The first thing I would say is what I learned from my mom:

Her goal with homeschooling was to make sure that her children knew how to read, how to write, how to do math, and that they developed a love of learning.

We have loved Logic of English for the reading and writing (learn more about why we love it here)  and Life of Fred for the math.  I have several friends who really love the Singapore Math curriculum.  We have enjoyed Story of the World for History, though because of content, we have stopped at book two for now (the third and fourth books are closer to current time, and some of the information in there is disturbing for little ones.  For other subjects, like science and geography and such, we typically use some workbooks to build some foundation for them to explore.  I like the ones from Evan Moore for most things, and Spectrum for math workbooks. 

The other thing to do is build up a library of things to read.  We love ordering Usborne books with our friend – she helps curate a list of things that will keep their interest based on their age and reading level.  My husband has taken on the responsibility of bringing them to the library and checking out (and returning) books and movies.   

Also, homeschool just doesn’t take as long as regular school day – by a LOT.  It’s completely unnecessary  put pressure on yourself to fill the whole day with education.  Play is the most amazing teacher.  And so are real-life experiences.  My favorite teaching moments have happened when I take them shopping, running errands, or to the post office with me.  Sometimes we will just take a few hours and go explore nature, or I’ll kick them out into the backyard to use their creativity to occupy themselves.  We spend time cooking meals together, or I’ll have them prepare some meals themselves (for just them or the whole family).

Kindergarten  work for us was only about 45 minutes to an hour total.  We gradually increased the length of time we studied as the years have continued.  With one in 4th and one in 2nd, they generally spend 1.5-2.5 hours total each day studying in books.  And a little independent reading time each day.  

I have also learned from other homeschool parents to begin our school day helping the littlest children with their work first.  When they have had your attention and completed their tasks, they can play quietly nearby (legos or  blocks are great here).  This helps limit distractions and disruptions.  Then we work with the next youngest child, and so on.  The older children can be doing whatever work they are capable of accomplishing (typically some of the workbook pages) on their own while you are assisting the younger children, and then move into things that require a little more parent-led instruction for other subjects.

When it comes to subjects I’m not personally qualified for – foreign languages, music, sports education, we look for local programs and utilize these activities to connect with peers and build friendships.  We don’t try to stick to just homeschooling groups either – the world is far more diverse than that!  We utilize the parks department programs, YMCA classes, camps, and other resources in our area to get involved.

As far as testing, my personal philosophy is that testing happens all the time.  There isn’t a huge need for milestone testing because I’m not keeping up with 20 students’ abilities.  I have two.    I know what concepts they are grasping, and which ones they are struggling with.  We slow down when they are struggling, and keep moving when they are getting concepts easily.  The only reason thus far that I can see for testing would be to practice and learn test-taking skills for the times that they may be in a group education setting and the instructor needs to test to ensure they are learning what they need to.  This kind of thing can be done with the outsourced instruction, or through various play activities so that their confidence grows and testing doesn’t cause anxiety, but is viewed as a way to showcase their competence.

I have learned sooo much by teaching my boys.  Things I never learned in school, and things about myself as a parent and an educator that I’m forever grateful for.  Each day is different, and some will be difficult, but they are all so worth it!