The short answer — NO.

In 2013 when we were considering homeschooling our oldest, a then kindergartener, I researched the idea for MONTHS. I spoke to veterans, attended our state’s annual homeschooling convention, read several books on the subject and even window-shopped curriculum, but my own fears kept me from making a decision. I was terrified to commit. My Initial Report to the Superintendent of our district is dated August 27, 2013. That was exactly one week prior to the first day of school that year.

My son had already been assigned a teacher. (The one I had requested from the district.) His little desk was waiting for him. I’m sure his name and birthday were already written on a brightly-colored little shape and stapled to a bulletin board. In fact, I made my husband hand deliver our forms to the district office because I was so afraid they wouldn’t reach the necessary person in time and my son’s name would be called for attendance that first day. (Seriously, I remember being really worried about that.)

If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t feel like it’s simply too late for you to move forward this year, because it’s not. Find out what your particular state requires and any applicable deadlines and get to work!

Since my son was only heading into first grade that year, I didn’t have to consider much when it came to curriculum. We choose a geography-based unit study, a phonics workbook and a math program and we were off and running. (Well, stumbling…but you get the idea.) If you’re pulling a much-older child from traditional school, you may need to do some additional research to make sure you’re covering all necessary subjects. Don’t forget that just because some schools are starting back up at the end of August or early September, your school doesn’t have to follow the same schedule. You still have time to look into curriculum options and come up with a plan that sets you and your new student(s) up for success.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you know I’m not a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type. I love schedules and checklists and ducks that follow along neatly in a row. But, this isn’t always possible and sometimes you have to just go for it, even if it feels rushed. If you’re feeling led to homeschool, then God will equip you with all the tools you need in order to make it happen. You can do this!

Are you new to homeschooling, or even just considering it? I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or on my Facebook page.