My kids are all grown now also... my youngest is just about to turn 18 and my oldest is about to have her 3rd baby! lol. I am thinking of starting a cottage school in the next year or so. Since 2020, it seems that so many more people are open to alternative methods of schooling for their kids but not everyone is willing or able to homeschool. I had such a passion for homeschooling, I feel like I would absolutely love having my own mini-school. I am currently working as an RN which is not my passion. But my wages are high enough that I could fund the opening of this school in 2025. I would be so happy to walk away from nursing and get back to my true passion.

This is such an old post. I wonder if anyone ever started a cottage school? A term I see now is Microschool which I think is the same thing.

Yes, absolutely. I think that does make a huge difference as well. I think the solution I have come to is to use BJU online. My son's dad is going to help pay for it and I believe it is something I could spend an hour or so a week looking over and making sure he is getting it done. Thank you for your helps, truly.

Thank you for your thoughts. I have 4 older daughters and this was my experience. Daughters 1 & 2 were homeschooled through 12th grade. Both got full-ride scholarships to college. Daughter 1 got so much in scholarships, she got a refund every semester. Daughters 3 & 4 were homeschooled for part of high school and ended up going to brick and mortar high school with credits I issued them. We didn't have any issues with them being accepted and both are graduated now. I just don't have the time to dedicate to my son but staying home is important to him. I don't think and online charter is a good fit though. Thank you for your thoughts. I'll consider them. 🙂

Keep updating this post as you go. I am 48 and going to be divorcing my narcissist husband soon. I am devastated but I know I want to find a partner in the future. I have the exact same questions as you. I met my soon-to-be ex at my front door. I hired him to work on my house. It led to years of stress, and when we married extreme abuse. So I want to do this right this time.

These are some great ideas! Thank you! I am going to look up these resources. ❤️

My son really wants to stay home this year after A LOT of discussion. I am really going through a lot myself with a separation from my husband, starting two new businesses and trying to finish my BSN. I will be home 99% of the time, but I will be working on all that. So I need something that is all laid out or even just something that teaches him. Not all reading. I'd like some videos or other content... OH and I can't really afford online classes that are hundreds of dollars this year. All the bills that used to be shared are now on me. I do have Guest Hollows Geography that I could use... If I can figure out how to preplan it. And I already know we will be using Teaching Textbooks Math as he loves that. My son could really use a good Language Arts program. That is his weak area. Bible: Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra English/Grammar: Vocabulary: Literature: Writing: Foreign Language: History/Geography: (Maybe Guest Hollow or something else?) Science: Health: PE:

We have never used online charter school, but I really want something that will keep my last child, my son, accountable for his 9th grade year. I will be working full-time, I am separated from my husband and I am really over home educating having done it since 1999. If life wasn't so intense right now, I might consider doing regular home education as in the past. I am still considering sending him to our local public, but as I said in a previous post, he was bullied there in 7th grade and he has zero desire to go back. So I am thinking about Connections or K12. I would love opinions, experiences, and what does the day look like for someone in 9th grade. Also, if you DO NOT recommend online charter and I should just pull something together for him, I'd like to know that as well. Thank You!

No because it is 30 min there and 30 min back. If he goes just for the day that is 2 hours driving time.

Yes, most like the same kids. He was a lot smaller a year and a half ago. I feel that maybe he didn't make the most of his first experience there and could have a better experience. It is about 100-125 kids per grade at this school. I would not have him live with anyone else. He wouldn't want to either. We are very close.

So I am trying very hard to make the right decision for my son for 9th grade next year. He is my last kid as all my other's are now graduated from school. We moved two years ago to a small town and the school is a very nice, newer built country high school for the surrounding communities. Because we haven't lived here that long, my son doesn't have a single friend in the community. During the week, he spends a lot of time in his room gaming, talking to his cousins and friends from our old hometown on his headset. He will also go for bike rides, or go visit his sister and brother-in-law who live a few blocks away. My son also has Crohn's disease and is pretty small for his age. He only weighs 100lbs and 5'6" (he has been growing lately). A lot of foods upset his stomach and he needs to use the bathroom for long periods of time a couple times a week. I have to force him to eat and he is pretty picky. When we first moved here, I sent him to the jr. high for 1/2 the year. He barely ate, was always super tired, and his grades suffered. He told me he was bullied so I brought him home. He has been a lot happier here at home for the last year and a half. I am newly single and will be working 2-3 days a week as an RN during the school year next year. I don't really have time or inclination to teach him at this point in life. I am also very concerned that he will miss out on all the fun stuff and friendships he could develop during high school. His sister, who just graduated, is always hanging out with friends, went to prom, played varsity basketball, and had a wonderful senior year. I am worried he will be a hermit and miss out on all these types of things. I also want to make sure he gets a good education and I know that I will not be working with him daily to teach him or interact with him on his schoolwork. He would be mostly independent. He does have his cousins (who are all older by a couple years), and his sisters who all hang out as a group with him about twice a week. He will often go stay the night at their house or they will come here. I know it will slow down in the fall, but for now he has a lot of activity with them. The cousins live about 30 min. away so it isn't easy to just go for the day. He has expressed multiple times that he does not wish to go to school. He is happy with his life as it is. I am just concerned about the issues I mentioned above. I know I need to make this decision because he can only see it from his perspective. I even asked him if he wanted to try it and if it didn't work out I could bring him home. He wasn't very keen on that idea. So what would you do? Would you send him or keep him home?

Wow! I didn't know this existed!!! What a wonderful program. I am seriously considering it. How much time do you spend per day on it on average? Do you go through weekly and pick and choose what she is going to read/do? What books do you find absolute must have's? Thank you for the recommendation!

I feel like all the curriculum out there has 5-10 pages of reading for every subject. That is a lot of reading when you add in all the subjects for a kid who does not absorb reading well. I am looking for alternative programs for any subject that are not reading intensive. Also, I would love to find an all-in-one program. I really like HOD World Geography but it is very expensive and reading intensive. Thank you!

Thank you so much! ❤️

Thank you for that insight. Yeah, he stopped working as soon as we moved into my house I bought. He hasn't worked since June 2019. He went on unemployment and because of the pandemic, he has been able to sustain it ever since. He is a union carpenter and he has just been ignoring the calls for work ever since. He usually gets up at 12:30 and stares at his phone all day if he isn't being nasty to me. I can finally see the truth. Took me way too long.

Anyone interested in an update 4 1/2 years later? Hindsight is 2020 right? I haven't been here much over the last few years, but I made a couple posts the last few days and ended up in my profile where I found this old message. I would say that I was stupid with my choices, but the truth is, I was scared and didn't have the life experiences, knowledge or support around me to really make the right choices. So a few months after I had posted this message, I finally could not take it anymore and I told him and his son to move out. We did not stop dating however. It helped a lot not having him in my home and I made a lot of excuses why it didn't work living together... "his son became a jerk, nursing school was overwhelming, other stressors..." Then I made the best (worst) decision ever regardless of the fact that the previous 4 years had been a rollercoaster of manipulation, confusion, gaslighting... In 2018 I married him. Fast forward to today. I have just spend the absolute most horrific 2+ years of my life with this man. Emotional, verbal, occasional physical abuse throughout. I didn't know back when I posted this what narcissism was. I do now. We went a counselor in August 2018 and he was called out as a narcissist by the counselor. I looked it up and I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was HIM! Interestingly, as I was re-reading this post I came across this statement I made... "The truth is, I know in my heart I need to break up with him but I can't seem to do it. There are more issues honestly. It is hard to say that. When we have discussions, I often find myself questioning if I am crazy and I really am the one with the problem. I don't know why I can't just walk away from him. I keep trying, and I keep changing my mind. I think I am scared I will regret it deeply. I don't know if I can handle the pain of ending our relationship." gas·light /ˈɡaslīt/ verb gerund or present participle: gaslighting manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity. I have been in a state of confusion for years, because I didn't understand what was happening. I regret that it took me this long to understand. I regret that I wasted my life and I regret that my kids had to see it all. Thankfully, my relationship with the kids is still amazing. They are all good. Back then, I still had all 5 at home. Now, the oldest is married (to a wonderful man) and lives a few blocks from me. The second oldest is a Montessori teacher and lives 12 minutes away, the third is a phlebotomist and is working actively to move closer to me. My two youngest are still home and doing well. My husband has serious mental and emotional problems and though I have been trying to get him to move out for months, he is finally leaving April 7th. The reason I didn't leave is because I put myself through 5 years of college, worked for a year saving every penny I could and bought a house on 1/2 acre in a beautiful little town. It is my dream home. I wasn't giving it up after all I worked for. Being married, he could try and fight me for it, so I tried to do all I could to get him out and not lose the house and home I have built for my kids. I believe I will succeed at that. God is my victor and I am not afraid. I post all this because I pray that if anyone sees themselves in my words, that they would look at whats really going on in their life with their partner and see if their partner is a narcissist. If they are, there is no hope of rehabilitation for that person. It took me understanding narcissism to finally let go. Hope is a big thing for me as a Christian. It is not that I think God can't do something to radically change my husband, I just don't believe my husband will change because of his narcissism. He will not accept responsibility for anything he has ever done and if you don't acknowledge your sin, you can't change it or get forgiveness for it. Anyhow, brighter days ahead and I am thankful to each of you for trying to help. I guess I just didn't really understand back then. ❤️ If anyone needs help understanding narcissism, I recommend Dr. Ramini and Surviving Narcissism on youtube. There are also quite a few excellent books and a narcissism support group on FB.

Someone mentioned to me about having in homes vs. at churches or other outside locations. I was thinking about that. I only have one kid who is still homeschooled and I have a large home on a dead end with 1/2 acre of land, a river about 2 blocks away, a basketball court and a ball diamond 3 blocks away. Anyhow, I was thinking about keeping it easier and making it a small group of 8th-12th graders only, a drop off program, and paid teachers for the classes. I want to have a sports skills and fitness class, science, writing, pop-culture class and maybe a drama class. My oldest daughter has an English degree and could teach writing and drama. My 4th daughter, who is sporty could facilitate the pop-culture and sports class. I would teach science as I am a nurse. What do you think?

I have now planned, hosted, and paid for 3 graduation parties in my life. My 4th daughter is graduating this year and the theme that seems to be common is most graduation parties are a lot of work and BORING! If we are going to put in a lot of work... I'd like it to not be boring. We have 1/2 acre and I am planning an outside party for June. What are some of the best ideas you all can recommend to make the party FUN!? Have you ever gone to a FUN Graduation party? What made it that way? I need ideas that I am not finding in my google searches. Thank you!

There are some fantastic ideas here! Thank you! Really makes me think.

So within 30 minutes of my home, there are a few homeschool co-ops that are just outstanding. Because of this, everyone wants to be apart of them. Also because of this... I cannot seem to get involved because the groups are ALWAYS full for years. My son is entering 9th grade next year. We moved to a small town and since 2019 he hasn't really hung out with any other kids because he doesn't know anyone and every one is hiding away anyhow. I really feel he needs #1 friends #2 accountability and challenge in his academics. I am considering starting my own AMAZING co-op in a neighboring town. The ones that are currently operating near me don't really give too many details about the secrets to their success. Do they pay their teachers? Do they hire outside teachers? How do they organize their classes? What makes it so appealing to so many? I WOULD LOVE if you could share as many details as possible about successful co-ops that you know of. Websites would be even better. If I am going to do this, I want it to be strong from the start. Not loosy-goosey. Not a free-for-all. But a structured and successful co-op. OH and fees... I want to know about that too. Basically ANY and ALL information would be hugely appreciated!

Thank you everyone for all the fantastic selections! I am going to have a bunch to line up for him now.

My son just finished The Giver and liked it! This was huge because I truly couldn't get him to read much of anything before. He asked for his next book and has been unimpressed with the selection in our curriculum, which is historical fiction. I really want to get him a book that is engaging, thought provoking, and possibly has a movie to watch at the end. We did this with The Giver and he really liked comparing the book to the movie. He already saw The Hunger Games so that is out. A movie isn't a must, just a bonus. I am not trying to stick with dystopian literature. I just need some good book recommendations at about the same reading level as The Giver. Any recommendations? Thank you in advance!

What level should I get if he hasn't ever done this type of thing before?

My son is doing 8th grade here at home this year. I am utilizing Writing with Skill Level I and would like something for grammar. I am not looking for anything complicated and I really don't want anything with diagramming. My son hasn't had any formal grammar, just literature and good spoken english in the home. I think it would be good to do some basic grammar this year. I would like it to be easy for him to do on his own as I work full time and will look it over, but I won't be there to teach it. Any recommendations? I am open to anything that is easy to implement and learn.

You aren't wrong. I would use TOG lite because I do like the different topics explored. But I think you are right, it is easier to add than subtract. BYL might just be the ticket. Thanks for the welcome back!