Do you work out side the home?

[DollyM]

I am so tired of hearing "most people can't home school because they have to work outside the home." This is probably one of the number one myths about home schooling. You can work and home school, it's not easy but it can be done. You can also make lifestyle changes and stay home. We don't have cable or own a TV and don't miss it. We dropped our land line phone years ago since it cost us around $80.00 a month just to have it. Our cell phones are all trac phones so we only use minutes as we have the money. Anyone else care to share how you have downsized or adjusted financially to be able to home school?

[Maat]

1. We made lifestyle adjustments.

My hubby calls me the "75,000 per year teacher," because I have a law degree, and could, at the very least, earn money as a paralegal if I worked (I haven't passed the bar as yet). So, an annual salary for me was kissed 'goodbye.' I'm a fifty-year-old (unofficially) retired social worker. I'm also securing my real estate broker's license, and will likely use the knowledge for private investment (carefully planned, and the result of a few commissions and the like).

I spend a tenth of the money that I used to spend in gasoline. I might even spend less than that. I paid cash for a Prius, and I rarely, rarely drive long distances anymore. I spend far less on luxury items (no constant shopping trips and weekly trips to the day spa). The days of weekly clothing purchases have gone by the wayside.

This is far too important, however. My kid has blossomed and improved beyond all human comprehension within this program. I homeschool through a charter school.

Today, we went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and studied animal physiology, ecosystems and habitats. We met up with others, and a few kids did presentations. Friday, we will work at the food bank. How many kids get to learn that way monthly? It was well worth the sacrifices we have made.

It improved my relationship with her greatly (that had suffered for about six months - a bit - and, fortunately, not for long. We began when she was in fourth grade, and we're mid-way through 6th now. We use some internet-based programs (see www.brainpop.com). No longer do I have to worry about her mentioning an assignment late in the evening that she has to do, and no hours of homework when we are both exhausted. Now, we pace ourselves. It's wonderful!

My kid just does not march to the conventional drummer - she tends to be left behind in a crowded, conventional classroom. I'm going to fight like no one's ever seen to keep this charter school going. Again, it's been well worth the sacrifice.

[LeftyMom]

2. I only trade in the Mercedes every three years now.

:rofl:

Uh, let's see. I'm a single parent. Naturally I work (well, not at the moment, thanks to the job market from hell) and I'm a student besides. Money is generally somewhere between tight and non-existent. Luckily, materials for homeschooling a younger child aren't precisely expensive- I think our three biggest outlays are books (I buy used and swap whenever possible to keep this managable,) bookshelves to hold them all (why must decent ones cost so much money?) and various household and kitchen do-dads for science experiments and other projects.

We pick up an amazing quantity of useful stuff at thrift stores. Childrens' books are usually a quarter or two, toys rarely more than $4, all sorts of random household things for various ongoing projects can be found for next to nothing. I try to remember to go in on half-off days (usually the Monday of a three day weekend) and go through the book section real well- last time I did that he wound up with four or five grocery bags of classic fiction, Usborne and Dorling Kindersly books and some more books of experiments for under $20.

I also find great stuff on freecycle sometimes- a while back we got a plastic frog "dissection" kit, a while before that we got a microscope for free.

We netflix a lot of documentaries- the kid loves it when I can sit down and watch something with him, and they work really well with his learning style.

Most museums do at least an occasional free day. We try to go to those when we can.

Since I'm a student I also make use of my school's library system, as well as the local public library. Generally I order stuff from the latter online so that it will be ready when I pick it up. I'd rather go in and let him spend lots of time browsing, but generally we're pretty busy so that's hard to do.

Homeschooling is like anything else: you can spend a lot of money or you can do it frugally. While there are occasionally tools that are a good investment, for the most part throwing money at educational problems is a waste, and attention and thoughtfulness is free.

[Maat]

3. Great job getting things done, Leftymom!

It's not quite so tough on the parents in my neck-of-the-woods. If you go through a charter school, like I do, there's usually a big warehouse with textbooks, and a library. It really helps; plus, they give us a $300 allowance for lessons and books, and as much as $425 per semester can be secured if necessary.

I use the Netflix films also. Also, check out www.brainpop.com (if you check the family plan, you can get their animated episodes, with a quiz, for $10 per month). If you can, go over to Brainpop, and sign up for the free trial. After you get going on the free trial, you can watch a movie on a subject, and then take the review quiz - it's great!