Homeschool Laws and Legal Speak - How to Stay Under the Radar

Now let's face it homeschool laws are important - we've come a long way, but there are some legitimate reasons why the government might want to keep an eye on us.

For one - they need these homeschool laws to convince themselves that we are really on the up and up. I can't even tell you how many times people have asked me "What kind of laws do you have to follow? How does the government know that you're doing a good job teaching your kids and not just sitting around watching Oprah all day?"

Hmmmm...now that IS a hard one, right? I mean WHO in their right mind would prefer that their children learn to READ instead of watching daytime TV?

And so, because we are all in this together, like it or not, the weirdoes have made life harder for us. Period. The homeschool laws were written out of fear.

You cannot blame them though - you simply can't. People who have never entertained the thought of homeschooling would never dream that parents might have the best interest of their children at heart when they bring them home.

They naturally assume that the government schools are the ONLY appropriate place for kids to learn and that anyone who refutes this model must be up to no good. Like watching Oprah instead of learning.

Homeschool laws were, for the most part, made for all the wrong reasons, but we can't do anything about that now. They are here. What we can do is:

1. Embrace our laws,

2. Learn our laws, and

3. Follow our laws

Even when people who have no clue what THEIR kids do in school all day long demand that we submit test scores to PROVE that OUR kids are on the up and up.

Staying under the radar isn't a way to wriggle out of the homeschool laws - it is a way to blend in with your public school counterparts and avoid the many, many, many, many (you get the picture) LAME questions about why you think you're special enough to know what is good for your child.

Staying under the radar means number one - DOING YOUR JOB!

You must, should you decide to homeschool, TEACH YOUR CHILDREN what they need to know.

Now, do not get me wrong - I am NOT telling you what your child needs to know - only YOU know that. I'm just saying you gotta make sure your kids have skills. Mad skills.

It isn't fair, but your homeschooled kids are automatically held to a higher standard, (hence the homeschool laws) so making sure they learn to:

1. Read

2. Write

3. Spell

4. Think critically, and

5. Become a good citizen

is crucial to ALL of us. We are all in this together and if I screw it all up by only teaching my kids to make macrame hanging plant holders to sell at the swap-meet every Wednesday, you're not gonna be happy and vice versa.

Staying under the radar also means that you must, must, must turn in those stupid forms every year. It is pointless - we can all agree on that - but it is our government's commandment and thus - we shall obey. We SHALL OBEY because we are all in this together and if I screw it all up by pretending I'm above the homeschool laws you're not gonna be happy and vice versa.

And staying under the radar means that you don't take advantage of your freedom. Now - that does not mean you don't take advantage of your freedom - it means you don't take advantage of the fact that you can skip the school any time you want and no one will ever know the difference. I realize that no one will ever know the difference and everyone needs a break and if you've been blessed with the opportunity to make your own schedule why not take advantage of it - but take a few too many of these slacker days and learning starts to take a back seat. So take a deep breath when you get the urge to slack off for weeks on end:

1. Pack up those kids and go to the zoo to learn about habitats and wildlife

2. Bring a calculator to the grocery store and have your oldest keep you on budget

3. Do some arts and crafts to spice up your day

4. Sleep in and do school in the afternoons

You see it is up to you how you choose to school - just as long as you do it consistently. And remember, we are all in this together and if I screw it all up by turning Oprah into current events, you're not gonna be happy and vice versa.

The bottom line is this - Homeschool laws are there for a reason and we gotta follow them.

It is no big deal, AND we have some excellent organizations around to help us navigate our way through the maze of legal speak. Ok, well, actually let's not mince words here we have ONE excellent organization around that exists for the sole purpose of guarding your right to freely school your children in the manner you deem appropriate. Click to learn who and what the Homeschool Legal Defense Organization is all about, or go to The Simple Homeschool's HSLDA page and read about my personal experience with the fabulous organization.

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