Hi My Name is Thea. I want to start homeschooling my kids, Isabelle is 10yrs old in 4th grade and my son is 15 yrs old in 9th grade. We live in Corrales. How do I get started? Please help!
Thank you.

First you need to register with the state that you will be homeschooling. I believe that the website is http://www.ped.state.nm.us/HomeSchools/application.html
You will also want to look over the laws for homeschooling in New Mexico (http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/laws/blNM.htm). The hard part is finding curriculum that works for you. It seems to be trial and error. At least you will be able to adjust the format and style to what your children need as opposed to the one size fits all public school. I started homeschooling this year and it has been challenging, but totally worth it. I hope this helps some. The ladies and gentlemen on this forum are very knowledgeable and helpful, so if I missed something I am sure they will catch it. Wishing you well.  

Hello, Thea!

I have been homeschooling for about 8 years.  Prior to that, I was a classroom teacher with APS for about 15 years, and never thought I would utter the words "home school."  Homeschooling is the best decision we made for our family.  I always tell people the reasons I CONTINUE to homeschool are very different than the reasons I STARTED to homeschool.  
Starting to homeschool can be overwhelming – it’s important to take one day at a time.  Don’t worry about making mistakes.  See everything as a learning opportunity.  
There are lots of different types of homeschoolers – some very traditional and/or rigid.  Some very freestyle with loose schedules.  And everything in between.  Before I did start, I read everything I could get my hands on.  There are many books at the public library, and tons of resources online that will talk about different ways to homeschool.  The most important thing to remember is to do what works for your family.  It’s easy to get caught up in the “I should…  I could…” when you start to see what others are doing, but you have to stay true to your family.
I would encourage you to ask, ask, ask.  Ask lots of questions.  
CAPE-NM is a Christian group that puts on a Homeschooling conference every Spring.  Regardless of your religious beliefs, they have an informative "Getting Started" workshop that is free and open to the public.  Check their website if this interests you.  I attended that workshop 8 years ago before I made the decision to homeschool and remember getting some helpful ideas.  

I am currently homeschooling my 8 year old daughter and my 9 year old son.  My 15 year old daughter was homeschooled from 3rd grade through 8th grade.  I am happy to share my experiences with you, having been on both sides of the public school fence.  Feel free to email me and best wishes.

Stephanie

I started homeschooling this year too.  My kids go to Frassati Academy at St Thomas Church in Rio Rancho one day a week.  They are wonderful and I could not have done it without them.  Another option is RGES which is also one day per week.  Both of these teach 3 or 4 core subjects, which leaves you teaching a couple more, including math.  Just a couple of different options if it is a little overwhelming at first.