The decision to home school your child can be a difficult one to make. Many parents wonder if it is the right thing to do.  Many wonder if their children can get the same "grade" of education if they are homeschooled.

There are many reasons why parents choose to homeschool their kids. For many it is because they want to add religious content to their children’s learning experience.

Making the decision to home school is usually a very difficult not and it is not one to be taken lightly. It is a personal decision that no one can make for you, but maybe I can help in
the thought process by providing you with a comprehensive guide to making the choice to homeschool your kids a successful one.

When making the homeschool decision, you must first consider these things:

1. Time commitment that is involved. Homeschooling has a tendency to take up a lot of time in your day. It involves more than just sitting down with books for a couple of hours. There are experiments and projects that have to be done, lessons to prepare, papers to grade, field trips, park days, music lessons, and the list just keeps on going. You can go online and search for some sample schedules that will help to give you an idea of a typical day.

2. Personal sacrifice. The homeschooling parent has very little personal time or time alone and away from their children. If a lot of care is not taken to set aside time for yourself, it is easy for the parent to feel overwhelmed. Basically, the parent and child are together 24 hours a day and this can get frustrating on both sides.

3. Financial problems can arise. Homeschooling can be
accomplished with very little cost to you; however, it usually requires that the teaching parent will not be working out of the home. Some sacrifices will need to be made if the family is used to two incomes. Of course, if you are a single parent, this could pose an even bigger problem.

4. Time for socialization. More attention will need to be given to getting your children together with his/her peers. The best part of homeschooling is being able to have more control of the social contacts your child makes. However, the downside is that you must prepare your child yourself on how to socialize with other kids. Homeschooling has a tendency to make your child feel isolated.

5. Household organization is harder. Housework and laundry and other house work will still have to be done, but it probably won't get done first thing in the morning. If you are a neat freak, you might be in for a big surprise. Not only does housework need to be let go at times, but homeschooling creates messes and clutter on its own. You will have to get organized so that you can keep your home together.

6. Both parents must agree to it. It is important that both parents agree to homeschooling. It is very difficult for this to work if one of the parents is against it. If your spouse is against it at this time, try doing more research and talking to
more people so that you can be absolutely certain it is something that both of you can agree upon. Otherwise, the chances for success are much lower.

7. Your child has to be willing. A willing student is crucial to the success of homeschooling. Ultimately, the decision is the parents to make, but if your child is dead against it, you might have a very difficult time in teaching them. The fact of the matter is that an unwilling child can sabotage his or her own school efforts.

8. Know that it works one year at a time. It isn't a lifetime commitment and doesn’t have to become one. If you find that homeschooling just isn’t worth it, you can choose to go them regular route.

There is a lot more to homeschooling than deciding to just do it. As a parent, you must know that your child’s education is the most important factor in his or her future. You need to be thoroughly prepared for all of the time and commitment that is involved.

About The Author: You don't have to be a PHD (or even a college graduate) to teach your child in home school. Visit http://www.successful-home-schooling.com  for details. Public school is not the only option!

Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home What does it really mean when parents say they homeschool their child or children? For Rhonda Barfield - a homeschooler for the past 10 years - the definition is as diverse as the 21 families she studies in this eye-opening book. Whether you are just contemplating homeschooling or are a veteran seeking fresh ideas and help in overcoming obstacles - look no further: Real-life Homeschooling shows just how practical and rewarding it is to educate children and provide them with what they need most - you.

Check out these great homeschool curriculum materials! Alpha Omega Publications

Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness Copyright 2005
Dr. Charles Sophy Keep 'Em Off My Couch http://drsophy.com 

All children will likely have many different health problems during infancy and childhood: the flu, chicken pox, broken bones, stitches, ear infections, to name a few. For most children, these problems are mild – they come and go without incident and with little disruption in a child's daily life or routine. A chronic long-term medical problem is different and often doesn't come alone, as children with serious medical illnesses are at risk of developing associated emotional problems. Learning to live with a chronic medical condition can be very challenging for a child,for parents, and for siblings and friends, and can lead to feelings of anger, fear and depression.

The way children react to diagnosis with a chronic illness
depends on several factors, including the child's personality,the specific illness, family emotional dynamic, and the child's age and emotional maturity.

A smaller child may react aggressively as they begin to cope with changes in schedule due to hospital visits and all the new found pampering, and special attention. In usual development, young children are beginning to assert their sense of independence.  Dealing with their illness may challenge their developing self-image and cause the child to feel out of control of their world. They counter lack of control over their world by challenging limits set by parents. A young child can also sense the difference in the attention now being lavished on him / her.  This special attention may feel much different to the child and may cause them to react negatively in an attempt to stop the pampering.

The adolescent, in the midst of healthy adolescent behavior, may react to a diagnosis much as they would any other factor which inhibits their control – by challenging authority and rebelling against family and friends. It is common for a teenager to choose to discontinue all medical treatments and medications. It is important to help your teenager gain a sense of control of their disease management and respect their decisions, while guiding
them to safer decisions.

Let's take a look at Laura:

Laura is 9 yrs old. She had always been an energetic child who had maintained a healthy weight since pre-school. Over the past few months, Laura has lost weight, has become lethargic and frequently complained she was hungry and thirsty. Laura's doctor diagnosed her with insulin-dependent, or Type I, diabetes.

Laura is frightened. Her only knowledge of this disease is watching grandpa give himself his insulin shot. She would often run from the room due to her fear of needles. Laura's initial treatments must be managed in a clinical environment until her glucose is better managed. While in the hospital she refuses to eat and eventually refuses all visitors. The emotional stress that she experiences only adds to the inability to control her diabetes.

Concerned that her emotional state is indicative of depression, Laura's medical team decides to have her evaluated by the mental health team. Laura cooperates for the visit and recommendations were provided to her doctor.

Laura is asked to attend group sessions for children with diabetes and begins to see children in similar situations.  Through her sessions, she is encouraged to communicate her fears and concerns to her family, which are received openly and with love and support. While in the hospital, Laura's grandmother taught her to knit which had a tremendous impact upon her ability to move forward. Her knitting was a new found strength. 

Here are some ways to assist your child when faced with chronic illness:

• Communicate: Children need age-appropriate honesty about their illness and treatment

• Self-evaluate: Keep yourself in check; your child understands verbal and non-verbal messages regarding the illness

• Support: Build upon your child's strengths.

• Consult: Rely upon your child's medical team for expertise

) 2005 Dr. Charles Sophy
Dr. Charles Sophy currently serves as Medical Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), which is responsible for the health, safety and welfare of nearly 40,000 foster children. He also has a private psychiatry practice in Beverly Hills, California.
Dr. Sophy has lectured extensively and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. His lectures and teachings are consistently ranked as among the best by those in attendance.

Dr. Charles Sophy, author of the "Keep `Em Off My Couch" blog, provides real simple answers for solving life's biggest problems. He specializes in improving the mental health of children. To contact Dr. Sophy, visit his blog at http://drsophy.com .

Do you find it difficult to spend time together as a family?

There are so many pressures and activities that can take away from the sense of family that was commonly experienced 50 years ago. Parents often both work, and their commute can be tiring and long. For children there is school and homework, TV, video games, and the computer to juggle with. This does not include outside the home activities such as belonging to sports teams and organizations. All of these factors mean that the family is not together so often. Many activities that occupy children nowadays are individualistic or non-social. Electronic forms of entertainment are now normal, but the disadvantage is that they are not conducive to social interaction and relationship building.

Parents increasingly have to plan to set aside time to spend as a family. During these times it is a good idea to plan activities that involve everyone. A great way of bonding is to do an activity where everyone works together to accomplish a project.

Doing a jigsaw puzzle together is a good example of this and has many benefits. Working on a jigsaw puzzle is a practical activity that all ages can participate in some way. Even younger children can be encouraged to help. They can sort the pieces into like colors, or look for particular pieces. They feel such a sense of accomplishment when they find the piece and help complete the section.

For children, a jigsaw puzzle has several learning applications. It
develops spatial awareness and hand eye coordination. There are analytical, abstract, and concrete thinking skills that are needed to become adept at doing a jigsaw puzzle.

While the family is together around the puzzle, a relaxed natural environment is created for conversation and relationship building. It develops a sense of team as all participate.

Doing a jigsaw puzzle is also a great introduction to other types of hobbies and crafts that involve using hands and creating something. For the upcoming generation these types of crafts and hobbies are in danger of dying out as electronic entertainment increases in popularity and use.

I have fond memories of doing jigsaw puzzles with my family as a child. It became a family tradition especially during the winter months. Today, however, this can still be done but without the inconvenience of losing the use of the dining room table until the puzzle is completed. There are now puzzle mats and other new storage possibilities now available.

In comparison to the jigsaw puzzles that were around when I was a child, the jigsaw puzzles are far more interesting and appealing. There are shaped puzzles, glowing, educational puzzles, and more complex puzzles for the experienced puzzler such as 3D and two sided puzzles.

Create a tradition for your family. Plan now and buy some jigsaw puzzles to bring out on a rainy or cold weekend and have a refreshing bonding time as a family.

I would recommend The Puzzle Mania  as a good place to order puzzles on line today and be prepared for family fun.