Tossing around the idea of homeschooling? Wondering what you might be in for?? I’m gonna let you in on some of the ups, downs, and in-betweens of homeschooling I’ve found over the past few years.
There are a ton of benefits to the homeschooling lifestyle but I can definitely say it is not without obstacles as well. I’ve been homeschooling since my oldest was ready for pre-k and now we’re finishing up fourth grade, along with two younger siblings, one currently in pre-k and the other in second. So we’re not veterans by any means, but we’ve been forging our way!
So here we go…
The Ups
- Getting to be a part of my kids’ education and watching the learning take place as well as playing an active role in it all, making lots of awesome warm fuzzies for the memory bank. Over time, education just becomes a natural part of your life, woven into the fabric of daily happenings and you get to discover a lot of really cool stuff together.
- Being able to allow my kids plenty of growing room. We have the time to experiment and discover what helps each kid learn best and thrive the most. We don’t have to rush to keep up or wait to keep going when we’re ready. Chugging along at our own pace is pretty awesome and goes a long way!
- More time to just be a kid. We don’t have to worry so much about being pushed along through the day from one activity to the next, leaving a ton of downtime to explore, experiment, and just be in our element..figuring out what we like, what we’re good at, etc.
The In-Betweens
- Socialization for the kids. Thankfully over the years, the world of homeschooling has been growing by leaps and bounds. Thus, more and more opportunities for socialization are at hand. The catch is, however, it does take some extra effort on the parents end. You have to be willing to network and connect with other homeschooling families, try out different types of groups, look more in-depth at community happenings, etc. So, if you’re an introvert like me, you might be a little like gahhh. The good news is though, it’s so worth it!
- Doubt from others and yourself. Some people will inevitably doubt your decision to homeschool or at the very least give it some questioning. And you, yourself, may be feeling doubtful, to begin with. So there’s a little double whammy sometimes. Facing questions from others can be used as an opportunity to shine a light on the advantages of homeschooling, though. And facing doubt from yourself can be a good reminder to be mindful of your whole vision and reasoning for homeschooling, even if that vision evolves over time. It’s hard to face doubt but it’s a growing opportunity. Forging a new path is never all that easy!
The Downs
- Socialization for mom can be one. Even for an introvert who generally prefers to be alone, I still miss socializing with other adults like I used to. It’s also a hurdle that can be overcome in various ways like meeting up with other homeschool families and getting more involved in the local community.
- Alone time for your brain to decompress or recompress can be especially difficult to find in different seasons as well. You have to work really hard to make it happen and to be a priority. It can be done!
- Navigating sibling relationships, another hurdle, can get really tense! You tend to start to really drive each other batty on occasion, seeing as how you’re around each other 24/7. With some creativity, finding various sports teams or extracurriculars, etc., this can be remedied too.
All in all, there are so many benefits to homeschooling but it doesn’t come without a few obstacles. I hope this article is helpful with weighing out your decision, and it’s okay to take some time to take in all of the information.
If you have anything to add, I would love to hear in the comments!
Here are a few more articles I think you might like:
What If I’m Not Smart Enough To Homeschool from Embark On The Journey
6 Things No One Tells You About Homeschooling from Life Unimaginable
6 Resources for Starting Homeschool
Leave a Reply