The first place to start is the Internet. Ann Zeise's rather cluttered and frantic website is quite helpful if you don't allow yourself to get lost on it! www.homeschooling.gomilpitas.com
After that, We strongly recommend that you track down and join your state-wide secular homeschooling organization. This is your lifeline for navigating state requirements, meeting flesh and blood homeschooled children, finding out which local museums and such are friendly to homeschoolers... and much more.
The degree of organization and accessibility of such groups varies enormously from state to state. Here in Wisconsin, our group is called the Wisconsin Parents Association and not only publishes a very useful book giving the basics of homeschooling information and outlining the legal requirements in our state, but also acts as a watchdog on all legislation in Madison which could erode our rights as parents and homeschoolers.
Obviously, if you are outside the US, you'll need to find equivalent groups in your country or area.
Next.... A few books to read. We highly recommend anything written by Raymond and Dorothy Moore, ex-public school teachers turned homeschooling advocates way back  in the '80s when homeschooling was very new. Now deceased, their wonderful work  is carried on by the Moore Foundation which publishes books and also research on the neurological development of children. Their findings point consistently to the "better late than early" approach favored by Waldorf - and even more strongly favored by us here at Christopherus! The Moore's research points to about 9 as an optimal time to teach writing and reading - our work also confirms that many children, especially boys, are not ready to do much if any writing or reading before this. Interestingly enough, our observations also point to the fact that if pushed early, 9 is about the age when many children (again, especially boys) stop reading and writing with any interest and start to become known as "not interested in reading."
Caffi Cohen and Mary Griffith have also written a number of interesting homeschooling books from an unschoolers perspective. And of course, everyone needs to read at least one book by that Grandaddy of the unschooling movement, John Holt, if they have any notion to homeschool!
Then, to help you orientate yourself between unschooling and Waldorf (especially if you come from an attachment parenting background), you might like to listen to our  audio download on Waldorf and Unschooling  which explains the significant philosophical and practical differences between these two approaches.
You're in the right place! Christopherus Homeschool Resources is one of the main Waldorf homeschooling resources in the world! Have a good look round our website - by reading our blog entries on numerous aspects of Waldorf parenting and education; by reading our articles  and following  links to other websites ; by carefully perusing  our publications pages  and pages devoted to subjects like  Early Years  and High School Years, you'll be able to get a good feel for the ins and outs of Waldorf homeschooling.
Do sign up for our free monthly e-mail newsletter,  The Homeschool Journey : you'll be able to keep up with the latest news about publications and be notified about any interesting blog entries, articles, additions to the website, etc.
All Waldorf teacher training courses are designed for teachers in the classroom and the pedagogy and methodology is for those who need to work with groups of children. At home one needs an entirely different set of skills - or the ability to translate the classroom experience into the home setting. The dynamics of standing before a group of 24 children of one age is entirely different than the interaction between a parent and one or two children sat round the dining room table!
As part of our consulting work, we have spent considerable time and energy untangling and de-stressing Waldorf teachers who are trying to bring their knowledge to the home situation! We have also had, on many occasions, to encourage and support homeschooling parents who have joined normal Waldorf Teacher Training courses and who have found what was taught to be overwhelming and of little use in their homes.
One of the main features of all our materials, whether individual books or the full curriculum, is that all are full of advice on how to take from the Waldorf curriculum and adapt to the home situation. Whether one is talking about imitation, the temperaments, recall and the three day rhythm, or creating main lesson books, at home we must do things rather differently than at school! Christopherus is firmly rooted in  the work of Rudolf Steiner , his ideas on the development of the whole human being - and thus we work with the Waldorf curriculum and pedagogy. But there are many places we differ significantly because of our experience and knowledge of homeschooling - and, perhaps, of the changing needs of children of the new millennium.
Please Note: Whilst we do not think that teacher training is a good idea for homeschooling parents, we heartily recommend that parents avail themselves of workshops and lectures offered by Waldorf teachers or others who can help teach skills, broaden knowledge and help a parent on her own road to self development and healthy parenting.
We firmly believe that trying to create a little Waldorf school at home does not work. Christopherus materials are for homeschoolers first and foremost. We feel passionately that homeschooling is the best option for many children - that Waldorf education is wonderful but that not all Waldorf schools work for all children. Or are an option for financial or logistical reasons. We are the only Waldorf curriculum providers with the unique distinction of being grounded in anthroposophy, in practical teaching in Waldorf schools (and  being taught  as a student!), and in the experience of homeschooling our sons for most of their lives. Our passion is for helping parents create nurturing homes, the foundation for healthy human relationships and thus healthy communities.
We feel we have succeeded in creating resources that are firmly rooted in the Waldorf tradition - in the curriculum, teaching methods and thus anthroposophical understanding of the human being. Rudolf Steiner spoke many times of three necessary conditions for becoming a Waldorf teacher - to have an understanding of the developing human being based in anthroposophy; to have an understanding of the individual children that stand before him or her; and to be willing to work on one's own path of self development.
Our materials are flexible, inspiring and doable. We set out plans and progressions based on the Waldorf curriculum - we explain to parents why such and such is done and then, critically, we help parents understand how they might approach that subject at home. We are always mindful of the reality of homelife - the ill child, the crying baby, the toddler who wants to have her own main lesson book, and we provide ideas to work with and embrace such features of family life and be able to homeschool with them - not despite them.
We encourage parents to experiment and find what works for them - to penetrate the Waldorf curriculum and pedagogy and then to change and adapt as best fits their family's needs. Some parents will go on to study anthroposophy and find a relationship to it - others have no interest in anthroposophy but feel that Waldorf suits their children. Either approach works equally well with Christopherus materials.
A further distinction to Christopherus is that we offer both  full curriculum  AND individual books which a parent who wishes to "do her own thing" or is more of an eclectic homeschooler will find useful. See  "But I Don't Want a Curriculum?"  - the DIY Approach to Waldorf Homeschooling.
The short answer is Yes - probably! We encourage all those who use our materials to adapt them to their own needs and this applies to any religious/spiritual content as much as anything else. Whilst we cannot be all things to all people, we do make an effort to be inclusive of different traditions: see, for example, our consciously multi-cultural Saints and Heroes  book.
I have a couple of articles on the Homeschool Journey blog that you might find useful:
" I find Christopherus resources to compliment the rhythms and motions intrinsic to my faith. Donna supports the spiritual work of 'being' with one's children, and whilst the anthroposophical elements of the curriculum are not entirely congruent with Muslim beliefs of eternity, the emphasis on rhythm and consciousness is in keeping with Islam's honouring of the roles of both Mother and teacher. There is a Muslim tradition that the first seven years should be for play, the next seven for teaching, and then to follow: be with one's children as friends. The academic rigours of the later Waldorf years are strengthened by the early foundations of play and imagination. Every culture can be revived by a return to oral tradition, and each one of us can benefit from the mindfulness and creativity that Donna expresses. When I go to her resources I never fail to find acceptance and support for the balance we have to find in our lives and a renewal of the wonderful joy in homeschooling. "
Generally speaking, if the child is in kindergarten or 1st grade, one shouldn't hesitate to do another kindergarten year or repeat 1st grade. Waldorf education is not just about acquisition of skills or a series of set outcomes - it is about the health and integrity of the developing human being. And the entire curriculum is based on the real developmental changes that occur at each year - thus if your child is a year off, the curriculum will never quite meet her at her stage of development and thus she might not benefit as deeply from her experience with Waldorf.
Thus a child who already knows her alphabet or can read but is only 6 ½ or 7 years old should still be starting as a 1st grader. Waldorf is about educating the whole child - her emotional, physical and spiritual development are no less important than her intellectual development. The curriculum is carefully crafted to speak to the journey that each human soul takes on its path - and skills such as being able to add or read are just one tiny part. Indeed, it might also be that a child who has acquired such skills early needs to be slowed down. She might need to focus more on play, puppetry, drawing, painting, and handwork to support her motor and neurological development and to ensure that her thinking capacities are creative and flexible and not merely linear.
And because the Waldorf curriculum truly does speak to the needs of the child, the child who already knows her alphabet is never bored or frustrated by hearing the first grade stories which introduce the archetypal sounds and symbols which unlock the mystery of written language. No child this young should know the meaning of the word "bored" - life should still be full of wonder and exploration, each day a joyful adventure. Unfortunately, early learning experiences, peer pressure, the media or a stressful early life can create children who are "bored" or even cynical. If your child already knows how to be bored, you have a lot of work cut out for you to help her rediscover the awe of everyday life! But in the end it will be worth it as you help her heal and reconnect to the joy of discovery.
The slow approach in the first years of Waldorf education is designed precisely so that   academic excellence is possible later  - and not at the expense of the child's emotional, physical or spiritual health. So don't worry about another year of kindergarten or redoing 1st grade. The stories will help your child deepen the knowledge he already has and the artistic and movement based learning will help him ground what he has already learned. If you feel what you are doing is right and do not approach your "extra year" with trepidation or insecurity, then your child will be fine. We have met scores of homeschoolers grateful for that extra or repeated year - we have never met any who regretted the decision.
However... this can be tricky with older children, especially if the child views this change in grade as being "demoted" and thus shameful. In such a case you could simply carry on with the grade level he is used to but actually use material from an earlier grade which he has missed.
Or you could simply say that you are now doing things differently and that you and he have missed many wonderful lessons - and thus need to take a break from grades. Then eventually readjust the grade level of your child.
Another variation on this idea is to have a "pause year" for an older child. This works especially well between 8th and 9th grade when you can simply say to your child that he needs a year to catch his breath and focus both on his own interests and features from the Waldorf curriculum. This is a year to consolidate knowledge, to try new things and to catch up on anything missed or skimped. However, it goes without saying that this will only work if the young teen is completely on board - by this age homeschooling is no longer focused on what you bring your child - it is a partnership.
Something to think about when deciding whether to take a pause year or repeat a grade is this: will your child be better off going to college or into the workforce at just over 17 or closer to 19?
Please visit our  Early Years page  for more on first grade readiness.
Compromise, compromise, compromise - and take a deep breath! The rule of thumb is, I would say, that the larger your family, the more you'll have to let go and the less what you come up with might look like Waldorf. By 4 children and beyond, I would say that the main focus would be on the joyful realities of having a large family - and accepting that the family dynamics themselves will be what carry and nurture many of the important lessons your children need to learn.
For example, the 9 year change is an important hallmark in Waldorf education, a time recognized for the first whisperings of separation of the child from his parents, of growing independence and sense of self. These changes are met by the Waldorf curriculum in a year that is largely focused on practical work (see our third grade curriculum overview).
In the large family, this could be the year that the 9 year old takes on more responsibility in the family - caring for pets, the yard, younger siblings.... Learning to cook an entire meal once or twice a week, learning practical and helpful skills such as mending or putting up shelves or fixing toys - the possibilities are endless. And the point is that such practical family arts are exactly what is called for by the essence of the Waldorf curriculum.
There is just no way that you will be able to do 4, 5, 7 or more separate main lessons for your children (even 3 is pushing it and parents of only 2 - like us - also combine from time to time)! You will need to combine main lessons; rely on older children to look after young ones and to occasionally teach them; focus on the homelife as the vehicle for many of your lessons (cooking, cleaning, yard work); not worry if one or more children hear the same stories over and over again; and, in the end, trust that the constellation of your family will indeed provide ample opportunities for the right and healthy lessons that each of your children need.
Yes you can! Rudolf Steiner never said that a Waldorf teacher must be an artist - but he did insist that we teach artistically . Everyone has some creative ability in there somewhere: an important part of one's self-development as a parent and homeschool teacher may well be uncovering that creative impulse and gently taking steps toward it.
And so we encourage parents to first find what they can do. Whether it's baking a cake, arranging a vase of flowers, planting a garden or embroidering a dish towel, everyone can do something! Focus on your abilities and interests first and teach what you can to your child. And go from there.
Our drawing book could be one helpful step in taking this further. Have a look at the Homeschoolers' Work section  to see what other parents and children have done. Our curriculum materials, starting with  second grade , give a lot of step-by-step instructions in drawing, painting and modeling. Our  First Grade Syllabus   currently has somewhat less - but do remember that 1st grade painting and drawing are very simple, more about color, mood and gesture than accuracy of figures.
Over the years, as you progress with our curriculum materials, we will offer plenty of instruction and encouragement for you to share creative and artistic forays with your child and to rekindle - or discover - artistic enthusiasm in yourself!
It is extremely difficult to come anywhere near the very specialized an in-depth content of the Waldorf high school curriculum at home. However, as we are homeschoolers first and foremost, we do not seek to create school at home. We need to compromise but always seek excellence and we need to utilize what is available in our community, whether that might be an apprenticeship at a local newspaper or veterinarian's office; role in a community play or orchestra; courses at a local public high school or community college; classes with local artists, crafts people or those with skills in calculus, chemistry or Latin!