When starting any project it's always good to have a plan. The same goes for homeschooling. If you don't have a plan of how you want to homeschool and what you need, you have a greater chance of getting frustrated. Here are a few simple questions you can ask yourself that will help you create a great homeschool plan for your family:

1. What do I have to do to notify my local school system that I want to homeschool? Each state has different requirements and options. Some states are more homeschool friendly than others. Your local school superintendent's office should be able to direct you in what you need to do. Some states just require you to take attendance and others want to know exactly what you will be teaching and how you will be teaching. There's no need to be intimidated by this process. The schools just want to make sure that the children are in capable hands. Since you have raised your children so far and are willing to spend hours each day with them, it shouldn't be too hard for you to provide the information that the school district wants to hear.

2. How does your child learn best? You might want to look into having your child take a learning style assessment online at the site below. If you already know how your child learns best, then you can choose your resources accordingly.

3. What is your teaching style? Are you flexible and able to go with the flow most of the time, or do you need a structured lesson plan that tells you exactly what to say? There are homeschool curriculum and resources to fit every teaching style. Just make sure you know yours before you purchase anything.

4. Do you or your spouse have any special skills or interests that you can teach to your children? This doesn't have to be your sole curriculum, but can certainly enrich your homeschool environment. If your husband enjoys fixing things, he can easily show your children what he does and allow them to help him. If you enjoy cooking or doing a craft, your children will probably want to know how to do what you are doing. Your personal interests will enrich the learning environment in your home.

5. Do your children have any interests or hobbies? These can be used in your homeschool plan as well. If your child enjoys making scrapbooks, they can develop their language and art skills and enjoy learning. If they enjoy nature, you can incorporate that into your homeschool plan too.

6. What are your educational goals for your children for this year? What aspect of History or Science do you want them to study? What language skills do you want them to develop? What Math concepts do you want them to master?

7. What is your homeschool budget? How much money are you able to spend? Are you aware of the free resources available for homeschooling and are you ready to use them?

Your homeschool plan doesn't have to be a detailed or involved thesis explaining everything that you plan on doing this year. I prefer a skeleton plan that is an outline of what I want to accomplish for the year. You should definitely write something down because it is a proven fact that people who write down their goals are 80% more likely to reach them. A simple written outline of your goals for the year should give you everything you need to have a successful homeschool year.