By the HOME Team

We get it. Many families make significant sacrifices to homeschool. Not only are you paying for your own curriculum and supplies, but you may also be giving up one parent's full-time career. Homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive, though. There are many ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. 

Consider implementing some of the following money-saving strategies to create an affordable homeschooling lifestyle for your family. 

By Ed and Kathy Green

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This Christmas season has been full of joy and special celebrations for our family, including the wedding of our granddaughter, our own 51st wedding anniversary and our oldest daughter's birthday (born on our second anniversary!), and a 50th birthday celebration. In the midst of so much planning and activity, some of our usual holiday traditions were put aside this year to make room for the making of new memories. Even one of our family's most meaningful Christmas Day traditions was nearly forgotten in all the busyness and excitement!

By Sarah Buchwalder

This summer, one of HOME's board members was interviewed by The Maine Monitor for a forthcoming article on home education. That news article was released this week, under the title “Homeschooling is growing in Maine. Here’s what that looks like.” At the outset of the article, a homeschool parent describes discovering – when COVID-

19 regulations required everyone to do school at home – that her child was both happier and more successful learning that way.

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We live in challenging times. Our nation has recently experienced great loss with the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the death of Voddie Baucham. Many state legislatures continue trying to pass laws that could seriously restrict homeschool freedom. And in our own homes, we face daily struggles—whether it's mediating sibling squabbles while explaining fractions or realizing there's nothing in the crockpot for dinner.

Homeschooling is a noble calling, but it's also one of the most challenging journeys we'll ever take. That's why we need to remember that we were never meant to walk this road alone. 

By Kathy Green

Compulsory school attendance doesn’t begin until the date of the 6th birthday in Maine. For parents who are homeschooling, that date marks the beginning of the required annual notification and assessment process. But many parents are homeschooling children well before that date. In fact, some parents make the decision to homeschool before their child is born!

Homeschooling from birth to age 6 looks a lot different than homeschooling for school-aged children. During these early years, it’s often more about nurturing, awakening curiosity, and building foundational skills through play and everyday experiences than following a formal curriculum.