Things you can do for your homeschool NOW to ensure a smoother fall start date

Wow - we’re already at the end of July. Many families start their new homeschool year in August/September like the local public schools, so if that's you, school is just around the corner.

No need to freak out! There's plenty of time to get everything ready. Here are a few questions to help you tackle some tasks you can get done now.

• Do you need to submit paperwork to your local school system? Check the due dates and make sure you have what you need.

• Does your child need to have immunizations or a doctor's physical on record?

• Do you know what curriculum you want to use? Do you have it on hand or need to order?

• Do you need an equipment for extracurricular activities? Dance shoes, sports gear, new instruments, etc.?

• Do you need to secure extra childcare during the school year?

As for me, I'm working on submitting our paperwork to our local school district this week. We have to include what curriculum/books we plan to use, so while I was finalizing that, I went ahead and ordered materials we were missing. I also just took my eldest to upgrade to a larger instrument, which should allow for a month of practicing on the bigger instrument before orchestra resumes in the fall.

What can you do in the next couple weeks that will check off some of the items on your to-do list?