Homeschooling is becoming a more popular option for families wanting a personalised education. Today, Emily, a mom of three kids, has graciously shared her ten years of homeschooling experience with us.
She has faced both the joys and challenges of teaching her children at home. I’m eager to share her insights from this journey.
Related Articles :
I am so proud and thankful I made it a whole 10 years into homeschooling my children! My son is a freshman in high school this year (when did that happen?!), and my daughters are in 6th and 3rd grade.
New homeschool parents ask me questions just like I did with veteran homeschool parents when I was just starting out.
I thought they had it all together, years of homeschooling under their belts, they must be sages…but now I know that they were just winging it just like I am! I was so thankful for their advice, guidance, and support.
Now I would love to share my homeschooling experience with you. 5 things I’m glad I did, 5 things I wish I did, and a fun bonus!
5 Things I’m Glad I Did For The Last Ten Years
1. Utilise free resources
Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive
- I chose to skip the box curriculums to have more of an eclectic approach. I still use parts of a free curriculum site called Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool.
I use what I like and leave what I don’t because it’s free! There are a plethora more free curriculum resources online with a little Google research.
- It felt like we lived at the library for a few years when my children were very young.
We still go a few times a month for free children’s programs, free books, free DVDs, free stimulation…did I mention “free”? We frequented a library a couple of towns over because they offer plenty of children’s programs.
- Also, be on the lookout for free or cheaper events in your area. Zoos, museums, movie theatres, etc. will sometimes hold special prices during the day for you to take advantage of.
2. Make time for the arts and other “lost” subjects
Whatever subjects you deem important
- Music, art, poetry, cursive to name a few are being cut from most schools, but I think they are vitally important.
Cursive workbooks, books of poetry from the library, lessons in the arts can all help to bring these beloved talents back.
- One of the beauties of homeschooling is that you are in control of what your children learn.
If cursive isn’t that important to you, no worries! You know what you think would be beneficial for your kids to learn, and as they grow you can also personalise that to their specific career/life goals.
3. Find a group of supporting homeschooling families
Even better if they’re also a fun group of supporting homeschooling families
- Co-ops. I had no idea what this stood for when I first started homeschooling. “Cooperative”. It’s a group of families that teach each other’s kids.
Usually, a fee is required for the building, supplies, etc. depending on where it’s located and how much curriculum is needed. We have never been part of a co-op, so it’s not a homeschool necessity.
- Playdate groups are some of my favourite ways to connect with like-minded families, and my kids really enjoy these too.
We go to parks, museums, hikes, tours, zoos, libraries, picnics, celebrate holidays together, etc. I’ve made some great friendships this way (and my kiddos have too).
4. Don’t be afraid to make your home a “homeschool” home
Aka, it might be a mess
- This little nugget of wisdom was given to me by an older homeschool mom who I admired. And I’m glad I followed it.
Our dining room has been overtaken by art projects, educational posters, and maps. I wonder sometimes why we still call it a “dining room”.
We have the alphabet around the top perimeter, coloured by my daughter when she was 3-4 years old. I also include Bible verses, but again, personalisation is a huge perk!
- We also didn’t limit this mindset to the dining room, or school room as I should probably start calling it. Our refrigerator is covered in artwork and certificates.
Our living room and hallways include charts, papers taped to the walls from games played and abandoned, and of course lots of artwork! This is my children’s “school”, their creative place, so I allow it to be so.
5. Do not underestimate the importance of free play
This is proven by science
- There have been numerous studies done to prove the importance of play in a child’s life. Children learn through play, work through life’s problems and stresses through play.
It’s how they make sense of the world. I kept school days very short until about 4th grade. I focused on the “3-Rs” (reading, writing, arithmetic), then in 3rd grade added in light history & science.
- Not everything has to be used for educational purposes. Life is learning.
One day it dawned on me, my children did not have to write three sentences about their favourite animal at the zoo or their favourite part of the fair. I can just let them enjoy, and I enjoyed more too.
5 Things I Wish I Knew Ten Years Ago
1. Less is more
They don’t need to know everything right now
- Little children do not need that much structured education (see #4 above). Little days should be spent playing, singing, dancing, imagining, being creative, etc.
Worksheets have their place for sure, but I wish I had limited sit-down-school-time when my oldest was young. He does plenty of that now that he is a teenager.
- Children have literally their whole life to learn new concepts and skills and ideas. For now, just let them be little. It’s a short time.
2. You don’t have to finish the curriculum
Don’t cram it in
- I’ve been there, I get it. I bought a brand-new shiny curriculum, it’s already mid-May and my kids can finish up all the material in another week if we double up.
Or…I don’t have to. My go-to homeschool mom mentor assured me that it really is okay to not finish everything I had planned, and now I am assuring you.
- I know of several homeschool families that take a different approach, they do school year-round. They spend a certain amount of time doing school, then a certain amount of time off school.
Whenever they finish one curriculum book, they slide onto the next one.
3. Homeschooling will not always be pleasant
It’s normal
- Perhaps I can spare you the rude awakening I received when our journey wasn’t all smiles, crafts, and singing kumbaya. We had tears, protests and compromises.
I can be frustrated and impatient. (Though I found this gets better with time.) My children can be argumentative and mean to each other. It’s part of life and something that just needs to be worked through.
- Someday I fully believe my kids will thank me for my work and sacrifice for their education, but today is not that day!
4. You do not have to be a cookie-cutter homeschooler
Make it your own!
- School does take time, planning, and work, but it can still be moulded around your schedule. After ten years, I have figured out we are afternoon homeschoolers.
While most of my friends are done with school by lunch time, we don’t begin our school day until after lunch. It works for us, so that’s what we do.
- I mentioned earlier about homeschooling year-round, and there are many other variants you can choose for your schedule.
You can do school only 4 days a week. You could alternate subjects. You could do large unit studies then take a break when it’s done. Depending on the climate, you could do school in the summer and take off school in the winter. The possibilities are endless.
5. Give yourself grace
No one is an expert at anything right away
- Homeschooling has its hard moments, so give your kids grace but also give yourself grace.
Especially if this life change is new to your family, it takes time to adjust.
Allow yourself to figure it out and don’t be afraid to switch it up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. Be patient with yourself, I can assure you that you are doing a good job!
Bonus
I never imagined how much I would also be learning alongside my children!
- Like so many situations in life, homeschooling has two teachers and two learners. My children teach me new ideas all the time, and I learn so much new information while I’m teaching them.
I’ve had too many “I didn’t know that!” moments for me to count. Learning together is one of the many unexpected highlights of homeschooling.
Ten years have come and gone so quickly. The biggest takeaway I want to leave with you is to enjoy this time. Try not to get caught up with the nitty-gritty. Teach, learn, laugh, love, be creative, explore. It will be worth it.
Sources
Ginsburg, K. R. (2007, January 1). The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. The American Academy of Paediatrics.
The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child
Yogman, M. (2018, September 1). The Power of Play: A Paediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children. The American Academy of Paediatrics.
The Power of Play A Pediatric Role in Enhancing
Emily A. Grigsby
I am a stay at home wife and homeschool mom of three from Ohio, USA. I am a born-again Christian and active in my local church.
Leave a Reply