Making Home Look Like School Is Moving Backward

There’s a reason you pulled your child out of school. Schools are designed to meet the needs of the masses. Your home, on the contrary, is designed individually for your children.

Over the years, I have learned that homeschooling does not look like school. When I first started homeschooling, we organized our day to look very much like school. We said the pledge of allegiance every morning at the kitchen table. I printed off all the state standards to make sure we were “keeping up” with what the kids in school were doing. It didn’t take me long to realize that copying school doesn’t work as well in a home. I learned with experience how to adapt our homeschool to better fit our family’s needs.

Even so, it still surprises me often how many ways we as homeschoolers, without knowing we are doing it, imitate the school model. Here are a few examples.

When we…

• plan a scope and sequence
• designate a certain room as our homeschool space
• determine to finish the curriculum in a given school year, regardless of how well our kids are learning it
• do school from September through May
• school all day long
• are inflexible with learning times like evenings and weekends (This is how some part or full-time working parents can make it work!)

Of course, there is nothing inherently bad about any of these practices, especially if they are a tool that is serving a purpose in your homeschool. It’s just that these practices are methods that were originally designed to educate the masses. They were not intended to meet the individual needs of your child.

There’s No Place Like Home

It makes me a little sad sometimes to walk in our neighborhood during the day and not see even one child. One of the things that I love most about homeschooling is that when we bring our kids home, our home becomes a place that is full of life! We transform the home into the source of activity and growth rather than merely a residence.

Take a second look at all that your home has to offer. It is brimming with creativity, warmth, and life. There is truly no place like home. It is a perfect environment to learn and grow.

Home is the Place Where You Can Be the Most Creative

Compare your home to the sterile nature of a brick and mortar school. Why would you try to make your home like a school? Your home is teeming with living things, raw materials, resources, tastes, smells, laughter, music.

Home is where we can create, experiment, design, imagine, play, and grow. At home, you can you try your hand at a business, learn valuable life skills, master time management, grow living things, care for and serve others, hone your gifts and abilities.

The Comforts of Home

When we are in a safe environment and all our needs are being met, learning comes naturally. This is what makes home the perfect environment for growth. No fear of bullying, no negative peer pressure. We have no standardized tests to take up all our time. No worries about wearing all the right brand names of clothing. We can just be ourselves… which means we are free to learn what, where, and how we wish!

Our Deepest Life-long Relationships Are Forged at Home

Rather than spending all day with their same-age peers, our children can invest in relationships that they will have for the rest of their lives. What a blessing it is for our kids to grow up together! Because they aren’t away at school all day, they also are around to spend more time with grandparents or other family members, closing the generational gap, as children can gain valuable wisdom from the elderly.

Make Your “Home” the Priority in Your Homeschool

I challenge you to look at your homeschool differently. When you make various decisions, ask yourself, “Is this method/practice/choice meeting the needs of my kids and the family or am I doing this because it’s how we did it when I was in school?” Do you need to rethink the way you are doing school at home?

Let school fill in all the extra little empty spaces after you have prioritized your home life. Your bookwork or “school” should enhance your home life, not define it. Let it be the overflow, the icing on the cake.

If you want to enjoy homeschooling, you will find the most fulfillment when you see your home life itself as a grand learning opportunity. To make your home a priority does not take away from an education, it enhances it!

Pin it! Why “Home” Is The Most Important Part of Your Homeschool

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If you are a homeschooler, you have stepped off the beaten path to do something a little risky. By default, the rest of society (it seems) is sending their kids to school, while you have made the hard decision to try homeschooling because you think it might be a good option for your family. It’s not easy to forge your own way, though, is it? I know, I’ve been there. I am going to tell you what my homeschool mom heart needed to hear 10-15 years ago when we started homeschooling. Here are 3 Reasons Why Your Homeschool is REALLY Good.

It can be tough to choose the road less traveled. Maybe you have family that is not completely on board with your decision. Your friends may make critical comments about homeschoolers. Or, what I think can sometimes be worse, they may be completely indifferent to your choice, never mentioning at all something that has become a large part of your life. (For more on this, see The Catch 22 of Homeschooling.)

And let’s face it, moms, no matter what anyone else thinks or says, we are really the hardest on ourselves. Like one of my favorite homeschool authors Cindy Rollins wrote, she felt like school was the one place she could send her kids where everything that went wrong wasn’t her fault!

Here’s why you should take heart!

Video: 3 Reasons Why Your Homeschool is REALLY Good

#1 Your Homeschool is REALLY Good Because it is EFFICIENT

Your kids have only one childhood. Just one. Because you are homeschooling, you are spending about half as much time on the academic part of their learning. With one-on-one learning, they can get twice as much done in the same amount of time. You are making a great use of the precious gift of their childhood. With all the extra time they have when they finish their school work in a few hours, they can imaginatively play, go outside, meet up with friends, learn new skills, and pursue their interests. As they grow into their teen years, they can create or work. You are giving them the gift of time.

They are not wasting time in lines or waiting for everyone to get quiet, get the pencils out, open their books, etc. They are not sitting in class counting down the minutes for it to be over. Instead of time spent on the school bus, they can use their time on pursuits that will help them get ahead on the things that matter to them.

Your homeschool is REALLY good because you are using time efficiently.

#2 Your Homeschool is REALLY Good Because You’re Investing In RELATIONSHIPS

If you haven’t noticed it yet, by homeschooling, your kids are with you… A LOT! By spending so much time together, you are investing in relationships that are lifelong, not only between you and your child, but also among siblings. All the meals together, reading together, playing games, making projects, co-op trips, learning new things, and yes, even crying over math. Together. You have been together.

Believe it or not, someday your kids are going to grow up. They are going to launch out into the real world and it won’t take them long to see that the real world can be a cold, harsh place! This is when family means everything. You always have your family. You can screw up, say things you regret, make horrible decisions, but your family will always be there for you. They are your touchstone.

Oh, I know, it’s not always the rose-colored picture we make it out to be. Kids fight, you lose your temper, you say things you regret, you threaten to quit and send them all to school! As kids grow into teens, trying to figure out who they are, your relationship with them is sometimes rocky. There are things you wish you could change and things you would do differently, if you had the chance.

At least, that’s how it is for me.

But you know what I absolutely don’t regret? I will never regret how much time I have spent with them. In fact, it doesn’t cross my mind at all. We have spent their childhood TOGETHER. It hasn’t been perfect, but it has been pretty amazing.

Your homeschool is REALLY good because you are investing in relationships.

#3 Your Homeschool is REALLY Good Because It Is UNIQUE

When you homeschool you meet all kinds of different families. Some homeschool families are the math and science type. Others regularly go to all the museums, learning a ton through traveling to so many interesting places. Or maybe you know a mom who is super creative, trying all kinds of fun projects with her kids. Every family has its own unique style. While it is often very helpful to rub shoulders and be inspired by people who are gifted in certain areas, it can also be tempting to fall into the trap of thinking that we are just not that good at homeschooling. You can see these other family cultures as “ideal” and yours as pretty ordinary.

I have made this mistake myself.

One of the things that I think has been the most obvious product of homeschooling is the unique individuals coming out of it. Colleges pursuing homeschool graduates because they are out-of-the-box. They are made of a different mold. They are not the standard version being produced in traditional school. I believe it is in our individuality that we are succeeding as a group.

When we try to make our homeschool like some one else’s, we are going backwards. The more we hone in on the things we ARE good at, we become a family culture that is unique. It stands out! By sharpening our gifts, we are excelling because of our individuality.

In Our Home

Here’s an example from our home. My husband is the creative mind. He is always building, fixing, trying some new entrepreneur type endeavor (and succeeding!), always producing. Often he can be found out in the yard or the garage working on some project with the kids all around him. He even likes to make interesting dishes in the kitchen with the kids from time to time. He is light-hearted and fun, loves to be with people. I, on the other hand, am a thinker, a reader, down-to-earth and practical, like to keep things simple, a minimalist. Let’s not do anything that’s going to get too messy! As much as I love being with my kids, my introverted self would be happy in a corner with a cup of coffee, a book and a journal.

One time I said to my husband, “You should have been the stay-at-home mom. You would be so good at it.” He was quick to remind me, if he was doing most of the academic work with the kids, they would hardly ever be read to. He starts to fall asleep every time he reads to them! It’s true too. The kids always joke that dad starts slurring his words after the first couple of pages.

The reality is that we make a great TEAM! I am better at the academic type stuff and when dad comes home, they learn so much from making and doing things with him. Our individual gifts work well in harmony, not in competition.

I challenge you to look at the gifts that you and your spouse have. Instead of going backwards by doubting abilities, move forward by capitalizing on the things YOU are good at! By sharpening your own skills, your family is unique and you are offering something really special to your kids.

PIn it! 3 Reasons Why Your Homeschool Is REALLY Good

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#1 The Most Opportunities for Sensory Learning: Raw Materials and Living Things

Unlike adults who learn everything primarily through the means of words, preschoolers learn everything through the means of their five senses. This makes home a wonderful place to grow. Unlike a classroom, a home is not manufactured with planned manipulatives, stations, or schedules. It’s all just real life.

I have taught in preschool classrooms. I know how hard teachers work to create the an environment with bright colors, age-appropriate toys, and sensory manipulatives. They are trying so hard to make the very things you find most often in a home! Flowers, music, plants, tasty food, color, shape in natural context, fabric, patterns, living things and people of all ages.

#2 Homemade meals in a real kitchen

At home, your preschooler has access to a real kitchen where they can observe and even participate in the preparation of three meals a day. Let them stir, pour, crack an egg, learn where ingredients belong in the cupboards. While cafeterias, out of necessity, tend to make the same things over and over, your home kitchen offers much more variety since moms are more likely to make meals based on tastes and preferences, rather than the needs of a large group. Even if your lunch is a simple one, just PB and J, it’s not packed, wrapped and hurried out the door.

#3 One-to-one ratio with a parent

In your home, your adult to child ratio cannot compare to the chart below. Your child can have one on one time with you, the parent. There is no one more concerned and interested in the needs and interests of your child than you! You will work harder than anyone else to take care of them individually. For story time, your preschooler can sit on your lap to hear a story without the interruptions and distractions of several other preschoolers in the room. One on one time is more engaging for them. It encourages them to ask questions and converse.

#4 Flexibility

More and more pediatrician and child care professionals are recognizing the importance of imaginative play for preschoolers. At home, your child’s imaginative play is not limited by bathroom breaks, walking in lines, cafeteria scheduled eating times. You can allow them extra time when they are engaged in something that interests them.

#5 Slow mornings

While some might argue that it is good for young kids to learn structure by getting up in the early morning hours and have somewhere to go, I disagree. Have you ever gone on a walk with a preschooler? It can be so frustrating because they are SO slow. They dawdle. They are distracted. Why? Because they are seeing everything for the very first time. Rather than waking your child up early and rushing them out the door a few days a week, home offers them slow mornings where they can learn important habits like brushing teeth, making a bed, completing a chore.

#6 Unlimited time and opportunities outside

Rather than being limited to certain times outside in the play area or specific locations, your child can be out as long as his curiosity keeps him out. Preschool playgrounds, while usually having play equipment, often are missing the natural elements found in a backyard…trees, flowers, grass, rocks, moss, variety of birds and mammals. These natural elements in your back yard provide so many sensory learning opportunities.

#7 Security and Structure

One of a preschoolers fundamental needs is for security and structure. Where else will your child feel more safe than with you at home? Preschool children are still very young! Enjoy the moments the two of you can spend developing your relationship.

Additionally, at home your child can fit into the rhythms and routines of your home. In a preschool, the class schedule is limited to the needs of the whole facility and the large group. In your home, you are free to find the routines and rhythms that work for you and your child. In a recent post, I shared 5 Important Routines for a Homeschool Preschool that can help you find a rhythm that works for you and your preschool child.

Pin it! 10 Reasons Why HOME is Better Than Preschool

#8 Meaningful friendships that extend to other spheres of family life

When a child goes to preschool and makes friends, he is unlikely to see those friends in other places. When you invite other children over for playdates, your child is more likely to see those friends again in other spheres of life, perhaps church, the neighborhood, etc. In addition, your preschooler may have more chances to be in other homes when they are invited for play dates. Being in other people’s homes with their families helps develop deep friendships.

If you have other children, you do not need to lament their relationship changing when your child goes to preschool. Your preschooler can grow with siblings. This is an advantage for both children and mom. The siblings will learn to play together, occasionally entertaining themselves and giving mom small chunks of a break. They will develop a close bond. Also, the younger child will learn so much from having an older sibling around.

#9 Life Skills

One thing that is very difficult to learn in a preschool environment is life skills. At home, think of all the times your child will observe or participate in… washing dishes, sorting laundry, vacuuming, making a bed, sweeping the floor, cooking.

#10 More Opportunities and Variety in Community Experience

Preschool programs work hard to offer a variety of field trips to their children. They realize how much children learn from other people, places, and experiences. Rather than having lessons and special speakers on community workers, your child can go WITH you on your regular errands and SEE the community first hand! They have so many more opportunities to go to the grocery store, bank, library, restaurants, etc. Think how much they are learning by the frequency of visiting interesting places!

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From my experience in preschool classrooms and my experience as a mom, these are the 10 reasons why I believe HOME is better than preschool! If you are looking for a place that will best meet the developmental needs and interests of your preschool child, have you considered the advantages that you and your home have to offer?

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If you have been homeschooling for any period of time, you are likely aware of the many reasons why homeschooling is so good for kids. You can probably list all of your own reasons why you chose to homeschool. But here is one advantage you might have overlooked. Why do I say that? Because after 12 years of homeschooling, I had never really given much thought to this. This is one thing that I believe makes all the difference between homeschooling and traditional school. Here is the #1 homeschool advantage you don’t want to miss!

Video: #1 Homeschool Advantage You Don’t Want to Miss

How can it be possible that after homeschooling my kids for 12 years, I never really thought about this one amazing edge homeschooling has provided us ?! Our oldest son was a junior in high school this past year when this thought first struck me. I had homeschooled one child nearly all the way through high school and completely overlooked this obvious leverage.

Here’s the story. It was early spring. The kids and I were enjoying our lunch outside on the deck after a morning of school work. All my littles were surrounding me asking a thousand questions. (Been there?!) It was one of those moments where I wanted to bury my head in the sand if ONE MORE child asked me ONE MORE thing! Can’t they just stop talking for a few minutes?!

Ever seen this meme that says, “Once I became a parent, I finally understood the scene where Yoda gets so tired of answering Luke’s questions he just dies?” This was my sentiment exactly in this moment!

What is the #1 Homeschool Advantage You Don’t Want to Miss?

At this point in this story, it hit me…CONVERSATIONS. These constant conversations are the homeschooling advantage. Conversations are something hard to find in traditional school. Our kids are conversing all. day. long. They talk with me and my husband, with each other, the neighbors, the teller at the bank, the librarian, the post man, the neighbor’s dog, ha! They are constantly asking about everything they see and everything that interests them.

Why do kids ask so many questions? Because they are experiencing everything for the first time.

If they were in school, they would miss out on SO many conversations. They would have to sit quietly for long class periods learning along with the group. They would be in a building missing so many of the interesting things to see and talk about. What is the #1 homeschooling advantage you don’t want to miss?

It’s CONVERSATIONS!

#1 Freedom to talk and ask questions.

Because kids in school sit in desks, walk in a line, and do everything as a group most of the day, there is significantly less opportunity for meaningful conversations. Try as they may, large group learning does not lend itself easily to free talking, probing, and wondering. Kids have to be quiet, to follow along with the group. Additionally, in a large group, kids might be self-conscious or afraid to say the things they are really thinking.

Now, I am in no way against kids learning to listen or to learn in a group. BUT, an education that primarily operates this way leaves little room for conversations.

#2 Conversations with Adults

Of course, if they were in school, they would get to have SOME conversations. Most of these conversations would be with other kids their own age. They would rarely be in one-on-one scenarios where they could talk with an adult, someone above their intellectual level. How often would they get the chance to pick their brain or ask them things they are really wondering about? So much can be learned by having meaningful conversations with adults.

My kids have learned so much from the one-on-one time they have spent talking to interesting adults.

#3 Conversations about Real Things and Raw Materials

“How many days will it take this letter to get to Florida? How does my letter get there? Who takes it there?”

“Look, there is a bug on that leaf. What is it? A bee. Oh, what kind? What is the bee doing? What does a bee eat?”

“Why is the sun at noon right above our house in summer, but at noon in winter, it is along the tree line?”

“Why does the candle go out when I put the lid on it?”

These are just a few of the questions my kids have asked me. When kids are perpetually in a real environment with raw materials and living things, they want to know all about it.

#4 Conversations revolving around life activities.

They are here when we are paying the bills, planning our week, switching the laundry, decorating for the holidays. They are with us running errands, at the bank, the grocery store, the post office. When the chimney guy, the oven repairman, and the butcher came by, the kids were here…and yes, they were curious! When we opened our pool, when our baby chicks arrived, when we found a mating praying mantis pair in one of our bushes, when the ducklings hatched…I could go on and on. Every day for every meal…the kids are here and our conversations often revolve around these real life activities.

#5 Conversations from books you’ve read together.

When I think of all the places the kids and I have gone in the books we have read, it has provided many opportunities for interesting conversations. Often when we are reading about faraway places, we will get out the Atlas to see and talk about the context of our story. When we are reading and the story is a little above their comprehension, we can stop to talk about it. When I come to words I don’t think they know, I will ask them about it. They might respond with the right answer or we might have a discussion about the meanings of those words. In our most recent read aloud story, our dialogue ranged from understanding the meanings of words like “landlubbers”, “mainsail”, and “moor” to discussing the phrase “chip off the old block.” Little discussions like these are happening all day long because our kids are WITH US, and learning along with us.

Leave a Comment!

Can you think of other ways how the freedom the converse throughout the day has added to your homeschool? Leave a comment to share your experiences. I love hearing from other homeschool moms!

Pin it! #1 Homeschooling Advantage You Don’t Want to Miss

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Introduction

Hello! We are the Hollinger’s! We are due for some new family photos, because this family photo is two years old! Goodness, do those babies grow up fast! But I digress… My husband, Tyler and I have been married for ten years this May, and we have four children – Charles will be 8 soon, Lydia is 6, Jedidiah is 4, and Foster turns 3 in a couple weeks! Both my husband and myself were born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Video: Freedom Through Homeschooling With Kaddie and Tyler

What attracted you to homeschooling?

Ever since I remember wanting children, I wanted to homeschool them. I watched my nieces and nephews grow up so quickly and couldn’t imagine missing any part of my own children grow up. After high school, I decided to go to college for Early Education. I decided that 1) if anything ever happened to my future husband, that teaching would allow me at least a little more time with my future children, and 2) if the government ever went crazy and required a teaching degree for homeschooling, I would be one step in front of them. I know, I was a forward-thinking high schooler. 

As I made my way through college and was given the opportunity to observe and teach in many different school settings, I realized that public education was not something I wanted for my children. There was so much beauty pulled from what real learning should look like! As I said, I always wanted to homeschool, but after seeing the underbelly of the system, I REALLY wanted to homeschool my children, and Lord willing, I would. 

Tyler and I got married right after our sophomore year of college. Two years later, I finished my student teaching on May 2, 2014, and our first child was born on May 7, 2014! 

Freedom Found Through Homeschooling

Our Unique Year

December 2020… Our family bought a baby Colorado Blue Spruce and planted it in our backyard. We planned to stay at our house for a long time and thought it would be fun to watch the children grow up with the tree year after year with each Christmas photo. 

New Year’s Day 2021… My husband and I heard the Lord tell us to sell everything with no clear direction for the next step. 

We did not see that one coming. I remember telling the Lord very clearly that if He wanted to sell our house, He was going to have to do it. We got a text two weeks later from an acquaintance asking if we knew of any houses for sale in our development. So we followed the Lord’s lead and sold our house. The problem was that as settlement came closer, we still hadn’t found a place to live. So three weeks before settlement (on our anniversary!) We went out and bought the second camper that we had ever looked at. We had literally zero experience! 

What followed was 5 months of living in a camper. Two and half months of which we campground hopped nearly every 3-4 days and two and half months of living in it while we flipped our new home. 

So what does this have to do with homeschooling?!

In short, everything. I knew when we started our school year this summer in the middle of a campground, that our family was going to need an extra dose of grace. Grace with  each other, and grace with ourselves. Fortunately, I am the teacher and my husband is the principal so we get to set the rules and expectations. 

The beginning of our school year went as well as could be expected when the campground maintenance man mows past your Morning Meeting…multiple times. And the kids staying in the campsite beside you keep begging your kids to play in the middle of Math.

My favorite part was that only one of my children could sit and do their book work at the table at a time. Normally that would be fine, but not when both need you at the same time. Maybe I am being a little dramatic. It really did go well, but there was definitely a learning curve and a lot of sanctification. There were also a lot of great things that we gained from schooling in campgrounds, like learning how to interact with new people and spending all hours of the day outside.

Homeschooling gave us the freedom to not stress about the little details. Did we accomplish as much as we normally would? Definitely not. Did we learn lessons that we otherwise wouldn’t have? Definitely. We learned how to be flexible. We also learned all the ins and outs of working as a team to set up and tear down our camper together. 

Not everyone homeschools in a camper, but homeschooling provides so much freedom in the daily routine no matter where you are learning! 

Once we finally bought our new house, we got to remodel nearly every part of it as a team. Since we persevered with our book work at the campgrounds, we had the freedom to take a couple weeks off when we first bought the house and give it our full attention. Eventually we would get into the rhythm of doing book work in the morning, and then come work on projects in the house.

Our children learned not only how to do various projects, but also how to work hard. They are able to claim different projects and jobs that they did in our home. How rewarding! If they would have been attending a brick and mortar school, they would have missed out on the opportunity to learn life skills, and our family would have missed out on a lot of family team building!

What freedoms does homeschooling regularly provide?

During my time as a student teacher I watched countless students become tied down by the system. If they did not fit into the expected box, then they had a problem that needed to be fixed. I don’t mean to sound rash, but unfortunately, it is the sad reality for students not only in public school, but most private schools as well. Homeschooling provides us with the freedom to teach our children for who they are, not who they are expected to be.

The freedom for our children to commit more time to their passions. 

Homeschooling has opened up the door for my children to learn in ways that interest them most. My daughter loves to host and make food. She has a gift of making others feel loved and appreciated. She can manage by herself in a kitchen better than some that are double her age.

My oldest is a hard worker, an entrepreneur, a creator, and writer. Homeschooling gives him the time to explore his passions. He is always working on a project in our workshop, and currently has had the privilege of working under a contractor once a week as a house near us has been getting remodeled. 

These are opportunities that not only interest them, but they are learning real life skills that will be of great benefit as they grow up. Our son, especially, would have missed out on the opportunity of learning from a contractor had he been attending school elsewhere.

The freedom to choose what our children are learning.

One of the largest benefits to homeschooling is being able to re-evaluate how we approach life. Life in general has drastically changed over the past 150 years. Prior to then, families were always teams that worked together to accomplish a goal. Families were multigenerational and much less individualized. Homeschooling our children allows us the opportunity to reclaim that. Our family is a team with a mission from the Lord to accomplish. Not only do we get to serve as a team, but we get to choose curricula that serves us in pursuing that mission.

When I was pregnant with our oldest, I could not imagine the idea of sending my baby’s heart and soul to learn from a stranger who taught a government directed curriculum. I would challenge that it was never the Lord’s intention for family. Not only do we get the privilege to walk out Deuteronomy 6 with our children, but I also have the ability to teach using a curriculum that points them back towards their Creator.

Modern public curriculum stifles a student’s thought process. Hard questions are not asked, nor explored. All things were made by Him and all things point to Him. Homeschooling allows my children the opportunity to explore different beliefs and ask hard questions because when all subjects are approached objectively, they will always point back to the Lord. 

“Thought breeds thought; children familiar with great thoughts take as naturally to thinking for themselves as the well-nourished body takes to growing; and we must bear in mind that growth, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, is the sole end of education.”

Charlotte Mason

The freedom of time. 

Time. We all know it goes too fast. We all get the same amount of it, but how are we using it? Lord, help us be diligent with our time! Teaching our children at home allows us the freedom to claim our time.

Instead of attending a brick and mortar school for seven + hours a day, our children can finish their work within a couple of hours. This allows our family the liberty to explore the Lord’s creation, serve others, and build deeper relationships within our family and with others. Time is fleeting, spend it wisely. 

Our children spend time together – all day, everyday. Not only does this allow us the opportunity for relationship building, but our children are best friends. Their relationships are deep. They care for each other, and when they don’t we take the time to learn. We are the most messy with the ones we feel most comfortable with. We get the privilege of walking through the mess, learning, and growing together (that definitely includes me too!).

The freedom from comparing. 

I don’t have to compare how well my second grader can read or how quickly my kindergartener can solve Math problems. Please do not hear what I am not saying. My children still work hard and are held to high expectations, but they are only compared to their best, not what the government says should be their best. They learn at their own speed, without the added pressure of having to perform or do better. 

“Look on education as something between the child’s soul and God. Modern Education tends to look on it as something between the child’s brain and the standardized test.”

Charlotte Mason

Homeschooling offers us so much freedom – far more than could ever be listed in a short blog post. I am thankful everyday for the blessing of learning and growing with my babies (even on the hard days!). We are a team, and in my opinion, I’ve got some of the best doing life with me! 

To the mamas thinking about homeschooling – you can do it, the Lord created you to teach your babies! Don’t question your ability! And to the seasoned home teachers – keep on keeping on mamas! May we never tire of doing a good work. 

May the Lord fill your days and home with peace, discernment, and true freedom that is only found in Him.

What are your favorite resources?

Parables of Nature

All the Holling Books

Ambleside Online

Okay, pretty much all the Ambleside Online books! I love them for my children, but I also love them for myself. I learn just as much from them!

Daily Writing Journal

Once we incorporated daily journals into our Morning Meeting time, I saw such huge improvements in my children’s writing, handwriting, spelling, and creativity. 

Hero Tales

These books are set up in the perfect format for our schooling week. There is a short reading everyday, and we get to learn about heroes of the faith that have gone before us. There is great encouragement in hearing their stories! 

Did you enjoy this interview with Kaddie? Leave a comment to let her know how her story encouraged you!

Looking for more homeschooling encouragement and ideas? Check out my most popular posts!

Advice from Homeschool Moms for Beginners

10 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids

How to Make a Homeschool Portfolio

Also find inspiration for your homeschool by checking out the full gallery of MOM INTERVIEWS!

Encouraging Kids to Be Independent Learners: Interview with Emily

A Charlotte Mason Inspired Education with Robin

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More and more parents are seeing the BENEFITS OF HOMESCHOOLING as the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB. What is it about homeschooling that is SO good for kids? Here are 10 MORE reasons WHY HOMESCHOOLING IS GOOD FOR KIDS.

Time to Read.

I don’t think it can be overstated that 1.) READING ALOUD to kids and 2.) giving them lots of time to read- catapults kids towards a voracious appetite for learning.

Do you want your kids to love learning? Read to them.

Would you like them to grow into a lifestyle of learning on their own? Let. them. read.

Give them access to a plethora of quality books, whether through a home library or trips to the local library, and then provide plenty of time for them to read.

The flexibility in homeschooling makes it possible to spend large quantities of time reading.

Healthy balance of time with friends and time at home.

Rather than being locked in to a certain group of kids for certain time periods daily, homeschoolers own their schedules. Parents can influence their kids’ social lives as they observe their child’s needs.

If a parent senses that their child needs more time with friends, he or she can plan more play dates or sign up for more co-ops, classes, or events. On the other hand, if its a busy life season- maybe a move or unexpected health crisis or even the holidays, the parent can block out the schedule and have more quiet days at home.

More opportunities to help people and be involved in the community.

Do you know what it means to an elderly neighbor to have trustworthy kids nearby who offer to get your mail or help during the day if needed?

Can you imagine what it does for them just to SEE kids during the day- outside playing or walking or working?! Seeing kids out in the middle of the day is a beautiful thing!!

Because their schedule is more flexible, homeschoolers also have more chances to volunteer in community activities. These kinds of opportunities teach them sympathy and give them the satisfaction of contributing to a noble cause.

Kids can pursue friendships by choice.

We all know there are just some people you click with better than others. Homeschooled kids can be choosy about which friendships they want to invest in most. They are not lumped into one group or even one age level.

Also, parents have more freedom to discourage friendships that are unhealthy and encourage bonds that are mutually strengthening.

No bullying

No explanation needed!

Current Events

Because our kids are home, we can capitalize on current events locally and around the world.

We usually do current events in the morning with our breakfast.

Resources like World Magazine, World Watch, and The Worldview in 5 Minutes have all helped to keep us abreast of what is happening around the world.

Free Time

What happens when the school day is shortened by several hours (as it is when you are homeschooled) and kids have extra free time? They learn skills.

Homeschooled kids are free to pursue their interests and hone their skills.

They might paint or play imaginative games with siblings. Maybe they will explore outside or experiment in the kitchen with a recipe they found on Pinterest.

During their free time after lunch, my kids have…practiced soccer skills, learned to knit, sold items on ebay, written and performed skits or plays. They have searched and learned on YouTube how to do magic tricks, how to play piano songs from their favorite movies, how to repair an iphone.

This is when some of the best learning happens!

Think about it. What kinds of things do you remember most? You remember the things you were interested in and took time to search and learn on your own.

Meaningful Conversations

Here’s another great reason why homeschooling is good for kids. Think about it. When do you have the most meaningful conversations with your kids? They are usually not scheduled.

They happen late at night or in moments when you least expect it. When parents spend large quantities of time with kids, the chances for meaningful conversations to happen increase.

Length of lessons developmentally appropriate and individualized

Many times lessons have been too easy or too difficult for our kids and I have the freedom to adjust as needed.

If a lesson is too easy, I can assign more or give an extension activity. If, on the other hand, a child has spent a good deal of time on math, has only finished two problems, and is becoming frustrated, I have the freedom to sit down, work with him on one or two more problems and call it a day.

There are times for plugging away at things, but an exasperated child will not make much progress. It’s better to walk away and try again tomorrow.

Investment in relationships that are life-long.

By far, I believe one of the best benefits of homeschooling is the childhood spent investing in relationships that you will have for the rest. of. your. life.

Your family.

It is not easy to develop close relationships with siblings when you spend the majority of your waking hours separated and with people you will only know in grade school.

It’s important to have friends. Being involved in a co-op and having your kids regularly see others in their inner circle helps them develop important social skills. BUT spending a lot of time with family is a long term investment that pays!

There are good reasons why the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB. Learning at home can be so good for kids.

I’d love to hear why you think homeschooling can be SO GOOD for kids!

The post 10 MORE Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

We can see that the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB, but what is it about homeschooling that is SO good for kids? Here are 10 reasons why homeschooling is good for kids.

In a recent article from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association the author listed two crucial attitudes that are necessary in order for new homeschoolers to make it. 

They need to believe 

1. “We really can pull this off!” and (CAN I HOMESCHOOL MY CHILD?)

2. “Homeschooling is good for our children.”

Here’s why I believe homeschooling is good for kids.

Shorter School Day

The chart below represents what I think is a useful measuring tool based on the needs of kids according to age. I’ve never timed exactly how long our kids do school, but I think this is roughly how it plays out for us.

You can easily tell if you are doing too much. The child will be frustrated, constantly distracted, and discouraged. On the other hand, if your child has finished work and is walking around with nothing to do, bothering siblings, getting into trouble, he or she may need more work.

Aside from this chart, how do you know if they are really doing enough? When kids have finished their work, they will naturally move on to their interests. For young kids, this is usually play. For older kids, it might be hobbies, exercise, or time with friends.

Interpersonal Skills

Homeschoolers learn many interpersonal skills every day from people who have much more life experience than they have (their parents) -not their peers.

Here are a few of them. Basic etiquette. Accepting compliments and constructive criticism. Listening well. Communicating effectively. Responding to emotions. Respecting others. Expressing an appropriate sense of humor. Self-discipline. Focusing on a task. These type of skills are often caught rather than taught.

Life skills

In a home environment, the opportunity for life skills are everywhere. Even for homeschool parents who are not intentional about teaching life skills, homeschooled kids are just there when all these things are happening: cooking, car maintenance, running laundry, daily meal clean-up, paying bills, making phone calls, making a bed, home repairs, using kitchen appliances, managing time, and so much more.

Frequent Breaks

Don’t underestimate the weight of this one. Do you fully realize how really GOOD this is for kids?! Even adults cannot sit and focus on something for long periods of time. To be able to complete a challenging lesson and then run around in the sunshine or shoot a bow and arrow or kick the soccer ball, it’s what kids need! After short, frequent breaks, they are able to come back, concentrate and may be even more curious about what is in front of them.

Close Connection to Nature

What varieties of trees and flowers are in your yard, your neighborhood? Before our recent move to a new property, we lived in a small suburban neighborhood for 12 years. We went for a walk almost every day. We learned all the diverse kinds of trees and flowers in our neighborhood simply by seeing them every day, through every season, for many years.

Every spring, we watched a Mulberry tree on the corner of Sunset Road for signs of ripe mulberries to collect. In autumn, we always looked for the bright yellow leaves of the Ginko tree down the street on Hunter Drive. Several families of cardinals in the hemlocks across the street entertained us in the quiet winter months. When we saw the streets littered with natural debris in spring, we knew the oaks were all flowering. We would never have noticed any of these beautiful displays right in our own backyard except that we observed them every day for several years.

Habits

We all know the value of being able to maintain good habits. The older our kids get and the longer these habits have taken to form in myself and in them reminds me just how crucial it is for us to continue practicing them. Making a bed, personal hygiene, keeping a clean work space, morning devotions, completing a chore thoroughly, writing letters, journaling.

Which habits do you aspire for your kids to learn? Habits give a great advantage in life!

Less of the wrong kind of peer pressure.

Are homeschoolers sheltered? By its very nature, homeschooling is somewhat sheltering. Maybe you have known a family that over shelters their kids in a way that is unhealthy and does little to prepare their kids to function in the real world.

Here’s a question. Can there also be a kind of sheltering that is healthy? A kind of protection that encourages them to function appropriately in all surroundings while cushioning them from the barrage of negativity so common in the school system? I’d believe there is.

Because they face negative peer pressure less frequently or at a later age than the norm for kids in school, many of them display a positive self-assurance that stands out from the crowd. I’ve noticed from many homeschoolers that they are unaware in group situations that they are supposed to be “too cool” to answer questions or speak up. They are confident with who they are because they are used to being in an environment, whether at home or in the community, where everyone is treated with respect.

Heroes

Who are your kids’ heroes? Because of the flexibility in choosing educational resources, parents can challenge their kids to dream by reading to them or assigning them books to read about great people.

Here are some of the heroes that have inspired our kids: David Livingstone, Ben Carson, Leonardo da Vinci, Anne Sullivan, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Cranmer, Frederick Douglass, William Tyndale, Isaac Newton, Abigail Adams, George Mueller… just to name a few! Give them heroes that inspire them!

Child comparing progress against themselves, not other kids in their grade.

When kids are measured by their own progress instead of “what all the other fourth graders should be doing”, they challenge themselves. They gain confidence instead of losing it.

Transfer of Family Values

Each family has their own flavor. Individual parents have certain values that they want to pass down to their kids. In our family, we have taught our kids to do things that we enjoy and value.

Here are some things my husband and I love and hope to pass down to our kids. We both love playing music and singing. We love gardening, caring for animals on our farmette, growing and preserving our own food.

My husband and I are also very different, in personality and hobbies. He enjoys making things with wood, using tools for any kind of mechanical work, and investing in his growing eBay business. I enjoy reading, knitting, and writing.

What unique gifts and interests do you hope to pass on to your kids?

This list is by no means exhausted! But I hope it is enough to whet your appetite. Here are 10 MORE REASONS WHY HOMESCHOOLING IS GOOD FOR KIDS Why do you think homeschooling is good for kids?

(If you’d like to know more about how you can homeschool your child, take a look at my last post “CAN I HOMESCHOOL MY CHILD?'”

Also, check out WHY WE HOMESCHOOL and WHY WE HOMESCHOOL PART 2.

The post 10 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Still on the fence about what you will be doing next year? Here are some thoughts to consider.

Reasons Homeschooling Might Not Be a Fit For You

-You are happy with your child’s progress and overall experience in his or her school.

-Your child is happy with his overall school experience.

-You feel more comfortable putting your child’s education into the hands of a trusted teacher than trying to forge your own way.

-You don’t want to homeschool, but you feel pressured by friends or family to homeschool. (Being pressured to homeschool is never a good reason to do it. Be bold enough to tell them that homeschooling is not a good fit for you or for your family.)

-School is the best option for the needs of your family.

Reasons Homeschooling Might Be a Good Fit For You

-You are concerned that your child does not love learning.

-You would like your child to have one on one help in areas of struggle at a pace that is right for them.

-You like the flexibility homeschooling would contribute to your family life.

-You like the idea of your child learning about things that interest them.

-Even though it might be more of a time commitment, you like the thought of learning WITH your child.

-You like the possibility of a shorter day with NO homework.

-Your child has asked to be homeschooled.

-You like the opportunity for your child to learn in many different environments rather than being confined to one building at certain times.

-You want more time together as a family.

NOT Reasons NOT to Homeschool

-You don’t feel qualified.

-You think someone else could do a better job.

-You don’t know if you can do it.

-You are afraid of making mistakes and failing your child.

You are the parent. There is no person alive who is more concerned about your child’s long term success than YOU. Although there are many homeschoolers who were former teachers or their spouse was a teacher, some of the most amazing homeschool parents I have met have had NO teaching experience!! They are just passionate about their child’s success! They love to learn. They will go to great lengths to find the resources to enhance their child’s experiences. Do not believe the myth that you aren’t good enough to teach your child!!

Reasons Homeschooling Might Be a Good Fit Long Term

-You are excited to watch the momentum of the fastest growing educational movement in the country. (And that was pre-COVID!)

-You have observed that colleges are actively seeking out homeschoolers because they are unique with highly varied experiences.

You have to be yourself. If you are a contented parent of a schooled child, continue to do what is best for your child and for your family!

If you, however, are drawn to homeschooling and would really like to try it, but are hesitant to step out, do not doubt yourself! You are one of a large and growing number of parents who are discovering the freedom and connectedness homeschooling affords for the whole family. This could just be the best decision you ever make!

How can I say that with certainty?

Because it was for me.

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When kids love learning, they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned in any given circumstance. It won’t be terribly crucial if they are “missing” something. Their curiosity will drive them to find a way to satisfy that appetite. They will fill in missing pieces because of their urge to know. This is what happens when kids love to learn.

The children are hungry! They have an appetite for knowing and experiencing.

It is the strong, real world that interests them so much, where the unexpected can happen and there is wonderful mystery.

-Susan Schaeffer Macaulay For The Children’s Sake

My Experience Starting Out Homeschooling

When I started out homeschooling, I relied almost completely on my experience as a public school teacher. I printed out the state standards for Kindergarten. Using this as my guide, I was confident I was going to give my child a solid education!

We began our year, doing the same work that kids were doing in school. We did not have a classroom and schedule like everyone else, but we were doing essentially the same work except with a little more freedom and flexibility.

As we worked our way through the year, I started noticing something that I did not expect. What I observed was that my son started to WONDER. He was curious about everything.

• Look, there is a bug on that leaf. What is it? A bee. Oh, what kind? What is the bee doing? What does a bee eat?
• Why is the sun at noon directly above our house in summer, but at noon in winter, it is along the tree line?

As we encountered real problems in our home or out in the world, his curiosity grew. In the afternoons as I read story after story to him without limitations on what we read or how we read it or how long we read, he wanted more. He had more questions.

“Keeping Up with Kids in School”

My determination to “keep up with the kids in school” shifted as I found that we were doing more than the state required in some ways.

And in other ways, some of the things he was interested in or I thought were important for him to learn didn’t line up with what we were “supposed to be learning” for that year. I found that he was absorbing and retaining so much in addition to what I was teaching him.

He was fascinated by the world around him and had a zest for learning. At home, we were able to get our school work done in a few hours leaving him with an afternoon of free time. With a condensed school day, short lessons, quality time with books, free time to imagine and to create, to go outside and play, I watched my son thrive.

This is what happens when kids love to learn.

Yes, he still had mornings that he didn’t want to do his lessons. We had our moments arguing over his work. There was still the hard stuff that he had to diligently plod through, but his school work was done in a relatively short amount of time leaving him free to do the real learning that was most important to him.

After School Hours: The Real Learning Begins!

And what did he do when we finished?

He would go out and shoot his bow and arrow in the yard. Or finish the book he had started the night before.

Sometimes he would go outside and figure out how to put the chain back on his bike. Other times, he might find a snake in the yard and want to keep it, so he would research everything he could about what a snake eats, what a snake needs to survive. As he encountered real-life problems that only happen in the real world, he wanted to try to solve them.

More than ever, he wanted to explore, to grow, to produce.

He wanted to learn.

My heart swelled as I watched my child THRIVE in the pure freedom of learning for enjoyment!

I have observed this same experience homeschooling all our kids.

Stifling Their Curiosity

When I think of the alternative of my kids sitting in classrooms all day (especially now with so many kids having to wear masks for long hours or even sitting at home in front of a screen cyber-schooling), it makes me sad to think of so many kids learning for long hours of the day this way. It is a poor match for a child’s developmental needs, especially young children.

When kids are stifled by their environment, they will grow to despise learning. And when they hate learning, it doesn’t really matter what we teach them anymore, it will not sink in.

I suggest that the opposite is also true. When kids love learning, it’s not terribly crucial if they are “missing” something. Their appetite will drive them to find a way to satisfy that curiosity. They will fill in missing pieces because of their urge to know. This is what happens when kids love to learn.

Extraordinary Kids, Ordinary Parents

Here’s a question. Have you ever met a homeschooled child who surprised you in a good sort of way?

His mom must be a teacher….or have oodles of patience….or have the right personality- a supermom for sure!

I’d like to suggest that kids like this are a reflection, not just of their moms (and/or dads) who homeschool them, but of homeschooling itself!

They are a reflection of a child set free. A child fed a rich diet of beauty…and given time to reflect on it. They are the outcome of a childhood of one-on-one time with a person who is invested in them for life.

Have you ever considered that maybe these kids have ordinary parents? That being in a home environment can be a wonderful place to learn?

Could it be that the reason some kids are thriving in a homeschool environment is because the homeschooling model encourages a love of learning?

What happens when kids love to learn?

Here are some things I have observed when my kids love learning something.

They…

1. Care.
2. Are motivated.
3. Experiment and try new things.
4. Create and imagine.
5. Solve problems. When they don’t understand something, they find a way to figure it out.
6. Take ownership of their work.
7. Get excited about their ideas.
8. Take initiative for projects.
9. Are always learning new things.

So, though our schedules, curriculum, and plans for the year have their place, let’s not forget to help them love to learn. While it is important to work hard and push through some of the tough spots of school, remember to give them space to enjoy it all.

Our children are hungry. Let’s give them something REAL. As Susan Schaeffer Macaulay writes in another place, “Life is just too interesting for boredom!”

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Every family chooses homeschooling for different reasons, so if you are thinking about homeschooling your child(ren), ask around to get different perspectives! You may have read WHY WE HOMESCHOOL. Here are more reasons why we homeschool.

Time to pursue and develop interests

One of the reasons I think homeschooling is producing unique, quality individuals is this right here. They have time to pursue and develop their interests. As soon as they finish their “school” work, which by the way takes waaaaay less time than a full school day! (Think about how much time is wasted riding the bus or getting every student on the same page at the same time with all their pencils sharpened or taking 20 first graders to the bathroom or gaining classroom control or . . . ) Our kids are quick to get to the learning that they care about the most, their passions!

Our oldest, Ty, spends his free time repairing iphones, going out with friends, reading, and playing soccer. He and Luke, our second son, love basketball, so they often do basketball drills or play each other one on one.

Luke plays his guitar or teaches himself new ways to solve the Rubix cube.

Jenna, who loves drawing, will do drawing lessons via YouTube or look for craft ideas on Pinterest.  

Brinley, taking her inspiration from the British Baking Show, searches the cupboards for ingredients to bake something new. Along with her sisters, she initiated a monthly neighborhood bake sale. The girls have made some nice cash doing this!

Our animal lover, Afton, takes off outside to check on our barn animals or halter our calf.

Sometimes any one of them can be caught in a corner curled up with their favorite book. Our youngest are still developing their interests. When kids are not herded from the bus to school to after-school activities, they have more time to develop their skills, more time for the things they enjoy.   

Efficiency

Many things double up in homeschooling. Here’s just one example, but I could list many more. Remember in elementary school learning how to write a friendly letter? There’s the heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Remember filling out worksheets on these and writing a sample friendly letter? What’s wrong with just writing real letters?! Often! Sometimes I hand our girls a copy of our extended family’s calendar of birthdays and assign them to send out birthday cards as part of their school work. Friendly letter practice and birthday cards from our family all in one! 

Safety

As I was writing this article and asking for input, someone mentioned the issue of safety, and in particular, bullying. And to be honest, it never occurred to me. There’s always sibling rivalry and spats, but bullying is never allowed. I am here, hands on. I am in touch with the needs and emotional state of each of my “students” in a way no one else can be.

Home as the center of life and activity 

I love that our home is always bustling with life. When I walk through our neighborhood during the day and see empty houses, it makes me sad. What is it out there that is so much more attractive to call us away for so many long hours from the beauty of home? I realize I am being a little idealistic here and many of us have no choice in providing the basic needs of family other than to work away from home. But, if you have the choice, and if you were the child, would you rather live and learn in the beauty of home or in the confines of a building?  

What if the world was your classroom rather than the classroom your world?  If COVID-19 has had one redeeming quality for me, it has been that I have loved seeing people, (including children!!) out in the middle of the day, working, playing, learning! 

Faith

Throughout history, good parents of every faith pass down their values to their children. As Christian parents who operate from a Biblical worldview, we see homeschooling as a prime opportunity to share our faith with our kids. We want something that goes deeper than church on Sunday. Discipleship requires time.

We want to guide them as they find answers to life’s most important questions. Where do I come from? What do I believe about the world around me? What is my purpose?  We want them to be exposed to other faiths and thoughts while also instructed in the faith we espouse. Most importantly, we want to read the Bible to them and want them to have time to read the Bible for themselves.

Our desire is for them to love the thing we love the most- a personal relationship with the Creator. We want to share with them the hope of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus that has become the driving purpose of our lives.

Additionally, we want to inspire them with stories of great men and women of faith.

This kind of discipleship takes purpose and time.

Of course, as they grow, they will make their own choices. They will form their own beliefs. As parents, we desire for them to choose Christ as we have, BUT may it be with clear understanding and full freedom! As they study other religions and belief systems and compare them to the gospel message of the Bible, we pray that God’s Word will emerge in their hearts as the true, life-changing, hope of the world! 

“And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” Psalm 12:6

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

What Are Your Reasons For Homeschooling?

These are more reasons why we homeschool. What are your reasons for homeschooling?

Looking for more? You can read more about our family in Our Interview and Our Story!

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