I seem to have entered into a new phase of unconventionalism (so what if its not a word? just roll with it).
It started when I was pregnant and was seen by a midwife and chose natural birth. Then when I exclusively breastfed … and well, you get the picture. We eventually ended up venturing out into this crazy homesteading thing… and we’ve pretty much been labeled hippies at this point. I’m cool with it.
And now, we’re approaching a new frontier. Homeschooling. Possibly the most outrageous decision we’ve made yet. Yes, my dear first born and I are trailblazing together in a world hellbent on convention.
Lately every turn I make someone is asking about it. Sometimes I just skirt by the questions because honestly, I just wanna check out of this store with my groceries and get back home! Sometimes though I say that we’re homeschooling, and I get a myriad of reactions. Mostly positive, but several times I’ve been regaled with all the ‘social benefits’ of public school… If the question is simply “Is she in school?” (likely code for, why is this child out in town during school hours?), I just say “no” and watch this perfect stranger squirm a bit. I’m so ornery sometimes!
But today I feel like breaking it down a little. I do have a blog after all! So, why on earth would we choose to homeschool??
Why Homeschool?
There are oh so many reasons. I could really write an entire post on each reason…but y’all would probably tire of that! So I’ve tried to narrow it down to just five main reasons. It was hard, but I did it. So here goes!
1. Creativity/Imagination
Homeschooling provides an environment where individuality, creativity, and imagination can flourish! Children’s personalities aren’t fully developed until age 7 or 8. By homeschooling we can let their personalities develop in a safe harbor. We can give them the opportunity to grow and learn in an environment where their imaginations are allowed and encouraged to grow exponentially. Because here’s the thing – my kids are pretty amazing, and if they can be afforded that type of freedom to become who they really are and pursue their passions and interests, well, watch out world, unthinkably cool stuff is going to happen!
2. Individualization
Homeschooling allows the process of education and learning to be completely individualized to the child. If you asked 10 homeschooling families how they homeschool, I guarantee you’d get 10 highly varied answers. It’s one of the beauties of homeschooling! This helps ensure that each child gets the opportunity to learn in a way that comes naturally to them. As parents we feel its our job to figure that out, and we most definitely feel we are the most qualified to do that.
3. Flexiblility
Similarly, homeschooling can be flexible. If a method or style or curriculum isn’t working, we can toss it for something better suited for our children and family situation. And homeschooling families aren’t bound by the traditional school schedule, so we can plan family vacations in off seasons when things are less crowded and less expensive! We can even incorporate vacations as extended field trips…trust me – I remember writing essays after coming home from a vacation to Colonial Williamsburg;)
4. Real Life Experience/Skills
Homeschooling allows children to gain a much more well rounded education and life experience. Real life does not consist of ever being in a room or working with only people your same age. Real life and real working environments have people of all ages, and homeschooling provides that type of learning environment. Children learn with siblings of different ages, kids in homeschool co-ops of different ages, and they go through the flow of the homeschooling parent’s daily life where there are many interactions with people of all ages. If that’s not a valuable experience, I must be confused! Beyond this, homeschooling can fully integrate life skills such as cooking, money management, gardening, car repairs, animal husbandry, home maintenance, household management, etc. These types of classes have been almost completely removed from traditional public schools, and I really feel like “on the job” learning is better anyway. Life isn’t segmented into subject areas, it’s all mingled up together in a big mess! Right? So learning naturally in the course of day-to-day life, but doing it right alongside a parent, well, that just seems so much more valuable to me.
5. Time
I could go into the numbers here and break down how much family time or even just free time kids get in public school, but I’ll just leave at this…the average American student is spending more time away from their family then with their family…by a considerable amount. And that just isn’t okay with me. Our goal is to raise and guide a complete person. Not just someone who can do their times tables and win spelling bees. Homeschooling provides a way for our family to be together more often and studies have shown that makes a big difference in the trajectory of a child’s life – both academically and otherwise. Beyond just the day-to-day extra family time we have because we homeschool, we can allow them time to do nothing. You heard me, nothing. In a world that glorifies busyness, time to do nothing is precious. Especially to a growing child. Everyone needs time to take a break and just be. It has a powerful way of re-energizing you and some of your most creative thinking can happen during times like that. I feel it’s powerful, and needed.
I could seriously go on and on. This topic is vast, but these are the biggest reasons behind our family’s radical choice to homeschool. In truth I don’t think it’s as radical as it was 20 or 30 years ago, but I think there is still a lot of confusion out there about it. So my hope here is to dispel some of the confusion in a way I just can’t in the check out line at Trader Joe’s!
And just to be clear – I do not think homeschooling is for everyone. I respect that every family has it’s own set of unique circumstances and opinions. But I have received some curiosity about our choice and I just want to address that here on this ol’ blog of mine.
So. Do you homeschool? Have you thought about it? Share in the comments below!
Post shared at… The HomeAcre Hop, Natural Family Friday, The Homestead Barn Hop
When I started homeschooling 20 years ago it was for all these same reasons. Now on the other side of my homeschooling days I can say it was hard but I have no regrets (well, I wish I had done some things better/differently..but overall I’m glad we did it). I never thought during those many years that my children would follow me in homeschooling their own children, but here we are! Homeschooling was something I never thought I would do but it was the answer for our family and I’m pretty darn happy with the way my kids turned out! I agree that its not the right fit for everyone and I think an involved parent is the best kind no matter what type of schooling is involved. This was right for us and it kind of warms this old heart to see my daughter making it work for her family 🙂 <3
Thanks Mom!:) I feel so lucky to have been able to do so much that would have been impossible in any other setting. Thanks for sticking with it all those years, I know it wasn’t easy!
I love this post.
A couple of years ago — when we were faced with the decision braving the “scary” city schools or coming up with a small fortune to send the kids to a private school — I seriously considered homeschooling. But, very rightly, came to the conclusion that I did not have the patience or organization for such an adventure.
Now I’m not so sure…
My kids are literally in school all day; from 7:30 until 3:30. That leaves the school time for awesome things — like dance lessons and weekly trips to the art museum! — but not so much time for parenting and playing and just hanging out.
We like the school and the community. And this year I am starting to think that the Boy has the Best Teacher in the Universe, so I guess we’ll leave it for another year.
But I love having something to think about! 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed this, Christine! I feel ya, I’m not the most patient or organized either (at all!), and there’s a lot to consider for sure, but it’s a path we feel called to take. And ultimately that’s what matters most, that we make the right choice for our own families. Whatever that choice is for your family, I wish you the very best! And thanks so much for sharing here! 🙂
Before we started homeschooling I have always felt that children need to grow and learn in a world that is not influenced by the dictates of the world. That’s not say they should be sheltered from everything or everyone, but do need time to develop and grow so they can handle and make wiser discussion when thay are older. That said we didn’t start until they were older. I never thought about homeschooling when Christopher was born, my oldest son. Frankly I had never heard of such a thing till he was in first or second grade. It wasn’t until he was in sixth grade that we desided to homeschool. Bryan our second child was being label as having ADD and medication was suggested. Ritalin was drug of the day. We did not agree with what they were saying. I new that if we didn’t I would be at the school every day and he would be label the trouble maker. There is much more this story but it would take up to much space. We did want to put a growing mind on a class two narcotic. We are so glad that we ended up homeschooling our three sons. I don’t think they would be who they are if we hadn’t. I wish I could have done it when thay were younger. We could have done so much more things then we did. I do agree that it’s not for everyone.
I can only imagine being in a position like that, but unfortunately I think it’s become more and more common. It takes guts to stand up to that kind of system! Thanks for sharing a bit of your story with us Gwenda! 🙂
Hi, Lindsey! I commend you for your bravery. It isn’t easy to go against the mainstream. I have teenagers in high school now that I have been homeschooling their entire lives. It hasn’t always been easy, but our family has never regretted the decision. My kids have the freedom to spend more time in the areas they are interested in, we have had many opportunities to teach them valuable life skills, and we just enjoy being together. I think you will find the journey to be invaluable. If there is anything I do can to help (you or your readers!), contact me via my blog and I’d be happy to do what I can.
Thanks Heather! You are so kind, I’m sure I’ll be needing advice all along the way on this adventure! Even though I was homeschooled myself, taking on the role of parent-teacher is a whole new experience. But I’m excited to take it on! 🙂
We homeschool and love it! I grew up homeschooling, but my husband had no experience with it. He’s enjoyed the ride though, and we’re starting our 5th year. I can’t imagine anything else. I’ve learned so much, and continue to do so. I wish I had done some things differently, or expected less. But I couldn’t give my kids up for hours every day. I like having them here. Even when we’re all sinning together.
Thanks so much for sharing Jennifer! I feel the same way! I’m so excited for where this road will take us, and to watch my kids learn what they love, and love what they learn:)
My husband and I both attended public school. He in the UK and me in the States. We’re homeschooling our darling 5 year old daughter. We discussed this while we were pregnant, but made the decision when she came quite premature. She’s our little miracle and we knew we never wanted to miss, one special moment of her life. We’ve gone back and forth about the “how” we will do all of it, but in the end we decided we take it one study at a time. If we ever need help on a subject, we have no problems seeking help, tutors or anything of that nature, to give her the best possible future.
That’s exactly how we feel about it too:) Thanks for sharing your homeschool experience with us, Rochelle. So happy you get to home educate your little miracle!
🙂 yes! We’re homeschoolers too, always homeschoolers. My eldest is now 13 and my path ( except the homesteading….working on that! ) was like yours 🙂 it turns out my three kids also all have disabilities, so homeschooling is perfect for them…and we’ve taken it a step further…we unschool, so their learning needs and passions are perfectly matched with no external artificial curriculum pressures. I look at the families I know with kids with similar disabilities…their stresses, the anxieties with schools and having to medicate their kids so they can attend and not be a problem and I am thankful every single day.