There's tons of curriculum out there and you don't have to go the pre-packaged curriculum route. There is a book called 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.
http://www.amazon.com/100-Top-Picks-Homeschool-Curriculum...
It gives the most highly rated curriculums to date. Though the best pre-packaged curriculum is Saxon (though none of them are good at history).
Get books about homeschooling and read them as well. A search from Amazon.com will turn up the highest rated ones.
BTW NEVER buy these books new. You can get them used on ebay , half.com, or join the booksamillion.com millionaires club for the best book prices. Or borrow them if you join a group.
As for homeschool groups- The problem with living in Texas is most of them are religious OR unschooling. If you don't like either of those than you feel left out because you can't find a place to fit in. I'm working with another lady on starting a group (DFW Universal Learners; ____@____.com) for those who don't want a religious or unschooling group (and she's a Christian homeschooling mom!). You can e-mail us to find out more. This is a very new group with only a handful of members so far.
A good Yahoo group is Liberal FTC. It’s a field trip group for homeschoolers. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LiberalFTC/
Texas has no regulations on homeschooling; but you must be careful and take precautions with your child and the public school system. Texas public schools have a record of harassing homeschoolers. Never enroll your child in public school if you are going to homeschool. If he is already attending public or private school then contact the HSLDA before removing him from school to homeschool. They can do a lot to smooth the way and give you advice. It is well worth the price to join them and pay the dues. http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1
This is just a warning I give all Texas homeschoolers I meet. I have never had any personal problems with the Texas Public school system (homeschooling for 2 years now), but I do often hear of homeschoolers who have had problems with the public school system.
I have done science co-ops in the past but I have never taken other's children all day. A rule I have is parent participation in co-op activities. The parents are responsible for maintaining their child's interest and discipline.
Most of the time this results in the parents sitting in a corner and simply watching the activity and socializing quietly while I do the activity with the children. But it's reassuring that they are there for discipline and involvement if their children want or need them.
I hope this helps you,
and good luck on your journey.
It is the hardest and most
rewarding one you will ever take.
RPocai