When my DS was denied early admittance to K, I became an accidental homeschooler. I homeschooled 2 children. My DS then 4, and my DD now 14. Him because I had to do something with him, and her because prior to living with me she'd attended 11 schools by 5th grade and had enormous gaps in her learning. I was fortunate enough to meet someone who'd h/s for many years and got great advice.
It's referred to as learning on a line.....
Imagine reading a book about Vikings. (History)
They used Longboats, we got a piece of string and measured out 60' so that there would be some perspective (math)
Converted to metrics(math)
Talked about other kinds of boats and propulsion (science)
Built sailboats to float in the duckpond. (science)
Talked about triangles and what angles made the most efficient sails (math and science)
Calculated wind speed in knots (math)
Took our metric conversions to the kitchen, converted recipes and baked cookies (math)
Research other ways wind energy is used (science and conservation)
Wrote an essay on alternative energies (science, language arts)
At first glance it seems very scattered but the fact is at the end of one year my DS tested into 5th grade in all subjects on the NWEA. My DD had gained 3 grade levels in math and we had a blast! I did at some point get a subscription to T4L for the days that I had no mommy time. One of the really nice things is that you can ask your child to participate in identifying the next step in the line. The other nice thing is that the cost is extremely minimal. We made biweekly trips to the library, spent a little on crafty stuff, spent time on-line doing research and used a lot of imagination.
I can tell you that my previously uninspired DD discovered a passion for politics and history. She developed a social conscience pouring over the Civil Rights movement. For a kid that spent the first 9 years of her life on the street, that was huge! We had amazing conversations comparing our political process with that of other countries, while my DS6 studied the countries we were discussing.
Last but not least was the bond that developed. I have always loved my kids fiercely, but I now identify with the person they are rather than an extension of myself. Hell, I didn't even meet my DD until she was almost 10 and now..... I might as well have had her.
If you let yourself enjoy it instead of stressing over what he might learn or not learn, it's a great experience. You have to take the pressure off yourself and off him and discover learning together!
