We started homeschooling my oldest for kindergarten simply because I was home with my baby and the local private schools were too expensive for us.
There were no other reasons to homeschool at that time.
We had planned for me to go back to teaching when our kids were school age. However 2020 happened, and we decided to keep our son out of school while all of that was craziness was going on in the world.
I did try to get a teaching job, but never was offered anything, so we kept homeschooling.
I prayed that God would open up an opportunity if it was His will. Apparently, it wasn’t.
At that time, we were taking it year by year. However the last two years have confirmed for us that we are a “homeschooling family”.
We know that not everyone has the same view as us, and it is never my intent to offend anyone by sharing why I choose to homeschool.
This is what works for us, and we are very happy and confident in our decision.
If you want to start homeschooling your family, don’t worry about having the right space in your home. We actually homeschool at our dining room table!
So let’s jump in!
Why I Homeschool
1. I know what my kids are being taught.
When you send your kids away for 6-8 hours a day, that’s a whole lot of time that you don’t actually know what is being taught both by teachers and other students.
I love knowing exactly what my kids are being taught.
2. My kids get enough sleep.
Since we don’t have to rush out the door to get to school, my kids can naturally wake up each morning.
This is especially good when they have stayed up later the night before or are not feeling well.
3. Outside More
We have the flexibility to go outside more, explore nature, go on hikes, or visit the playground. we usually finish our book work around lunchtime.
After lunch we are often outside. I love that my kids get the fresh air and sunshine.
4. Avoid Peer Pressure
Our kids have the freedom to be themselves at home and avoid a lot of peer pressure that they would experience in a school setting.
5. Controlled Exposure
They aren’t exposed to things they aren’t ready for as kids. When they do get exposed to those things, I’m able to walk them through it and answer questions.
6. Better Socialization
One of the first questions people have about homeschooling is socialization. My kids are well socialized, but not a classroom full of kids their same age.
They get a different social experience. They are exposed to real life social interactions as they are with me all the time.
They see first hand how to interact with others because they see me do it on a daily basis.
We have also participated in co-ops and homeschool communities as well as groups from church.
7. We set the schedule.
While I do follow a routine, we don’t have to fit our lives around the school system’s schedule. We can fit homeschool around our lives which is so important to us.
If we have family come into town, we can adjust our schooling to spend time with them. When my husband has time off during the school year, we can take a day off too and spend the day as a family.
8. No Pick-up Lines
I don’t have to sit in the pick up line in the afternoons. I know this is such a small thing, but it’s a real reason! I know some people sit for an hour or more in line to pick up their kids from school.
9. Home and family are a priority.
For us, the emphasis isn’t school. It’s home.
The kids are able to learn valuable life skills that will help them be more independent as adults. These skills are household chores, but also they are with me when I’m doing my every day responsibilities.
10. There’s no homework in the evenings.
If the school is spending 6 or more hours teaching the kids, why do the kids need to spend hours doing school work at home?
As a former teacher, I can say that homework is just busy work. I literally assigned homework to my students for years because it was expected of me.
I didn’t assign a lot, and half the kids could finish it at school. But it was just busy work!
11. No Tests and Quizzes
My state does not require any testing, so this past year I completely stopped doing tests and quizzes.
I do give my son a spelling test, but it’s no pressure. If he gets a word wrong, he fixes it. He actually has to do the same thing with all of his work. I check his work for mistakes and then he corrects them.
Testing is really about having a report card for teachers to show to parents. But as the parent you know what your kids are doing each day and what they understand.
The point of educating our kids isn’t so that they are able to regurgitate information in a short amount of time. It’s learning! And of course, learning is a lifelong thing.
12. More Time with My Kids
I get to spend time with my kids just doing fun things and not being confined to staying at home or in a classroom all day. I’m thankful that homeschooling allows me to spend extra time with my kids at each age.
I’m able to get to know them and their personalities in ways I wouldn’t if they weren’t homeschooled.
I will say that sometimes this does feel like a drawback as an introvert myself. At times, I feel overwhelmed with the constant companions.
That is why I get up before my kids for personal quiet time and we do 30-60 minutes of quiet time in the afternoon.
13. A Simple Schedule and Life
Our family likes a simple schedule and life. Homeschooling provides that for us.
We don’t have to rush out the door every day. We have the ability to say no to extra activities that don’t fit into our family’s goal and lifestyle.
14. Protection from Abuse
We want to protect our kids as much as possible from abuse that can happen in schools. I know there are good teachers and students at schools, so I’m not saying it happens everywhere.
But it certainly happens! My husband attended public school and he saw first hand bullying and very bad experiences in school.
15. I’m able to disciple my kids.
As a Christian, I believe it is my responsibility to teach my kids about their creator, how Jesus loves them, and how God wants them to live.
Deuteronomy 6:5-6 tells parents to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.”
Homeschooling is also about my spiritual and emotional growth as a mom.
Then verse 7 tells parents to “repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”
Homeschooling allows me the opportunity to teach my kids about God and His word throughout the day.
When Homeschooling is Hard…
While I love homeschooling and I’m happy to share reasons to homeschool, I want to make sure you know that not every day is rainbows and sunshine!
Some days are really, really hard.
That’s why it’s important to find time for yourself at some point each day. We do 30-60 minutes of quiet time most afternoons. This allows me time to decompress and my kids need time to themselves too.
It’s also important to connect to other homeschool families. We have been a part of a few groups over the years. Some have fizzled out and another wasn’t the right fit for us.
However, I enjoyed getting to together with other hmeschool families and encouraging each other.
If you can’t find a co-op or community, start your own! That’s actually what I’m doing this year.
Listen to moms who have been there and can give good advice. I love The Little by Little Homeschool Podcast and the book The Four Hour School Day. (affiliate link)
Find a curriculum that works for you. My son was struggling to stay motivated until I found a curriculum that he really loved. It made all the difference!
I hope this post has helped you either consider homeschooling or encouraged you to stick with it!