For myself and my husband, we knew we were going to homeschool before we had children. Knowing this ahead of time still didn't prepare me for all the stress and headaches caused by trying to choose the right curriculum for my kiddos.
I read books, I researched online and I even bugged several of my friends who either homeschool themselves or are teachers. There never seemed to be a 'perfect' answer.
I started to doubt that I was capable of teaching my children, and that they would fall behind and it would be all my fault. Luckily, I had my husband right there beside me encouraging me to find a way to homeschool that wasn't only great for the children but wouldn't overload me either.
I knew I didn't want to spend a ton money because we simply didn't have it to spend. I looked for several months, and just couldn't decide. Finally, I told myself I just needed to start and things would get easier and I could find how the kids learned best and what I could and couldn't do.
This turned out to the best plan for me. I looked on Pinterest and we did crafts, letters and colors, but I didn't feel that it was enough to I went back on the search.
I ended up finding a great all in notebook at a Sam's Club. I always look at any book section and they were just lying there. I had never heard of them before so I took my time and looked through the notebook and here were all my answers to several prayers made.
So far, these books have been a lifesaver for me, although I know that we still have a long way to go.
I want to help as many homeschool parents as I can, so here are some of the online curriculum's that I found. Even though we aren't currently using any of these, I still feel that they are worth looking into.
Christian Curriculum
The Good and The Beautiful
"Emphasizes family, God, high character, nature, and wholesome literature"
Apologia
"Apologia's creation-based curriculum constantly draws students towards a higher order of values and facts."
Landmark Christian Academy
" It is our sincere desire to make your homeschooling experience as easy as possible. Our staff stands ready to assist you in making decisions."
Online Homeschool Programs
K12
"Through Stride K12-powered school options, we empower students to learn in the ways that are best for them—in their own place and at their own pace."
Time 4 Learning
"Time4Learning makes learning fun with over 3,500 engaging lessons that children of all ages enjoy."
For us right now, online learning isn't really an option because our kids are so young, sometimes it's difficult to keep them engaged with on screen activities. We're also in the process of trying to teach hand writing skills, which is difficult to teach on a pad or computer.
Although we knew we wanted to homeschool before our children were born, everyone starts at different places, but we all ended up on the same path - homeschooling. I think that says a lot about us parents, wanting something more for our children. Happy homeschooling.
