HomeSchooling??

I homeschooled my children for 2 yrs and in all honesty the ONLY "cons" was the crap I heard from ppl who were against it like my teacher mother and teacher sister ..Homeschooling was the BEST choice I could have made at that time in our lives and it worked out beautifully...I actually Unschooled my children which basically means there was no set times, text etc etc...BUT this was back in Ontario and I know that things are different in the U.S and vary from State to State (NY for example has STRICT homeschooling regulations which I DO NOT agree with at all but once we moved here my kids wanted to go back into public school and give it a try so it wasnt an issue). I think if its somethign you are willing to do - it takes time, determination and being headstrong on several levels - and you have the resources (since you're online you do have them) AND assuming you have given it lots of thought then go for it if you honestly think it'll be best for you and yours....

I was homeschooled from seventh grade until I started college. So was my brother. My view is from a student's standpoint, but the pros were more one on one attention and finishing sooner in the day - by noon, we were usually done. We also could be more creative in our studies, like watching the news to study current events and writing about a news story of our choice. Socially, well, I've always been shy, so I'm not sure if not being around people my age for hours everyday had any effect on me still being shy. My brother is just the opposite, and he still is. We did try to join different activities - 4-H club for awhile.
I'd say the biggest problem was that when we started, there were a lot of family issues. My aunt, grandmother, and grandfather on my mother's side all died pretty close together, and my mom had to handle most things there, and since she was the one teaching us, there was some interrupted time and sporadic schedules. Homeschooling also means I'm probably the only English major who has never read Hamlet. But, my brother and I both went to college, and he graduatedwith honors (magna -other word that's censored - laude), and I had a 3.3 gpa when I graduated.
Hope this helps some.

I have four kids, ages 3- almost 9. We've home schooled from the get go, and I couldn't be any happier with my decision. Just this past year we began a transition to unschooling, as your first response already introduced you to. We take it a step farther than just not using a set curriculum, we learn through everything all day long. If the kids are really interested in something I don't have adequate knowledge in, then we will use a textbook, but they go at it their own pace, and can skip around if they choose to. We do a lot of field trips, and outings. They experience a lot of real life that many kids don't get the chance to. They help plan meals, go shopping, balance check book, keep savings accounts, pay bills, creatively come up with ways to make money, and much much more. We also spend a lot of time on communication, both written and spoken, and behavior.
Have you researched the laws in your state? Go straight to your states education website, do not depend on other websites to give you accurate information. After you know what is allowed and not allowed in your state, I would suggest you research different approaches, learning styles, and educational philosophies. This will help you to understand your own style as well as your children's individual styles, and that will prove to be more helpful than any book you can buy in the store. Next, take it slow, learn all you can, and start passing that knowledge on. Baby steps, and remaining calm is the best start anyone can make. If your kids are in a public school now, I would suggest you read up on de-schooling, even if unschooling wouldn't work for you, you and your children will benefit from deschooling. The recommended time is 1 month per 1 year of traditional schooling. So if your child is in third grade, you would take 4 months to deschool...summer months work great for this!
Best wishes to you, and if you've got any more questions, I'd love to help you find the answers.

I love homeschooling my kids. I get to be there with them sharing in the learning, learning somethings myself and just the freedom of it. Some days are tough, I won't lie but I really can't imagine having to get them up and out the door. There are some many options out there to use that you can your taylor fit your child and not give them a cookie cutter education. I will say though that I don't think it's for everyone. You really need to know what you can handle too.