Why we homeschool

A friend of mine asked me how I manage to homeschool and if I thought the benefits outweighed the cost. It took me three weeks of thinking and several drafts to finally get an answer sent to her. It was good for me to think about especially because we seem to be at a crossroad with homeschooling and need to redecide how we want to do things. Anyhow I thought I would share my answer to her. Maybe it will help somebody else.

As a parent, I've always been intrigued by the idea of homeschooling. I was the kind of kid who liked to stay indoors all summer and read book after book. I think I would have LOVED homeschooling as a child. My parents chose to homeschool my younger sister Merrit in 8th grade for a variety of reasons and that was my first real exposure to homeschooling. As Emma was approaching five, she was clearly academically and socially ready to start kindergarten but since her birthday was in fall she missed the cut-off. I read everything I could find on the subject for about a year, thought a lot about it and prayed often. In the end, we felt quite strongly that we should try it. Basically it was free year because if it turned out to be a negative thing we would just send her to kindergarten the next year when she was supposed to go. However, I think it has turned out to be a very positive thing for Emma and our family.

A lot of moms say they could never homeschool because they have the notion that it means "school at home", meaning teaching from 9 to 3 just like in public school. I couldn't do that either. We on the other hand spend an average of two hours a day on actual lesson time. I keep lessons short (about 15-20 minutes) and we finish up by noon. As in all things some days are better than others. I don’t think we have very many ideal days but we sure get a lot of days that are great. I love that I can immediately see if my daughter is struggling with something. I can spend longer on a topic or tweak the way I am teaching it. I don’t have to wait for a parent-teacher conference to know where her struggles are. I also get the wonderful joy of seeing those light-bulb moments when she does get something for the first time. I get to be the one to hear my children read their first books, see them learn to count or do multiplication tables, and watch their faces light up as we do a science experiment.

There is also a lot of support out there for the taking. I am involved with several on-line groups where I get to glean great ideas and wisdom. I also participate in a few homeschool groups here locally. I know that if I see a need for my children I can go and find a way to meet it, whether it be through a co-op or simply inviting others to come to our home for a book club or a play-date.

The beauty of homeschooling is in the freedom. We can change our curriculum year to year, or even month to month. We can spend a day in pajamas just because. We can take a month off to enjoy Christmas time. We can take some time off or relax our schedule when a new baby comes to our house. We can vacation in the off season. We can go on field trips during less busy times. I get sanity breaks because our afternoons are free, I don’t have to get Emma do to homework after a long day, and I have no early morning rush trying to get out the door. And perhaps most importantly, I have a husband who supports in any way he can and lets me have plenty of time alone.

As for keeping the rest of life together, organization and routine are the keys for me. I have a morning routine which helps me get the laundry done and keeps the bathrooms clean. I have a menu plan which helps me know what I am cooking everyday. Home/time management is a bit of a hobby for me. I read books all the time looking for another great organizational or cleaning idea. Keeping our home and our schedule fairly clutter free makes a big difference too.

What can I say? I have found that the benefits definitely outweigh the costs. I find far more reasons to keep my children at home than to send them somewhere else. I am not going to be so presumptuous as to say that homeschooling is the best option for everyone. I just know that for us it is the right thing right now.