Hi. My name is Kelly and my dh Al and I have three little girls:7, 4, and 6 months. I am a former public school teacher and became interested in homeschooling when one of my students withdrew from school to be educated at home. My sister also homeschooled her daughter in first grade, though now her children are in the public schools. My oldest daughter attended a private Christian preschool, our local public school for two years, and has begun second grade in a local charter school that uses the Core Knowledge curriculum. In the past, I have let my fear of the unknown keep me from homeschooling. Also, for the most part our daughter's school experiences have been positive. However, I continueto feel led -- to homeschool. I'm so afraid that if I keep putting it off, I'll never do it. My dh and I have come to the conclusion that by ignoring this burden to homeschool we are telling God that we don't trust him to take care of us. I may go ahead and start this school year or I may let my daughter finish out her second grade year. I believe it takes about 30 days for the state to approve our homeschool charter and I will not withdraw her from school until all legal issues are resolved. I look forward to getting to know you all. Other than my husband and one of my sisters, I have very little family support to do this.
Kelly

Kelly,
Welcome to the forum!! It's pretty quiet here lately, but there are some really great people here that you can get a lot of help and support from. Starting out homeschooling can be a scary thing. When we first started (in 1992) I was overwhelmed and so afraid I'd "mess up" somehow. Just take it a day at a time, learn what works and is right for your family, and relax and enjoy your children. You might want to consider starting homeschooling after the Christmas holidays. My kids have always homeschooled, but I have friends who pulled their kids out of school, and many of them have said starting mid-year was easier than starting at the beginning of the school year. But I guess that would depend on your particular situation. Whenever you decide to start, feel free to check in here often.