Review of "Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!"

After my oldest daughter attended a private Christian school for kindergarten, we took the plunge and committed ourselves to homeschooling our children. I was so surprised by the number of people we knew who were OK with our decision to homeschool but asked, "What about high school?" My standard answer was that I wanted to teach her to read first!

Fast forward to now and that same daughter is in 7th grade with two brothers who have joined her in homeschooling along the way. The question of high school is not so far off anymore! In some ways, deciding to homeschool through high school has been like starting to homeschool all over again with similar fears, doubts, and concerns.

Imagine my delight when The Old Schoolhouse sent me "Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!" to review for The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew auditions! I was truly excited about reading and reviewing this e-book.

Lately, I have been seeking out as much information as possible about homeschooling through the high school years. "Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!" was unlike any of the books that I have read thus far. It is NOT a "how-to" book with lots of nitty-gritty details about credits and putting together a high school transcript. It is a book of encouragement from other homeschooling parents who have already finished the journey and graduated one or more children from homeschool high school.

In this e-book, 13 different homeschooling parents share their struggles, concerns, victories, and highlights of homeschooling their high school children at home. While the families are all quite different from one another, they all share one fundamental commonality - a strong faith in God.

In this e-book, you will hear from those:

• who have homeschooled children with special needs and/or learning disabilities


• homeschool graduates who have went on to homeschool their own children


• parents looking back on the journey


• parents who have graduated one or more children and are still homeschooling

"Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler" was filled with encouragement and descriptions of how different families navigated the waters of high school at home. Here are some of the key ideas that have stuck with me after reading this book:

• Many families focused on the importance of making changes as needed to best meet the ever-changing needs of your teenager.


• Parents need to help teens find pursuits within or outside of academics about which they are passionate (for example, competitive swimming, playing an instrument, or working with animals).


• There are MANY paths to success - college is not the only post-graduation option for teens.


• Parents need to respect and work with the differences in children to help them succeed.


• While homeschooling through high school can be difficult, it can also be the most rewarding time of homeschooling.

More than anything, I enjoyed the book because I found my own fears echoed in the statements of others who have already finished the journey. One homeschool mother stated that when her oldest started high school at home, she felt that she had lost all her "wiggle-room." I found myself saying out loud, "Yes, that's exactly how I feel!" All of sudden, I feel like I have to look at every subject with a limited amount of years left.

"Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!" ends with a helpful list of resources and links to help you on your own journey through the high school years. This e-book is available for purchase at The Old Schoolhouse Store for 12.45. I recommend this resource for any parent who needs some encouragement while preparing to homeschool through high school.

This review was written as part of the audition process of becoming a TOS Crew member. "Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!" was provided to me free of charge but no other compensation has been or will be given to me as a result of my review. The review contains my own opinions and experiences with the product. Your opinions and experiences may vary.