I have educated my children at home for twelve years now. I love chatting about education, methods, supplies and knowledge. I think Michelle said she did, are there any other homeschoolers here?

12 years? You're my hero! Course I guess I'm working on 10....didn't realize it, my how the time flies.

This time of year I always have at least a little burn-out. Time for field trips!

I have 2 boys, 14 and almost12. Whom do you teach?

Here! We’ve homeschooled for over 10 years now.   My very wise mother told me I needed to homeschool my kids right about the time our older DD was almost ready for Kindergarten. 

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Corinna

Should I tell you that at 12, I was the neighborhood Mother Hen? I would play school with the little ones during the summer which actually had me creating lessons. At 15, I prepared a whole preschool for my younger brother and gave him lessons every day. I volunteered at my church as a junior nursery worker where I immediately designed a toddler bible program using some old books and printables.

 In addition to my background I actually dropped out of high school to marry into a homeschooling family. I completed high school through a distance program. My husband was pulled out of school at 12 to work full time and homeschool. My husband's siblings all homeschool their kids, btw.

 Would you believe my family was shocked when we announced we are educating our kids at home? I have to wonder if they know me at all.

Ahh sorry, Michelle, I seem to have issues with completing a response to you in one post, lol! I have a 16 year old daughter, a 12 year old son and a 3 year old daughter.  

 I also spent some time helping my SIL homeschool her bunch at the time of her divorce. This past year I homeschooled a friend's son.

Corinna, Mothers can be helpful that way. My Mother-in-law began her campaign for home educated grandchildren when our oldest was two. I jumped right on that but my husband was not sure.

We considered private school and then he agreed to try Kindergarten at home as a trial period. We were not half way through the year when he came home from work one day and said that we permanently homeschooling.

Ok a general question for you all...

 Are you frugal in this aspect as well or is this an area you feel comfortable with budgeting big for?

I budget $150 per boy for used Switched on Schoolhouse computer curriculum, and another $100 for extra books and stuff to fill in around the edges.

The most expensive thing I bought was Notgrass'complete high school American History and World History curriculums. It was about $220. I met the Notgrasses at a homeschool conference and fell in love with his books. He is a former high school history teacher that writes his own textbooks.

Gigi, I found I spent a lot of time switching curriculum with the fist child. I think we have settled into a good method now that allows me some ability to add and switch without meaning a whole curriculum change and lots of wasted money.