Things I would have done differently if I was starting over...

1) I would never have sent my oldest dd to school for K-2.

2) I would not have changed a curriculum that was working more or less just because a more experienced homeschooler with very firm opinions and educational philosophy told me I should. Moreover, I would give up on someone else's ideas a lot faster if they didn't work..

3) I would have immediately dropped the horrible math program that came with the purchased curriculum that first year. (I still consider it the *worst* math program I have ever seen.)

4) I wish I had done more delight-directed studying with my oldest dd.

5) I would have trusted myself more.

6) I would have learned more about homeschooling and sorted out my educational philosophy before I began .

7) I would have set out lifetime and yearly goals for my children from the beginning. I would have really focused not on doing "3rd grade", but on achieving the specific goals I decided each child needed.

Things I wish I had realized.....

1) Textbooks are not evil and have their place.

2) Survey courses also have their place.

3) Cultural literacy is important -- especially for disabled kids.

4) Even very nice veteran homeschoolers can be wrong about your kids and what will work for them. Even I can be wrong!

5) It is wise to listen to more than one person on educational philosophy and/or curriculum.

6) Some people will never like math no matter what you do.

7) Even relatively successful homeschoolers have difficult kids, bad years, and weak areas.

8) Veteran homeschoolers only have more experience and knowledge than newbies. Veteran homeschoolers are human too and struggle -- even if they sound as though they have it all worked out.

9) What works now may not work for you later on. It's not just a matter of dealing with different kids -- it's also that the needs of each kid change and family dynamics also change.

10) Everyone makes mistakes. If you homeschool, you will buy some curriculum that doesn't work out or try an approach that doesn't work or whatever. You too are learning. Perfection is not found this side of heaven.

11) Buy curriculum that appeals to you. The best curriculum in the world won't be used to best effect if you can't stand it.

contributed by Deborah from Maryland