July 21, 2020

E83 - Should I Homeschool?

During this quarantine shutdown time, many parents are faced with educational decisions for their kids including whether or not to homeschool. This is a conversation with Joelle's childhood friend Ali, a former teacher and homeschooler of five...

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E83 - During this quarantine shutdown time, many parents are faced with educational decisions for their kids including whether or not to homeschool. This is a conversation with Joelle's childhood friend Ali, a former teacher and homeschooler of five kids here in California since 2004. She has a great perspective on the benefits and what it takes to homeschool, and talks Mouse through the whole process from her point of view. We cover why she chose to homeschool, whether to go with independent, private, or charter school education, her thoughts on ages and behaviors that are a good fit for homeschooling, which curriculum to choose, whether to use old school papers and books versus digital tools and computers, what is HSLDA and why it's crucial, being under an umbrella school, filing a homeschool affidavit, hiring a teacher to oversee your paperwork and keep you accountable and on track, what a homeschool calendar and schedule looks like with grades, test-taking, field trips, outdoor learning, vacations, and structure, socialization and when it's time for the kids to join outside classes, co-ops, or go back to public school, how to do science labs, language classes, SATs, taking junior college classes for credits, being on a 4-year college track, and what universities really think of homeschoolers.
Please check our Show Notes on www.MouseAndWeens.com to see a list of recommended curricula from Ali.
This episode is sponsored by www.HomeschoolBuyersCo-op.org
Sign up with referral code WEENS to get up to 90% off handpicked educational materials!
Song Credit: “Things Aren't As Bad As They Seem” by Dan Mahony and Julianne Eggold
Voice Actor: Matt Thompson as Hank Hill
Please follow and contact us via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @mouseandweens
Behind the scenes info on our private Facebook Group
You can get bonus content like outtakes, and hear this episode ad-free on www.patreon.com/mouseandweens

Transcript

RESOURCES - REFERRED BY ALI

  1. Teaching Textbooks - Math
  2. Horizons - Math
  3. Sonlight - Literature. Excellent books but don't need to do all the suggested assignments
  4. Beautiful Feet - Literature and History
  5. Simply Stated - Study of the States
  6. Apologia - Science
  7. Exploring Creation -  Science. Young Explorer Series
  8. Notgrass - History and English
  9. Character Concepts - History, Character Building, Parenting and Homeschool Help
  10. Explode the Code - Phonics
  11. Here to Help Learning - Writing
  12. Math You See - Math
  13. OTHER RESOURCES
    1. Charlotte Mason books
    2. For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

This episode is sponsored by www.HomeschoolBuyersCo-op.org

Sign up with referral code WEENS to get up to 90% off handpicked educational materials!

I love that Ali wrote this by hand. She loves traditional methods and teaching, is always writing sweet notes and letters, and I have known this handwriting since we were little kids! It makes me happy! ~Joelle

 

TRANSCRIPT (edits in progress)

Should I Homeschool?

00:00:01 - 00:05:04

Hey! This is Hank Hill. And you're listening to my favorite podcast, mouse and WEANS. Thank you hiddink, hey, everybody, it's mouth and WEANS. This is Joel I am on my own today, but you have reached episode eighty three season three. We're talking about home-schooling today because it's on everybody's minds, least parents because we have to make a big decision, some of US others are being forced to home school in a way, and this is a big decision making time so I figured put it out real quick, even though Jillions, not here. She's off camping everything that we talked about today. I! I will put in our show notes, so you can find those if you go to. Masson WEANS DOT COM, and then click shots at the top and look for episode eighty-three. Also. If you do not like commercials, you might WanNa go to patriotdepot dot com slash mouse weans, and for a mere five dollars a month. You can be a VIP and get all of these episodes ad free. Please be sure to do your own research to. This is just two friends talking, but here we go. ACID. I'm going to be on with my friend who has been home schooling for many years and she's the best. She's very chill in fun and very sensible about this whole thing, so I figured she could tell me what to expect, so we're GonNa talk with her go. Hello Yes it's Allie Lou. This is my good friend Ali. We have known each other since we were babies and she has everything figured out in my mind. That's how I see you I. Think you've got it all figured out. That's not true. Love you. Feels that way the honestly you. When did you start homeschooling because I do want to figure this out? I'm stuck with this decision. I can't figure out what I should do. Schools are letting US choose going back or virtual learning on their plan, or we could always do our own thing homeschooling so I wanna find out more about it. When did you start like what is what led you to do it and all that? I. I, think knowing you. You would be so good at home schooling. It's not it's not hard like people think it is at all, but when I first started. I had a good friend that was home schooling She started. She never sent her kids to school. She always home schooled them, and so they were the same age as my two oldest ones in, so she was she had done it in so I started when my two oldest ones were in third grade and so I had a friend to help me, and I think that is one thing that really helps home schoolers. They have somebody that they know that the already been home schooling. You don't feel so alone so that I guess it was back in nineteen. Or no two thousand four. I, started Da I know it was, and it was a big deal in the reason. Was You just felt like the environment wasn't well suited for their blow personalities right? Is that kind of? Kids one of one of them was starting, and it was only third grade. One of them was starting to get cliquey. She's kind of turning into a mean girl. Eight and one of them was not She was very very smart, but she was struggling with just keeping up with just some of the ways that they were teaching her, so I liked the idea of being able to. Shoot at more to their to both of them, and then also to Spend more time with them. Because I felt like I was getting at their worst day when they were tired, they were like, not they. I dreaded picking them up from school not too. Done bet it was just because it was just such a stressful time. They were tired. I was getting tired and I felt like I was missing out on so much of so much time with them. So. That's really Cowan decided. Yeah I feel like that too often I'll take them up and we'll fight in the car on the way home and go. Gosh, I should just turn around and drop. You back off like this is not fun. I was happy to see. Like, why I guess they hold it together all day, and then they can let it out when they get home. That makes sense good reason to to think about this. Yeah, so, how did you do it? Then? Because I know I've been looking a little bit online, but I'm just overwhelmed. I don't even know where to start looking. There's programs, and then there's you can do it yourself and you can go through charter schools. How did you do it? So I let see at the first few the first few years I did it just myself and then it was. Her finish their little. Sorry! You have your teaching credentials, so you are already.

00:05:05 - 00:10:12

I think put me at a disadvantage so I. Don't think that is a necessary thing because I think you're you think more outside the box. If you're not a teacher like as a teacher, you think. Oh, we have to do this this time and and they know that is what gets a lot of people burnt out on home schooling. Because they're trying to recreate school at home, and that is a and I did that everybody I start it I now. Is it big? Burn Out! I think in the in the first. The first year was hard until I learned not to do that because you, you can't. You don't have to recreate school at home because you only have your family, so you can do more what works for you. If you're trying to recreate a school at home, it becomes. It becomes a real burden. And so when you when you, what you do, like a lot of the things we did. Though that kept it especially when they're little. When you have them under, I'd say twelve. It's really easy to home school because you're because. First of all. You're with them so much that you really like being with them. And because you, you won't put up with that. You don't like where at school they pick up a lot of things, and then they bring it home and. It's annoying or worse so see you. You really learn how to work with each other, and that helps because I know people say oh i. can't you know I don't want to be with my kids that much, but when you're with them that much, you really ended up enjoying each other, not all the time, but at the time and we started doing things like going to the library, like even if you took a break back from regular school and took him to the library also guest with the Kobe thing I know, he could still check out books and they'll bring them to you and so but the. The. Library was a big thing where we went for walks we went through our big thing was the drive through dairy, but we would walk there or just special little things like picnics, and we see you could still do all of those things right now. Waiting for nature walks if you take a step back from regular school. If you have real young ones, you can do that and kind of get in a rhythm, and then you start incorporating things into it and then one thing we really stuck with was math We just found which program worked for us, but there are so many like. There's more traditional. There's more hands on which I didn't. I never liked that I. liked to just real traditional math do that at a certain time of day, and they do it in you know they and so, if you kind of stick with reading, writing and Arithmetic, you will do it. You have to do and everything else will fall into place. Right okay so now when you picked your curriculum, how did you go about it? You had your friend there to help you, so she can show you the way and like where. Do you think she liked Oh that. I know learning so it's different for different kids, but of course if you have some the same age, you want them using the same thing. Either you can go to will actually okay. There's something called H.. S. L. DA which is. Oh, Gosh, they should know homeschooling legal defense. And I forget what the. For Association naming. yes, they can They're great help. If you join that, they will help you choose different curriculum or get you going on things, but or you can just look. You can try things. They used to have and they're doing them right now. Because of the covert thing, but they had like fairs like home school fares were you could go to different booths and people are showing you what they're selling. You really can't go wrong. The only thing you'll end up doing wrong is choosing something that you. You don't WanNA use, or you'll get overly ambitious and get a whole bunch of things, and then some of them will just sit there. You'll feel like so I I think just it just trial and error, and and it's it's kind of fun picking it out and and see what suits like some people like doing like their school. All comes in a big box, and then they get everything that comes with them, and you can do it that way, or there's people that are creative like you do. You would be so good at this or you did member you did that. That theme lake told me. My one one big day I'm going to hang my hat on this for the rest of my life we did Africa Day, and so we did a deep dive into the history and geography, and the Food and the dancing, and we did a whole thing on Africa, and some rating samples and art. But then I got burnt out. It's that thing you said I. Think I went too big and I need to dial it back and it's not sustainable, but if it's in a book, and they can follow along, and I'm not having hold their hand the whole way. Maybe it's better so anyway. Yes. That's better, but you could use something like that here and there if you like it, that's not me as much and so, but I think it's great. They wish we're like that. I liked doing more outdoor things. We did lots of lots of outdoor education and he's still and I and I think it's helped them all the way along, but and lots of because they learn so much and then lots of reading to them when they're little again like I said, and then as they get older, they will be.

00:10:12 - 00:15:01

They will naturally be interested in looking up. Up stuff because they're not being forced to see you, you have to help them. There's certain things like my kids would not naturally do. They would not naturally you writing and writing I. Know has been more of a struggle for me with the boys, and so and then there's also co ops and things where you can join with other parents, although right now like I said that is I did that some as they as they get older, or you can put them in certain classes, and then sometimes you can go, you can have a a it's. It's like an umbrella school I. Think that you're under, so they will file all your paperwork for you. Although in California, you just file a private school affidavit. It's not hard as long as you you know. Make sure you do that, and then you have to keep record of their attendance and. I mean I keep samples of some of their work, but you don't i. don't I don't think you ever have to. So. It's not. It's not hard, but you want to make sure I, mean they if you are spending time with And they will be learning guarantee it, and they will be interacting, and they will get so much so so socialization like that's not even a question. I've joined a bunch of facebook groups for schooling just to see what's out there just to see what people are doing in. There are these meet ups, but yeah, it's all outdoors. It seems like they're starting to get them all together. And nature walks and wearing masks and stuff like that, but it sounds like there's a big community that does that for the socialization, so that's Kinda hope for. Oh Yeah. How do you go about well? I guess so legally I guess yeah, if you look at H., l. Da like you said and get them to help, you could probably set you up pretty easily. I've heard there's like tongue breaks or not depends on if you go through charter, school or not. Charter schools they. Yes, they give you quite a bit, but you do have to. I I'm not a good person to ask about charter schools. You'll have to talk to somebody that did one because I. Don't know too much about him. I know you get a certain amount of money, and then you can put it towards. The different things that you want to do, but I didn't do that so and then for tax breaks. We didn't get any because AK-. Probably because we didn't go through charter school. Yeah, I know I'm remembering I. Read something that. If you're holding little cohort at your house, you can call it at school and you can write off part of your. Home? But I know people. Yes, if you're doing it for just your family. So, something that's right. Yeah, okay, all right now. What did the kids think of? Being home schooled like social sociologically. Were they like oh? That's weird or were they happy to? or how did it affect them? Personality wise and all that I mean I. Have My opinions. I, think your kids are great and super well adjusted and friendly, an adult, seeming and very affectionate and wonderful, so I think whatever you did. You did it right. So I want to do well. Thank you true the grace of God because but no, I think that when we did it because it was. You know wasn't that long ago. He started there were so many people already homeschooling that it wasn't like it was like with that stigma attached to it right back in the seventies and eighties, so I think for us. It was okay trying to think I think it's so different, because so many people are home schooling, so it's kind of more of a normal thing whether they're doing a charter school or anything. It's so many people are home schooling. Yeah, so I'm trying to. I know. My oldest daughter. Wanted to go to. She wanted to go to high school at the very her very last year, so she's still at home schooling, but she was. It was still kind of like a high school, so she was in the very last year. The public school system. But otherwise the other ones haven't wanted to do that. Okay, and that was just based on her wants and needs like she just had that social thing that she wanted to. To do yeah, yeah, yeah, and then I remember when you had Johnny going to labs and stuff, too, because that'll come up once. They high school. Right like all of them. Yes, Jimmy did that, too. They both loved that, so we didn't do as much science although some people could at home, so we had a teacher. You. Know close to our house and she holds classes, so it was just like a somebody's house, but she'd have about. Probably about twenty kids, and so she would do the science class at her house, which was easier for me than setting up a lap which I would. Just wouldn't do you like. Okay. Get put on the back burner and that would be that.

00:15:02 - 00:20:05

Now when you come to that choice of either putting him back in high school like he did with your oldest daughter or finding a private teacher. Is that something H.? S. L. DA helps you there by that point. Do you have a community? You're just read. You probably know so many people and there's so many classes like my oldest son. He took quite a few of his classes. You see year from from another teacher, a private teacher and she had him, and then she had charter school she only had. Four students and she gave some wonderful. She gave so much attention. He learnt so much which. His favorite subject is not writing, but she he was, he did great literature, and he read the classics like he had his. He has his favorite classics authored how! Torch Elliott, and and so that was it worked out really well, so I did do classes with him with actually the four oldest. One's the only one that hasn't ever taken a class. Outside is my youngest one, nor no. He even took a pe class outside which. which was fun? Yeah, so they all have done stuff, but it's all you know with home schoolers. We're sponsored by the school. Buyers coop keeping my kids busy and on-track with has been overwhelming. There are million choices online. That's why I'm so excited to find the home school buyers coop. They've done the work for me. Researching enlisting the best curriculum organized by grade level, and because of their large buying power I get up to ninety percent off retail prices, they even have classifieds for us materials so visit school buyers Coop Dot Org and use referral code. WEANS to sign up for free and get five thousand smart points towards your purchase. That's homeschool buyers Code Dash. Up Dot Org Referral Code Weans happen. Now what is a day in the life? Look like for you if you don't mind me asking like. Is it just morning? And then by midday? Guys are done, or is it many hours like? Oh Yeah! It can be whatever you want so well. Let's see we could take. When 'cause it's all different. It all has changed since I have different the different ages and everything, but when I was, let's say with with the girls were little, and and had johnny was little. It was you would. They would get up and it's still like like they'd get up and I have them do their mass. That's first thing for the boys to and then with the girl. The writing was easier have to be honest, look strong subject with the boy so then, but usually in that after that we would do. Try to do like a field trip. And then we are go the library and then with the boys mood sometimes go for a walk and then. It's it's also they would have to do. They're writing separate then sometimes they would go to class, so it's every day's Kinda different. Can set. A lot of times. A lot of people do their most of their. Work in the morning I split my up. which I don't think has been the most effective, but we try to do. like 'cause my youngest one still like does reading to me in, so we still do that in the morning, and then. science. Just comes like it depends like if I'm doing it with the younger ones. We tend to do that in the afternoon, but with the other kids they would go to the science class so it just it just depends. You can say you just couldn't incorporate into your day and there's so much they can do on their own, but it. You're just there more to help them, but once you get them going, they will. They will want to learn that you do have to have some sort of structure that works for your family. Yeah, look, how does that work or were you like eight am? EAT thirty nine. We're starting three o'clock done, even though it's loose within that timeframe, or was it not even that we. Yes we do, so we do study by both together all. The boys and I like I think in the morning and I think I can't remember if we did that with the girls like that, so we do that, and and that will start our day like eight thirty and then and then they go. They do math, but I I try to give them breaks especially, the my youngest one He has to go ride his bike for. Or something because. especially little boys tend to get really restless, and so you give them like okay. You have to go ride your bike. And then he loves that whatever whatever they like to do or go play with the dog and then math and then outside stuff I again I'm really big on. Take their work. Yes lunch break they, and of course they have tours during the day, and then it just depending on their age like so many middle schooler, and he is really good about just he just does his work like he'll go from one thing to the next like history, and they will take a break, and he has piano, and then he'll take a break so depending on their age, but my youngest one I have I.

00:20:05 - 00:25:03

I, give him a list which works for him, but this isn't for everybody. And then I, write down what he needs to get done, and and he can't do certain things till that list is complete and he t loves checking off his list, and he gets it done, and then I'll see him and I'll say hey, did you get this done? And he goes Oh. Yeah, of course I did that, you know. And then of course, you have to check it. I've learned to like sometimes. This is our middle. Kids are so much the same alley. This is you know that we always compare to middles and they're they're. They're close to meet well, I guess our two youngest are closer to citizens they're. They're only a few months apart to right I know it's funny. Yeah, but our guest. You're only what? Four days. Per. At our old. OUTTA REDO IT old age. Baby would ever thought Oh. We got pregnant together time say! No so funny. Okay, here's another question. Testing. And how do you know when you're done with the year? Do you take? Like, what is that all about? Okay so I just because it's the. There's no right or wrong, so we do continue somewhat through the summer. That's why it's hard for me to think about the school year right now. I'm thinking more about our summer schedule, but we are still doing a few things in the summer, but just to keep them. We'll specially again with boys. They just tend to kind of forget, but what I do is I start after Labor. Labor Day or officials school because you know. We grew up like that and I like that. They feel like we should have the whole summer. And then we stopped right around. I don't know right around the middle of June we stop our. You know normal school, and then we tend to follow like the old fashioned breaks which I think the school system. The public school system still does somewhat like Christmas. Break for two weeks. And sometimes we may take an extra week here, but then we have to make up for it somewhere else. That's the other thing is. You can go like off season. You can go on. You go to different places during the week. There's so many benefits. That! You know like just and it makes your family I. Think makes you closer like I knew who, with my husband, because he was a little apprehensive when we first started he just he's so. Such a proponent of home schooling now and then just because he helps, and you do need that like you do need help because it is, it is a lot. It's not a lot of work, but it's a lot like where you can't do everything yourself you know like where you were all working together as a family but I think that it helps with that for for for the brakes. You just Kinda just go along and we finished like the math book like Kinda. Try to go through and finish it and then this book, okay. Depending on your curriculum, you know. But you always worked off a back to come and get from front to back. Plus or minus I did just because it's for me to. especially I know some people can be more creative, but I like that. I like that just you know accountability and. Some people need more accountability. Some people just are naturally, so it depends. I'm definitely a more accountability I need. Now do you grade them and then tell me about testing to in the how how do you get to the next grade? How does it all work that way? We'll i. just let them do they. They tend to do pretty well. Because 'cause you see you what they're doing wrong, it's not like. Where you get like they, they have tests well in the math books they test. You can take or science. They had tests, but usually if they're doing the work, they'll do pretty well, so it wasn't like it school where somebody's falling behind 'cause you're 'cause. You're watching all the time right and so that. Wasn't you just Kinda? Just keep going. That's all. All you do I didn't really I wasn't big on the grades. I mean sometimes, but I know when they took the classes, the teachers did more grading, but as long as they were doing it, and really making an effort it would be in mostly. They did well, so it was the that was kind of it. Kind of fell into place Now if they didn't try, then you could, you could use. As a motivator, and sometimes, some of the kids are more motivated by grades. Like my middle one and I know you're probably. Getting a real good grades, and so that helps, but they see a lot of it, was he? You know they were taking out. He was taking outside class to for the big grades in for math. I mean they missed like to you know, and then we go over it and then give them a chance, but so it's. A that's all I do for the grades That's good, but you can set up like a point system or whatever you want, but I didn't after being a teacher I didn't want to do all that. That's a lot of work when you yeah, that's that's too much. In is anyone overseeing? Okay? Yes, they met the requirements now. They can go onto the next grade level. So that's why I have the umbrella school for me.

00:25:03 - 00:30:05

No nobody really is overseeing. unless you like with the private school affidavit. Thing you just. You're the one overseeing it, but that's why I did a teacher for me to do that because. Again get the accountability. I really. I really need that route occur, and then how about like sat and other good stuff in the college prep? Okay, so some of so that it depending on where they want to go from my kids, all of them well. No, I mean just the first three because I only have three that have done that and one of them want. He's just graduating this year and he wants to go to a trade school, and then one of them is becoming a police officer, but she's doing it like working through the jail system, and then one of them started college, and she's become a waitress, so she goes back and forth, so if they wanted to go to college, like then you then it's different. You do have to be more strict. When they're in high school and then you WanNa make sure that they're taking certain classes, and so for my next one coming up. He does want to go to college, so I have to make sure that he meets certain requirements, and we'll take the SAT's. But you don't have to take that unless if they're going to go to junior college or a trade school or you know if they're going to do something else like. Go straight into a job or whatever they're going to be doing because right now it's. Just been so funny like with all everything going on. But I put a lot of my friends kids. That home school went straight into college, and they took the sat's I think junior year, so it was the same thing, and then they took sat prep classes. But again like mine was mine were more wanting to do. Blake work with their hands or more trade school, okay? Okay well, that's fair enough and then so to know which classes to take for that. You just kind of find your organization. That will help you like your I. would go through the H. S. L. D. for that because that's really important, because especially because you don't WanNa, get behind, but the thing of it is. They're finding lots of home schoolers. Much higher and there they want them in the college is because there's because they have learned how to think and how to find information and their beauty. Good 'cause they're not just following along with everybody. They really are good learners, so of colleges really want home schoolers, but you have to, but yes, you have to make sure that your diligent on that, because otherwise you know you're gonNA. GonNa. Put your child back two years while they have to go to junior college I right, but see that was the other thing was. My oldest son took classes at a junior college by ice, and they can do that as home schoolers, and and I think they can't as high schoolers to, but as a homeschool or they and that was like I. Don't remember a dollar a unit. So he did take, he did take his language, and then it counts from war and all that. Great and union college knocked that out when you can in your yet ahead of the game. Oh yeah, that worked out that worked out really well and he. He loved it. It was yes, so there's and I know that some kids do that and I know that there's another program. I think it might only be in. Washington and it's like where the home schoolers congratulate. By the time they're seventeen which I don't know if that's I mean it's good for some people I. Don't think it would have been good for mind necessarily. But yeah, so there's all different kinds of things you can do. Yeah now. Did they all have digital stuff going on? Did you have computers for everybody or was were more old school like paper and books I was more old school, but that probably wasn't. I mean well so for my my son in for my daughter's. When they took classes, they had to be on some. Commuter stuff. I always more old school I like it that way. And I liked them having books and everything and learning that way, but I think also. That is an important thing to consider your club. Because there's so many people are learning that way, but they still can learn and I think the later you introduce it because I know other families that have introduced later. I, I. Do think they learn better, the more you can keep them off of some of the computers and things. Their attention spans better and and they just outside more. They're just they're healthier. They're more engaging when they knock and I've noticed that with. 'cause I know that some home schools that use almost a lot of you know digital If there's a difference I, mean any kid, not just home schoolers, but so I think the more you get them like outside or really talking to people, and not on anything it. There's a benefit to that I love it. Yeah, that makes sense to me. It's I'm seeing it already. My kids are these little digital zombies. They can barely have a conversation right now because. I I have no rules right now and I need to renew Kim.

00:30:05 - 00:35:01

It's Kinda gone go. There's because I. Haven't been with them for a while, but they were not like that, but it's just anybody. My would be that way, too when they're on stuff. Because you remember when even like when we would watch TV and then you get that like glazed. Same thing going. Yes and so you every Ba. All of us have to be careful of that, you know. That your kids are not. They're just they just like all of them have A. Tendency with her. Due to. Know. Joel Joel Hello. Elliott. This is amazing. You've given me so much information. This makes me feel so much better about maybe doing it I. It doesn't seem that daunting anymore. You've laid out really well. You could do it, so you would be so good at it would be you could. You I know you I know. I can do my classes that Predator, no, and I can do an a unit on Africa as The other stuff. All of it. You're giving me confidence. This is good. I know you could use it. The way thing is like. Did you just say okay to now? You've gotta get your mass done, and then we can go do this, and then you will you would. You would enjoy it. You would be. You would thrive, and so what you're kidding. They know that already food I disciplined might be an issue, but I guess if we just have real nice, black or white rules and. That? We we go through different things. I could chart or this or that. Yeah, but it does help to end just having a structure. That's one thing that kind of lacked sometimes I changed, but you can't change it to like. There's no reason you you just try to use different things and I. think that's what a lot of home schoolers end up doing is. Is They? You know maybe find one curriculum for this and one for that. There's no there's no perfect thing. It's what works the best for your family and you really if you stick with it, stick with it for at least two years because the first year a huge adjustment. Okay, you already have. Most people have done it because of top because I'm doing. Their second year because of this coded. It's. Time to degree well, and I just watched the slide happen where they were fine in the beginning, and then as I backed off, they started back off to so it's just being involved and it's GonNa. Be a commitment that, but I think it's doable. I don't know I'm thinking about it more and more you. Think Allie you could put together maybe of list of curriculum that you've used in like that I could post later for people that might be interested if you assure even remember anything like that. Just things that have worked like because I don't know it'd be nice to hear from season. All of US newbies out there. WHO MIGHT BE STARTING Oh Yeah I could tell you and I could give you some of the ones that other people like to really. Yes yeah, that would be yeah. 'cause I mean there's there's so many different ones, and even there's even a Matha US teaching textbooks, which I really like it's computer based, but we don't use the computer part. Because well I mean when the kids get high enough into it. Then I have to because I don't remember some of my Algebra two. Three but but mostly you could go through it with them, so you can either on the computer, and they just answer like that or you can have them. Just write it out, so there's different opinions even within the curriculum. Wow Alley near the best I. Love so much, and your kids are great you finally. You've done A. Fine Job. But I I really think you'd like home schooling. You might as well while you're. Right I don't have any choices here. All right well I'll let you go I knew we all have to get onto our things? I'm off to soccer. Okay after to some dinner, but I love you alley and I will. Not Follow up with all this good stuff, but thank you. Thank you. Thank, you everyone for listening I. Hope You enjoyed this episode I hope it gives you a little bit more clarity I. Myself feel a lot better about this decision. If I choose to make it, which is really coming up I will put everything in the show notes that Ali sentence me as far as different ideas and curriculum links things like that and try to help. Help us all out. As we make this big decision, coming up I'd like to give a big shout-out to Unpredictably Us podcast. Kristy and Athena. We love you guys. They are two moms going through life's adventures, and they don't know where they're going to take them. They're really fun, sweet, funny, great stories. So please do listen Unpredictably Us podcast. Thank you to everyone for all that you do for our podcast. We appreciate all the content you're sending questions, interactions and the listenership. We love our patrons as well so if you'd like to hear this episode without commercials, please go to Patreon.com/mouseandweens, and you can find everything there. Thank you to our new patron, Alexander. You are the best. You are helping keep us afloat everything.

00:35:01 - 00:37:10

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