E83 - During this quarantine shutdown time, many parents are faced with educational decisions for their kids including whether or not to homeschool. This is a conversation with Joelle's childhood friend Ali, a former teacher and homeschooler of five kids here in California since 2004. She has a great perspective on the benefits and what it takes to homeschool, and talks Mouse through the whole process from her point of view. We cover why she chose to homeschool, whether to go with independent, private, or charter school education, her thoughts on ages and behaviors that are a good fit for homeschooling, which curriculum to choose, whether to use old school papers and books versus digital tools and computers, what is HSLDA and why it's crucial, being under an umbrella school, filing a homeschool affidavit, hiring a teacher to oversee your paperwork and keep you accountable and on track, what a homeschool calendar and schedule looks like with grades, test-taking, field trips, outdoor learning, vacations, and structure, socialization and when it's time for the kids to join outside classes, co-ops, or go back to public school, how to do science labs, language classes, SATs, taking junior college classes for credits, being on a 4-year college track, and what universities really think of homeschoolers. Please check our Show Notes on www.MouseAndWeens.com to see a list of recommended curricula from Ali. This episode is sponsored by op.org">www.HomeschoolBuyersCo-op.org Sign up with referral code WEENS to get up to 90% off handpicked educational materials! Song Credit: “Things Aren't As Bad As They Seem” by Dan Mahony and Julianne Eggold Voice Actor: Matt Thompson as Hank Hill Please follow and contact us via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @mouseandweens Behind the scenes info on our private Facebook Group You can get bonus content like outtakes, and hear this episode ad-free on www.patreon.com/mouseandweens