurricular activities such as Girl Scouts, recreational sports programs, library programs, art programs, educational trips, etc. They also socialized with their public school peers. The girls are very well-rounded, social, polite and extremely smart. All three went on to universities and were high achievers with honors. Lovely girls.

Home schooling is not for everyone, and takes full commitment. It can also be very rewarding.

Find out the homeschooling networks in your area. They can be an invaluable resource.

Good luck. My hubby and I thought about that about 10 years ago, but I didn't think I could handle it. Bobbii, on this board, home schools and I think she is a "home school director" of some sort. She may be able to help you out.

Good luck with this. I am sure you will do fine. But I agree, make sure your child is involved in outside activities (I think may be a requirement in some states), so they get socialized.

If you are doing an online public school, you are not traditionally homeschooling, but public schooling at home. Big difference. With online school, the kids answer to a teacher, and you are more of an administrator. Homeschooling is a big commitment. But it can be the best years. I've been doing it for 18 years, with a daughter who has graduated and a son who's a sophomore. Yes, I work over 100 homeschoolers in my area and I see every different way of homeschooling. In your case, if you are not designing the courses but having them delivered through the online school, I'd suggest that you develop a schedule for all of you. Plan out everything so you can see when you will need the most energy. That's when you plan for read alouds and projects requiring supervision. Get yourself a very comfortable chair to place near the computer where the kids are working. Trust me on this, you will spend a lot of time there. Make sure the kids get plenty of time away from the computer through outdoor play, books, and playtime together. Otherwise, their behavior will turn to the worst. Please find a local support group. It is invaluable. That's where you will find support and opportunities for the kids to interact with others. And for those who homeschool and go back to public school, any adjustment in life can be difficult and everyone handles it differently. I always counsel others that you cannot separate homeschooling and parenting. Any issue you have as a parent will show itself glaringly while homeschooling. Have a positive attitude toward homeschooling (and school, if they go back) and the kids will respond accordingly. You won't get these years back. I applaud you for taking it on. It is a wonderful opportunity for you all. Please PM me if you'd like more info or help.

Thanks for the advice!

Sounds like that was my BFF's issue. Tons of homeschoolers in her area, but the networking wasn't really there that Bobbi describes. And if they're doing school-at-home like Bobbi said, that actually does mean it's less likely to have those issues I mentioned, i s my bet:-)
Keep us posted?

I am a teacher, and I would never have dreamt of homeschooling my children. I believe the socialization aspect is too important and I totally disagree with the whole idea of children needing to be "nurtured" till they are 18 years old. And who is prepared to help kids with difficult subjects in high school like physics, chemistry, advanced math, etc.?

I had a science degree and taught high school for a while before I settled on elementary school. But I would rather my kids were taught by someone who taught that subject all day long, for many years, if possible. Kids need to learn to adjust to the expectations of others.

We lived in a farming area when my daughter was in high school, and she said she could always tell the homeschooled kids when they arrived in high school, because the subjects were far past the parent's ability to teach. They were the lost ones, the uncomfortable ones who didn't know how to make friends or fit in.

She did become close friends with one young girl, and taught her the ropes about how to survive in high school. That young woman is still not well adjusted, although she did manage to finish her degree and get a job as a social worker.

That's just my opinion about homeschooling generally. As far as doing it when you are sick, I would not dream of teaching when I cannot put all my heart and energy into it. But I do hope it works out for you and your children.

My husband teaches college chemistry. We know people who have homeschooled their kids and then ended up in my husband's classes once graduating high school. He said that they were some of his brightest students. He also said each case has been different. There have been some kids that had issues and others were the top students in the class, but most are very bright. We have talked about homeschooling should we become parents ourselves one day. But I don't know if I can handle the workload. Maybe if I didn't have fibro.

I hope you figure out what is best for your situation. I know there are several options / programs for homeschooling that you can do. Best of luck.

I was home schooled from 4th grade up and my sister was home schooled until the 7th grade. My mom made an effort to get us into things outside of school. Having the flexible schedule also meant we were able to go on trips (many of which were educational because my parents are huge history nerds) whenever we wanted. We had art and music lessons outside of home, also. Having moved to a bigger city, there are so many more opportunities for the boys to get involved with. I'm fortunate that my boys have taken after me and socialize with others easily (my husband, the public schooler, is the shy one,lol). I've seen the awkward cases and the well adjusted ones. The reason I wanted to home school was so I could be more involved with their education, I also wanted them to have a flexible schedule. With this online academy, they'll have more one on one time with a teacher and they'll be able to focus on areas the boys may need additional work on. I'm also fortune to have lots of nice neighbors kids my boys age, and a next door neighbor who is home schooling her 7 year old son. I'm hoping for the best, despite how difficult it may be.

MarleneJ, I completely agree with you.

callmeb84, I live in a state that has one of the worst public school systems in the country. Our children either went to private christian schools or public schools that accepted students out of their district if their grades and behavior were good with few missed days. The out of district students had to contiune to get good grades, not get into trouble and have little or no missed days or they could not attend. There were always more children applying than there were available slots. The "contracts" were renewed each year. Maybe there are schools in your area like this. If there aren't schools liek this in your area, look into private schools. I'm not sure why you want to home school, but it is not an easy job. I have talked to parents that have done it.