I love homeschooling, it is better than I ever imagined it would be. Now I will admit, I also love teaching, it is in my blood . I am a certified teacher, yet I am not using my degree because my husband and I have decided that what’s best for our family is for me to stay home with our boys AND homeschool them. Once I became pregnant and we discussed our options (we are planners), we immediately knew this was the right choice for us. I wanted to really enjoy and cherish those younger years. I also knew that once Pre-K and Kindergarten rolled around I would want to homeschool. It just felt right. We are new to homeschooling, with my 4 year old starting Pre-K (and my 2 and half year old is following right along) this year and so far we love it. Seriously there are so many wonderful things about homeschooling, I am beyond thrilled!
5 Amazing Things About Homeschooling
Flexibility
This is one of the best things for our family. We always run late. Seriously, it is just something that happens! I love the flexibility that homeschooling provides. Though we have a routine, nothing falls at a set time, so if someone wakes up grumpy, we take some time to settle into our day. For us this is great because it allows us to really get into learning on our own time and not make it a chore.
Comfort
Sure we get up and get dressed just like the rest of the world, but we also have (many) school days in our PJ’s. It is part of what makes homeschooling fun, comfortable and relaxed. I don’t care if my kids learn in their PJ’s, in fact sometimes I prefer it! As long as they are learning and happy, I am happy.
So Much Time To Learn
One of my favorite things about homeschooling is that we are not moving from one subject to the next on a set time. If my kiddos are interested in something and their little brains are curious to learn more, we stay on that subject. Likewise if they are struggling and need to come back to something, the time is flexible. Additionally, everything we do can be a learning experience. From a trip to the grocery store, Dino Exhibit or just sitting around our reading table, I have ample opportunity to teach meaningful lessons on the go.
Reading
I absolutely love the flexibility in our reading curriculum. LOVE. As a former teacher, I grew frustrated with the book choices for my students and my students were frustrated by the lack of options. We spend quite a bit of time at our local library, and always have 50 books checked out. We spend hours going through the books and I let my kids pick books that interest them, above or below their level. I want them to enjoy reading, and so far, they love it.
So Much To Do
Socialization? I can barely keep up. Honestly! One of the first (and best) things I did when we started homeschooling is join a local homeschool group on Facebook. We now have over 430 members and there are activities planned daily! I literally have to choose what fits into our plans for the week based on the activity, distance and price. My kids are constantly around other homeschooled kids and not just at lunch or a 20 minute recess! They are able to actually play and learn together and that is my absolute favorite thing about homeschool.
Homeschooling is a very personal choice, and it works really well for us. I am not sure how long we will do it (I like to say at 6th grade I will give them a choice), but as long as it is working and everyone is happy, I don’t see things changing. I am thrilled at all of the wonderful bonuses of homeschooling. If you are thinking about it, give it a try! I promise you can’t mess it up! It may be the best thing you try!
