In my last post, I answered some questions I hear frequently about homeschooling my children. In the next few posts, I’d like to share some personal experiences so you can get a feel for what homeschooling is really like. Any choice we make will have its pros and cons, and homeschooling is no exception. Here are some I’ve found to be true for my family and many of my homeschooling friends.
Spending time with my children
The Good
I am the one who spends the most amount of time with my children. I know intimately their strengths and weaknesses, their struggles, and their successes. I am the one who teaches them to read, to write, and to count. I am with them the first time they write their names and the first time they read words on their own. Because we are together all day, I can answer their hard questions about life, pray with them, and help them work through their conflicts and emotions. I have the opportunity to teach them the tenets of our faith and family values and to spend quality time with each of them. In short, I am training them and teaching them and walking through life with them all day, every day.
The Bad
Having the kids with me all day requires planning ahead for doctor appointments, errands, and grocery shopping. If one of us has to go, we all have to go. There is no morning when they’re at preschool or Mother’s Day Out, and if I do need to see a doctor or go somewhere without them, I must find friends available and willing to keep them all. There are no lunches with friends or meetings for coffee after carpool drop-off. My being out of town for a day or two requires a lot of schoolwork and meal preparation in addition to finagling childcare, which often makes the trip seem not worth the hassle.
The Ugly
When you homeschool, the only time you have away from your children is at night. When there’s also a baby or a child who doesn’t sleep well, you might not even have that. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, you need to consider the obvious fact that you’ll be with your children all day long, so they’re probably going to drive you crazy quite often. The wonderful Pinterest pictures and blog posts fail to mention that you’ll be so sick of them some days, you’ll scream and say hurtful things. You’ll want to hide in your closet or lock them outside, just to have a moment of quiet. Conversely, your children will probably get tired of you and their siblings. They’ll lash out and fight with each other. Some days, by the time dad comes home, you’ll be tagging him “It” as you run out the door on the way to anywhere, just as long as you’re alone!
I absolutely love homeschooling and being with my children all day. I honestly wouldn’t trade it for any other job in the world, because I see it as both my calling and my privilege. That being said, some days are hard and others seem nearly impossible. Knowing other moms out there are having similar experiences can be encouraging and helpful in pushing through those difficult days!
