I've been realizing lately that everyone who chooses to homeschool does so for different reasons. Despite being homeschooled ourselves, my husband and I spent much time thinking & praying about whether or not that was the right path for us. The area we live in has MANY school options which made the decision harder! In the end, it came down to just a couple factors. I expect these will change & evolve over time, but here’s our current Why.
TIME. “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This verse from Psalm 90 has resonated with me often over the past few years. I know that our time is precious, that each day is a gift, and I want to be intentional about how I use it. One aspect of homeschooling that I have loved is its efficiency. I don’t intend to bash public schools - it’s a fact of life that the more kids you have doing an activity, the longer it takes. I also don’t mean that at home we rush through our subjects and try to get them done as quickly as possible - that kind of atmosphere is stressful and does not promote real learning. Instead, we are able to move at an easy pace that is exactly suited for each child and their learning style, and still finish hours earlier than the public school.
PLAY. Big Brother is my first born, so each age he reaches feels “so big!” and “so old!” to me. Yet I’m trying to keep in mind how little he really is. He is only six, and six still needs play time and free time and jump-in-puddles time. Six needs coloring time and “read to me!” time and quiet rest time in his room and Lego time and run-circles-in-the-backyard time and unstructured, let-your-mind-wander, nothing-to-do time. He’s getting all of this, almost every day, and I love it. Play is not just play. It’s a different kind of learning that children need.
I’M SELFISH. I love being with my boys and I kind of hated the thought of Big Brother being gone all day every day at school. Sure, I love my breaks, and there are some days where I’d pay money to pack them ALL off for the day, but most of the time I’d much rather we all be together. Sorry not sorry.
Despite my conviction that this is the right choice for us at this time, I firmly believe that homeschooling is NOT for everyone. Here are some reasons why it might NOT work well for you!
You don’t enjoy teaching. I am a third-generation teacher, and before we started homeschooling I had many years of experience with teaching private & group piano lessons as well as children's Sunday school classes. I already knew that I loved teaching! It’s so fascinating to me to see children (or adults) learn, grow, and build new skills or understand new concepts. I don’t think you need to have a degree or previous experience with teaching to succeed at homeschooling, but it definitely helps if you enjoy the process!
You can’t handle being home with your kids all day, every day. There are ways to work around this but it should definitely be considered. I know some moms who absolutely NEED to get out of the house, or talk to other adults, or think about something besides parenting for part of the week, and I totally understand that. It’s not selfish to consider your own needs in this area. If mom is miserable, do you really think your kids won’t pick up on that? YOU will shape the atmosphere of your home, and YOUR attitudes will infect your children. Homeschooling is not a magic pill that will cause your children to be smarter or more spiritual or healthier or happier, and if YOU cannot be happy while doing it, then don’t! Note: there are definitely options in the form of homeschool groups or co-ops or meetups. Some schools give the option of attending part-time and homeschooling part-time. It doesn’t have to be an either-or situation.
Your health or finances or living situation makes it difficult. Let’s just say there are soooo many different reasons why it could be wiser and healthier NOT to homeschool. Maybe you struggle with poor health and can’t count on being able to teach your children consistently; maybe you have very tight finances and can’t afford curriculums or materials; maybe you’ve got too many kids and not enough house. Maybe it’s none of the above but you feel strongly that God wants your children in a traditional school.
Bottom line: every family & situation is different and God has different plans for each of our lives. Homeschooling our children is not the eleventh commandment. We've chosen this path for now, but I cannot predict the future and it's entirely possible our children will be in a public school someday!
It’s easier to sympathize with and befriend other mothers who make the same choices you do, but I think it’s more valuable to attempt understanding & connection with those who are different. Every style of parenting comes with challenges and joys, heartaches and triumphs, and motherhood is one of many areas of life that would benefit from more understanding and less criticism.
If you homeschool, what are YOUR top three reasons why?
Have they changed over the years?
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