I don't really have advice though I do have an opinion. I don't see an issue with homeschooling as long as the child meets some sort of minimum learning requirment every semester. This is a personal experience but when I was in 10th grade I was assigned to be a math tutor for 9th graders in algebra. There was one girl that had been home schooled her whole life and it was her first year going to public school.

This girl was absolutely lost.

If you think about it Algebra is pretty simple. The only difficult part it memorizing the steps to solving a problem but everything is pretty straight foward.

This girl, at almost 15 years old, had never learned how to multiply. I remember going through the steps and I kept repeating "Ok so at this part you have to multiply 6 times 3" and she just kept saying, "I don't know." And thats when she admitted that she never learned past addition and subtraction. Basically her mom just let her coast past and never actually taught her anything.

From records it shows that home schooling generally works. Kids score higher and do better overall, most likely because they get a personal teacher that works with them instead of having to mold to an entire classroom.

My only advice is don't slack, though you seem well enough to not do so. I get good vibes from your post.

I planned on home schooling. BUT my son changed my mind. I am not sending him to school until he is 5 though. Anything he could learn in JK I can teach him at home. For me though I have a lot of concerns about him being in school. In the next year we could change our minds again and go back to the original plan of home schooling.
My brother was home schooled. (Ok let me clarify brother. I have known him for 17 years and he has become a close part of the family, so I consider him my bro). He was taught to think for himself, and became a very skilled independent learner. He went to a public high school and graduated a year early, then fast tracked University.
So while there is a bad side to home schooling, I would absolutely home school over sending my child out. I want to have control over what my child is learning and I do not agree with most of the curriculum that are being used today. I already have 2 Hooked on Phonics sets (1 normal and one is Bible based) and a full curriculum (K - grade 12) on order.

I personally don't plan to home school. Regarding those statistics, you might find that there are a few really bad schools pulling the average down.

However, my nieces are home schooled. I can definitely tell that the oldest is above her grade level. It seems like it is nice for them to be able to take days off when they want to take a trip to grandma's and they seem to go to lots of art, theater, and public events.

I am sure you have been told this before, but really take to heart the social aspects of home school. Schools in America are as much about learning how to be social as they are about traditional academics. Think about how many people you interact with on a weekly basis, especially if you are working. It is critical to help your kids learn those skills - and think about how important your husband and friends are to you - it is even more important that your kids have the ability to make friends and learn how to cope with rejection and conflict. I would suggest meeting with groups more than once a week and getting your kids involved in a sport or club year-round. Also, maybe day camps and overnight camps in the summer would be a good idea?

My mom homeschooled me and all of my siblings. She made us take the CAT (California Achievement Test) every year to make sure we were up to grade and to see what areas we needed extra study in.  My older brother and sisters and I have all been to college. My brother is a physician assistant, my sister is a teacher, I’m a paralegal and my younger brother is going to electrician school.  So yes, I think it works as long as you make sure to keep the learning up to and above state standards.

My mom used Accelerated Christian Education  aceministries.com,  A Beka abeka.com and Saxon and Excel for mathematics.   Although these are mostly Christian publications so I’m not sure how you would feel about that. 

@Thoughts_of_Motherhood@xanga - try meetup.com - it is an organizational site that a lot of groups use to plan outings, playdates, and share information. I was able to find a mom's group in my area with it and have have a good experience!

@TheBoxofDreams@xanga - I agree Bob Jones, ABeka, and Saxon are great curriculum.

I've been public, private, and home-educated as well as knowing a myriad of people who have also been homeschooled.  Christian colleges tend to have them in droves.  

All school systems produce good and bad students as well as socially-awkward vs. socially-awesome students.  I have known people that should never have been homeschooled and others that would have benefited because public school kept them back.  It really does depend on the individual situation.

As for me personally, I loved homeschooling best because it was easiest since I am ridiculously booksmart, but I know for a fact I did better in my second public school (my first public school being god-awful horrible) just because I do better with rigid routines and would have benefited academically as well as being forced to learn in other ways besides books. 

@Thoughts_of_Motherhood@xanga - Yeah I had a bad case of ADD lol
I don't think being really shy helped me while I was homeschooled either. So when I ended up in private school again... I was really shy and had a lot of issues (went to counseling and such.. had depression). I guess my mom couldn't take being around me anymore... and her being afraid of me being made fun of... over ruled that. We butted heads a lot... but I'm sure some of that had to do with me being a teenager. I really did not want to go into private school. All of my friends were still homeschooled... so I didn't get to see them as much.

@LupusInvictus@xanga - I have to disagree, in all the schools (7 total) I went to you weren't allowed to socialize with the exception of a 30 minute recess...and the maybe once monthly group projects. 

My mother (She has an Ed.D.) decided to homeschool my youngest sister through high school.  That is her fifth child, the other four of us having been through the public school system, in Texas.  I can give you some more information (or her e-mail, she loves to share advice and knowledge) in a PM if you are interested.

My observations have been that the best thing you can do is to make sure to have a consistent schedule.  I don't think you need to worry so much about "50 minutes today for math", but I do think you should go "We'll be in school from 9-12, take an hour break for lunch, then go to piano lessons from 1-1:30, dance lessons from 2:00-2:30, and then we'll be back home by 3 for an hour of reading or writing."  The unsuccessful homeschoolers are, I think, the ones who let their schedule flex in the "Oh I really need to go buy groceries this morning, so we won't do homeschool... but we'll do more tomorrow!"

EDIT : Comments on Curriculum --

For math, look at Kumon.  It has the rote memorization and repetition that is missing from elementary math classes these days, and a "Do the worksheet, then correct the missed questions" approach that gets very good results.

There doesn't exist an English curriculum that I would personally endorse, as an all-encompassing plan.  The best thing you can do is rainbow across a number of curricula, mixing and matching for the skills you want to target.  Obviously at your current ages, Reading practice and fluency will be your first priorities, but as your children age, start them on daily writing as much as possible... one of the largest weaknesses in most curricula is a lack of focus on writing.

Science is a difficult one for the littlest kids, you might check around at local museums/colleges to see if they have programs (they often do!) for your specific age groups.  I'm not too familiar with this area... the books I like tend to be Pearson books (like Campbell biology), but those are all for older kids, I'm not sure what they have for younger ones.

For all subjects, you can just check out the C-Scope checklists as to what your child should be studying at that grade level, and then pick and choose your lessons as you can (though this does involve a massive amount of work for your first child).  Here's the link http://www.cscope.us/... you can contact your local ESC for access information.  If you're in Fort Worth, you're probably in Region 11 (http://www.esc11.net/site/default.aspx?PageID=1).

My mother homeschooled me through high school. I dual-enrolled in community college during high school with no problems (far from it--I got straight A's), and I went on to graduate summa cum laude with a 4.0 average from university last year.

My sister was also homeschooled through high school and graduated from university with honors and is now finishing her master's degree.

I can't encourage you enough in your choice.

Some tips:

1) As someone above said, set a schedule. You don't have to be utterly rigid, but it will keep you and your child organized if you generally do the same things at the same time each day.

2) Take advantage of opportunities. As a homeschooler, you can go on exciting adventures and take field trips that larger classes can't. Feel free to explore nature, go to museums, do historical experiences in your area, and let your child explore some individual interests.

3) Document, document, document. Write down what you do, even if it's in a general way. Save some of your child's more notable work. Even if you never need the paperwork for a larger purpose, you'll be glad to be able to track your progress.

4) Consider enrolling your daughter in a school class or organized sport occasionally. Every year I was homeschooled, I was in at least one class with other children. (Some private schools will allow this for a fee.) This kept me able to learn in a classroom setting (important for later life), and helped keep me socialized. You can also collaborate and get involved in co-ops with other homeschoolers in your area.

5) Have your child tested regularly. You don't have to use a standardized test (though it's a good idea), but having a certified teacher perform an evaluation each year is very helpful. That will enable you to see where you are in each subject area and to find out where you may need to improve or where your child may be gifted and can be challenged more.

6) Curricula we liked: A Becka (pro: academically rigorous, con: doesn't encourage critical thinking, Bob Jones (pro: more creative, con: easier), Saxon Math (pro: very thorough and adaptable to child's individual level, con: very repetitive), KONOS (unit studies--pro: encourages fun and creativity, con: non-traditional and should only be used as a supplement to more traditional study) Curricula we disliked: PACES (pro: child-directed, con: very easy and extremely lacking in thoroughness)

7) Don't be afraid. Starting homeschooling has a learning curve, but you will be surprised how quickly you will know the ropes and begin to feel confident in what you're doing. You'll enjoy seeing your child excel in many ways.

8) Find a mentor. Search out a mom or dad who has homeschooling experience and a similar outlook to yours. Many experienced homeschoolers greatly enjoy helping other families.

9) Have fun! Homeschooling is a wonderful way to help your child reach the apex of their potential academically and creatively. You can experience wonderful things together as you discover new interests and areas of learning, and you can tailor your curriculum to your child's needs. Keep researching; don't be afraid to start something, stop it, and do something else. You will have difficult days when you feel like you are slogging endlessly, but when you have them, remember the days when learning together seems like the coolest thing on the planet. Believe me, you'll have plenty of those :)

     Just my opinion, from my own personal experiences with homeschooling.
     I am currently a Junior in high school; this is only my second year at a public school. Sophomore year was my first. Before then, I had been homeschooled all my life by my mother.
     Due to tragic circumstances, concerning my mom, I was forced to enter public school for my Sophomore year. At first, I was unhappy about it, feeling very unprepared, but after the first couple months, I had no regrets and was happy about being able to get the full school experience.
     Being homeschooled is lonely, even if you're involved with after-school activities around peers. It's just not the same as going to school and seeing them every day. There, they can form groups and bonds that are strong and grow in strength from being around each other all the time. You're an outsider if you're homeschooled; you just don't quite fit in. You're unable to keep up with the newest news going around the school, share in their excitement about things you might not understand, and you never can form the same bonds as those who go to school together can. It's how I lost the person I once thought my best friend.
     I learned so much more being able to attend school. The lessons taught me more and I was given opportunities that I previously had been missing out on. I was able to start forming those stronger bonds of friendship with people, for I didn't have to wonder anymore when the next time I saw them would be and what would happen between now and then. It was wonderful. I was, of course, a little lost at first, but it wasn't long before that was no more. I started to fit in. I can honestly say that I would never go back to being homeschooled, for anything. There are just some things that you can't be taught at home, lessons that a teacher can give in class with a group, which a parent or mentor cannot. Also, I believe that being able to interact with your peers, in the school environment, can help prepare you for the world once you're graduated and for college.
     To sum it all up: I would not recommend homeschooling unless it was the only choice left. Otherwise, I believe it to be better to grow up in a public school system (or even private, I guess) than to be homeschooled.
     But that's just my thoughts. Anyone is welcome to agree or disagree, I just wanted to voice my opinion from my own experiences.

I was homeschooled from K-5th grade (for the same reasons as you want to) meaning I was put into public school in 6th grade. My mom didn't like the public schools in the area that we lived in in California (poor education), so I was homeschooled. I moved to NC in the 5th grade and started 6th grade at a public school. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Honestly, I personally think it should not go past elementary school. Middle school, I feel, is crucial for growing socially. I cannot tell you how many people who use to be homeschooled and entered middle/high school too late and ended up have a very serious lack of "normal" communication skills, etc. Now, I'm not saying this happens to everyone. But it's very common from what I have seen.

I suggest that in your time of homeschooling, really develop a friendship (and be a parent) with your kid. The connection that I have with my mother is incredible for this. And then I would say to let your kid continue public school in the 6th grade. It toughened me up to the "real world". Because of homeschooling, I feel I am "ahead of my years". I feel like I passed that immature phase but have also locked inside of me a heart of a child. Oh, and homeschooling done right is great for growth in knowledge. It's one on one work. :)

Hope this was helpful!