Why Homeschool?
When my husband and I started our family, we had anticipated our children following the same path educationally that we did-
Public School
College
Job
I mean- that’s pretty much the message we are sold as we grow up. My husband was born in Venezuela and immigrated when he was three. He was raised by a single dad with a modest upbringing and knew he had to do everything he had to to make something of himself and provide for his family- immediate and extended. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents- immigrants from Mexico, former farm workers who worked in factories their entire lives. My parents had children young and accomplished so much as they garnered careers in law enforcement and working for the county. However, they worked a lot to provide for us. I knew, as the oldest growing up, that I too, had to make the most of my family’s sacrifices and do what I had to do- graduate, go to college, and get a good job.
So that is what we both did.
However, my husband started his own business. At the time, we both had graduated from UCSB. We bought a house. I was teaching full time and had just earned my Masters and Clear Teaching Credential. Meanwhile, we learned about entrepreneurship. We learned about finances. We had children and had to start thinking long term. At that time, life was a whirlwind as we had two kiddos under two. It was during this time I learned about intentionality. I learned about simplifying our lives so that we can make room for joy. (Check out Allie Casazza! She is my ultimate favorite podcaster and virtual life coach- even if she doesn’t know it- lol.)
There were a lot of mindset shifts that happened those five years from the time my oldest was born to when we moved from the Bay Area to SoCal. I wish I could just do a major brain dump and share it all here! But long story short- the hubs and I came to the conclusion we had to do everything and anything we needed to for our family.
No. Matter. What.
No one was coming to save us. No one was going to pay our bills for us. No one was going to raise our kids, but US. Sure, we had family support. Sure, we had college degrees and great jobs. But we really had to start living lives that aligned with OUR VALUES and OUR PURPOSE.
Enter: homeschooling.
After much debate and thinking, we decided that when my oldest was kindergarten age that we should homeschool him. (The full story is in our Homeschooling Basics Course, which will be released soon.)
Here are some of the reasons why we believed homeschooling was for us during that season of our lives:
Reason 1: More Time With Our Kids
When my oldest two were babies and I had to return to work after maternity leave, it was the ultimate worst feeling to drop them off at daycare. The mom guilt was real, and deep down inside I KNEW that I was meant to be with them more than just a few hours after work and weekends.
Now that we homeschool, I am with them practically 24/7. So many people comment on how hard that must be, but it is not! I enjoy them. When days are long and tough I shift my mindset and think of how wonderful it is to be ABLE to stay home with them. Plus, the hubs and I work hard to allow time for ourselves, as a couple, and individuals.
Reason 2: Individualized Education
As a special education teacher I knew firsthand how individualized education can truly transform a student’s life. That was my job. I couldn’t understand why EVERY student couldn’t have that, too! Obviously, there are a lot of factors that have to do with our current education system that I simply did not have control over. However, I did have control over MY KIDS’ education.
Reason 3: Freedom to Take Breaks and Vacations
The hubs and I love traveling. Ever since our littles were babies, we took them on adventures. Our families live in completely different parts of the state, so traveling was our norm. Similarly, we of course went to restaurants, parks, museums, and zoos, but we also traveled to places like Hawaii, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Traveling is a privilege that I plan to take advantage of.
If we were in a traditional brick and mortar school, we would not be able to just pick up and go whenever we wanted. So here we are. Homeschooling. So we can do just that!
Reason 4: To Emphasize Life Long Learning
I had been teaching for six years before my oldest was school aged. I had made a lot of observations in the schools I had trained and worked at. I realized that the school experience I wanted for my children could not be accomplished if I left them in the public school system. I saw so many children hate school and learning. Unfortunately, I understood why. Your experience depended on the school environment- not all schools are alike. It depended on the teacher- so many were awesome, but so many were not. It depended on the child and their learning needs. I worked firsthand with kids who were pressured to master facts and concepts they were not ready for. They were taught to a test. They were seen as a child in a seat, not a whole child with thoughts, emotions, and experiences of their own. They were passed along with their self esteem being damaged more and more year after year. Now this wasn’t the case for all children, but I didn’t want to take the chance.
Homeschooling my children for the last five years has been the best experience. I taught both my boys to read when THEY WERE READY. No pressure to teach them by kinder or 1st. They now LOVE to read. Most of the learning they do is interest-lead. They learn by doing. They are confident. This foundation would be nearly impossible in any other school system.
Reason 5: To Instill Values Without Outside Negative Influences
My hubs and I knew that we wanted to provide a Christian influenced education. We wanted our beliefs to tie into their formal education. In order for it to perfectly align, we had to be able to choose it.
We also wanted to limit the negative influences found at most schools. I saw firsthand the environments children are being raised in. We didn’t want to shelter them, however, we did want to limit any negative influences. Children today are being forced to grow up way faster than before. We wanted our kids to stay kids for as long as possible. Childhood is fleeting.
Reason 6: To Do What We Want!
Ultimately, I fell in love with the freedom to do what we want! The kids wake up when they need to. They eat when they need to. They are responsible and do lessons when we plan to do them. Our schedule now allows me to work a virtual teaching job. We get to create the life we want to live! It can change depending on the season we are in. We have given ourselves permission to make changes whenever we need to. Talk about intentionality and purpose!
Now you may be wondering…
Am I living the life God meant for me to live? Or am I just living a life and reacting to what happens? I vividly remember asking myself these questions and not knowing what to do next. I yearned to live a life that I designed for myself. I urge you to ask yourself these same questions.
If you are living a life you are designing- wonderful! Keep going! Keep dreaming and designing what’s next in your current season. I am a strong believer in praying for God’s wisdom and guidance, but also working hard on those God given dreams.
If you are stuck and struggling, I feel for you and know EXACTLY how it feels. I am praying for you to seek out the changes you need to make. Some of my most life changing mindset changes have been because of the following:
The Purpose Show, by Allie Casazza
Grace Not Perfection, by Emily Ley
The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale
Girl Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis
You are a Badass, by Jen Sincero
Reach out if you have questions about motherhood, children, schooling options, and life. And I give you permission to take charge of your life. Make those changes. I believe in you! I am here for you!
