Back to (Home)School: 5 Reasons Why I Love Home Education

When I tell people I homeschool my children, I am sure to field many burning questions, which I am more than happy to answer. But one of the most common comments I get is, “oh, I could never do that.” When I inquire as to what aspect of home education seems the most daunting, the response is usually about patience, or intelligence, or organization.

Well, let me tell you this. I am not super-humanly patient, perfectly average in intelligence and probably one of the more disorganized people you will meet in your life. And it’s okay. It’s okay because homeschooling is less about me knowing everything, and more about the kids developing a desire to learn and having the resources and opportunity to do so. Homeschooling has pleasantly surprised me in so many ways. I’d love to share with you some things I love most about home education.

I Get to Learn Alongside My Kids

As I mentioned, my intelligence is not a factor in homeschooling and it’s totally fine. Why? Because I am willing and excited to relearn everything I should have learned in the first place. The first time I went through school, I memorized facts for a test and immediately forgot those facts the moment I placed my paper on the teacher’s desk. I got good grades and I learned how to study, but I didn’t retain much of my education. I am so surprised by how little I know about Geography and Government and History. But, I have a second chance to learn it again alongside my kids. My 8-year-old has told me that he loves that we are all learning together as a family, and I do too. 

We have the freedom to go as quickly or slowly as needed

I have a child who reads at a high school level and does math several grades “ahead.” I have another child who works exceptionally well with his hands and thrives with manipulatives and a child who is so imaginative that it is hard for him to concentrate on what is in front of him. I can effectively meet each child where they are, cater a bit to their strengths, and help them strengthen their weaknesses. If they get a concept, we move on. If not, we can stay as long as it takes to learn it. No pressure. The teacher to student ratio is amazing with home education.

Community

We get to know people in our community very well while homeschooling. Whenever we are out during the day people always ask, “shouldn’t you be in school?” to which we get to open up a conversation about homeschooling. Through this, we have become friends with our mail carriers, librarians, grocery store clerks, and zoo volunteers. My kids get to have relationships with people of all ages and hear about their lives and experiences.  But let’s not forget about other kids. The homeschooling community in our area is active as well, allowing my kids to build relationships with other kids who are educated at home. 

Safety 

One of the biggest reasons we decided to homeschool is because my oldest son has very serious food allergies that would likely not be able to be accommodated well in a public school setting. I’m not just talking about peanuts (although that is one of his allergens), but over 12 anaphylactic food allergies. Home education helps me keep him safe, as well as educate him on the best way to manage his food allergies. By the time he is in college, I expect he will be able to take necessary precautions. 

Time to Pursue Passions

I am not a person who thrives with a full schedule. In fact, it overwhelms me more so than the average person. I love homeschooling because we can work around extracurriculars and special interests. My son loves to cook, and I love that he has the time to really dive deeply into that interest. My other son loves Ninja Warrior so we have found a gym that offers a class for homeschoolers. We studied Nikola Tesla for an entire month this summer, just because the kids thought he was so interesting. Rabbit trails and passions make home education a true joy for our family.

If you are considering homeschooling but just don’t think you can do it, let me encourage you. Home education is like a fingerprint. Each family is different.  Finding your own way of home educating starts with the confidence that you CAN do it.  You are able if you are willing to work hard, learn alongside your children, and feed their desire and ability to learn with proper resources.