It’s been almost a year since we began our homeschooling journey, so naturally, we’re experts.
It’s been almost a year since we began our homeschooling journey(whips hair over shoulder)
Er, not really.
If homeschooling has taught me anything, it’s taught me that I will never be an expert. I will never have it all “together” and I will never know what the “best” homeschooling method is. It’s also taught me a lot about myself, from my weakness in planning to my strength in patience. I’m definitely not a perfect parent, and I’ve learned to not only accept this fact, but to embrace it.
10 Things I learned from our FIRST year of Homeschooling
1. I’ve learned that learning evolves.
If you remember, at the beginning of the year we chose not to follow the traditional “homeschooling with curriculum” method and instead dove right into unschooling. This was really something we enjoyed and I highly recommend it for new homeschoolers! We had some amazing experiences (here & here) trying to learn naturally with everyday experiences. It really helped me discover what my kids’ passions were and more importantly, it helped us all remember that life is intrinsically fascinating!
My husband had a difficult time doing unschooling and nothing else. He loved the idea that most of our learning was happening through life experiences, but he also wanted to incorporate some tasks and assignments for the kids. The kids wanted to try it as well, so that’s what we did! We have since incorporated some structured time for math, science, history, music, & language arts. It’s still pretty relaxed and we don’t sit at the table for two hours pouring over curriculum books, so I feel it’s a good compromise on our previous unschooling method.
2. I’ve learned that having my kids home all day is awesome and not at all scary or overwhelming.
It literally seems crazy to me now that I used to be worried about having my kids home all day. I mean, they are my own kids, right? I birthed them and cared for them all day until I booted them off to Kindergarten, right? I have no idea why I was afraid of this because I am telling you, I LOVE having my kids with me all day, everyday. They are so fun to be around and they are so incredibly helpful, I just can’t imagine sending them off to school all day. While other parents were happily posting pictures of their child’s first day of school this year, I was crazy excited that I get to be with mine all day. They are truly amazing young people and I am so grateful to be able to spend each precious minute with them. Before long they will be grown up and I’m not going to waste this time in their lives!
Now, this doesn’t mean I don’t have those “I’m gonna pull my hair out” moments, but they don’t happen often, and usually when they do, it just means we need a break from our life a bit. It’s during these times that we go out to a movie & lunch date, or drop everything and start some project like building some raised garden boxes.
(I’m not saying because I homeschool that you don’t love your children for sending them to school. It’s just that I love mine more. TOTALLY KIDDING. I am the LAST person to judge anybody for their family’s choices. Seriously, whether you send your kids to school or not, you’re amazing.)
3. I’ve learned that finding a homeschooling group that meshes with your family is GOLD.
I knew before we started homeschooling that finding a homeschooling group would be my weakness. I’m a homebody (in case you hadn’t noticed), and between the farm and this here ol’ blog, it keeps us busy. Sure, we have friends who attend public school, but I knew we really needed some fellow homeschoolers to attend events with and for my children to bond with on a deeper level. After a lot of searching, we finally found an amazing group of homeschoolers who we meet up with various events around town and even in some learning co-ops. Each family I’ve met has been amazing and we are really loving all of these new friends!
4. I’ve learned that there is an endless amount of free resources, all around us.
Seriously, the world is amazing and people are even more amazing-er (inside homeschooling joke right there). From online websites, to local events, from discounted days at local parks, zoos, rollerskating rinks, museums, and more, the world around you is just waiting for you to participate. So, how do you find out about all of these amazing events? See #3. Join a homeschooling group and you instantly are in the know.
5. I’ve learned that my kids don’t necessarily learn the same way I do.
Eesh. Wouldn’t life be easier if everybody acted and thought just like us? Well, unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. Children come with their own personalities and definitely with their own learning styles. It took me a while to realize that teaching something in my learning style didn’t always translate to my kids’ learning style. It’s really not about who’s smart and who’s not, it’s just about finding the right key or learning style that fits. This book, The What Now of Learning Styles, has literally changed my life! It really opened my eyes to the different learning styles and how to implement various activities to help each child fully grasp the concept.
6. I’ve learned that learning can be SO simple & fun.
Unschooling taught us that learning can happen contantly and can be incredibily fun. We’ve practiced math facts in a Smeagol voice while driving in the car, discussed The Giver while waiting for our haircut appointment, and reenacted The Sugar Act of 1764 while playing with Legos.
We’ve also played the ukulele on rainy days and reviewed fractions while baking cookies.
I’ve come to the conclusion that while some learning does need to occur in a “sit-down, let’s go over this” method, a lot of it can also be covered or reviewed in everyday life.
7. I’ve learned that I am intelligent and fully capable to teach my own children.
As a homeschooling mom, you get this weird thing called “doubts”. Every so often, I’ll look at myself in the mirror and think, “What the heck do you think you’re doing, teaching those kids all by yourself?!” But usually, I’m pretty quick at smacking that woman across the face and getting back to reality.
I am fully capable to teach my own children, and man, that there’s a fact.
8. I’ve learned that learning happens CONSTANTLY, not just Monday-Friday from the hours of 9-3.
I’ve already hit on this a little bit, but I really want to point this out because in the beginning, I had the “turn on learning, turn off learning” mentality. It wasn’t too long before I realized that learning really does happen ALL. THE. TIME. On weekends, holidays, summers, evenings, you name it, we are learning. And it’s awesome.
9. I’ve learned that setting simple monthly & weekly goals is the key to long-term success.
I’m a planner, but hey man, I also don’t like anybody telling me what to do! As you can guess, I have a love/hate relationship with schedules. On one hand, they help me feel in control. On the other, I feel controlled. Still, I have found we are all happiest ’round here when we have a plan. We may not always stick to that plan, heck, we may sometimes take that plan and throw it out the window, but at least it’s there in case we need it and for when we desperately need to cross something off our list.
10. I’ve learned I’m not like everybody else, and that’s okay.
I am fascinated with other homeschooling families. I love to ask others’ how they stay organized, which curriculum or method they follow, and what they’re covering this year. The downside of this curiosity is the feeling of inadequacy in my homeschooling method or goals when I hear that “so n’ so” created a real life robot and traveled to California to compete in a competition. I have to remind myself that I don’t have to be like everybody else. Instead, we can learn from others and then do what we feel is best.
Ahem, in conclusion
I’ve found that life is good, and we’re definitely happy with our choice to homeschool. They kids love it, I love it, and gosh golly, if that’s not what makes a happy homeschooling family, I don’t know what does:)
My family will be on the road soon and I’m trying to figure out homeschooling for my kids. It will only be for a year so I want to make sure they are on track for when they return to public school.
I like the unshooling approach on some things but also want to make sure I cover core subjects like math, science, launguage arts. Is there a particular “homeschool” package you chose for that?
Hi Angela. Maybe this article will help?
Thanks!
https://www.weedemandreap.com/homeschool-curriculum-easy-going-families/
Thanks for sharing your story. It was really encouraging. I agree with you that learning can be done constantly and can be incredibly fun. Thanks!
We are in our second homeschooling year & its amazing how much you learn about yourself & kids. I wouldn’t have it any other way! Thanks for sharing!
I am a veteran homeschooling parent. My children are nearly grown. All have gone to college (two are still working on degrees, two are finished and are very successful and happy in their fields). Anyway, I am moving in a few months to a farm and need to part with all my homeschooling materials and other educational materials to fund farm equipment. I am out-of-the-loop and no longer have networks in homeschooling arenas. Do you have suggestions as to where and how I can sell my gently used items? Thanks.
I would go for craigslist:)
Just adding notify follow ups option,didn’t see it in time on my last post.
Hi DaNelle! I’ve watching all the essential oil video’s that you have been sending me and will sign up soon for the wholesale membership soon (ie.need to save some $ for the same kit that you started with!) I find your information on this subject exciting and educational! That being said I just found your web site and there is so much to read and learn,great! First ? I have is on home schooling,how did you get started and what company did you use for your Children’s curriculum ? My Children are all grown but I am interested in helping my Daughters learn about this educational option in which I whole heartily be leave in.
Thank you
Craig Skinner
Hey Craig! I’m glad you are looking to get into using essential oils! I think you’ll just love them! For our curriculum, we kind of choose things here and there, but honestly we haven’t purchased a curriculum at all. For math, we use the free online Khan Academy. It’s AMAZING an so easy and fun to do! For science, we buy some science kits and call it good. My kids are both really interested in science as it is and they’re always bringing home books from the library about something related to science. For History, we have a coop group where we focus on an era and do fun activities surrounding that, and for Reading/Literature, we just do some fun creative writing projects here. I spent some time looking into curricula, but they all seemed so boring and rigid:)
Hello Lovely, We’ve decided to take my 7 year old out of grade 1 and home school from next year. We think she will benefit from more one-on-one attention. We were also looking at hiring a tutor (I think my husband has little faith in me… LOL… because my daughter and I fight just doing homework – how on earth am I going to manage a whole day of ‘teaching’) and then I came across this amazing concept of un-schooling. Maybe this is the answer for us? Take the pressure off trying to emulate the classroom at home. Make life the classroom? This sounds amazing. I now just have to convince my corporate, engineering academic husband that there really are other (and better) ways for our kids to learn and absorb! And then convince myself that maybe I can do this… stop fighting… and make it fun… for both of us? PLUS the fact that you actually seem to have a bit of a life outside of ‘teaching’ with your cooking, blogging and oils really gives me hope (I know it sounds selfish, but I too have such a passion for food and writing, I would hate to have to give them up because I have no time left)… So, in a nutshell, thank you for making it sound do-able and fun-able too! xxx
You’re welcome! I definitely get busy sometimes, but it’s fun to manage it all!
After homeschooling four children (the last one just left for college) I think that the best thing to come out of our adventure is that my children are not just siblings but really good friends. No, that doesn’t mean that they never had fights, or there weren’t times in their lives when one disliked another. It means that they worked through those times and we, as a family, are closer than any other family I know.
We were separated at birth! Seriously. You are so much more brilliant than me, it seems like you always articulate what I’ve been currently learning for myself (real food, essential oils AND homeschooling). Does life get any better?! God bless you!
Haha! Let’s be besties!
As a homeschool graduate myself who has had to really analyze if I want to indeed homeschool my own kids, I absolutely adore this post. After a lot of soul-searching, we’ll be starting Kindergarten here at home with our daughter next year. I’m totally stoked and your post confirmed so many of the things I’ve been thinking about. 🙂 Love it!
You’ll do so great, Jill! It’s really fun, especially when they get older! You won’t regret it!
Hey–I’m Sarah Richetto’s Mom and after Homeschooling for over 25 years–I feel that I have a handle on homeschooling and “have it all together” . You will feel that same way too after homeschooling your children through high school. It just comes with time. Love all that you said too. Thanks for the post.
Ah! Nice to meet you! Love Sarah!
Thanks for your post! I am still on the fence about homeschooling my kids (even though I still have two years before I have to worry about it!!) and I love to hear others’ positive experiences. Thanks for sharing!
Well said, Danelle. And as a homeschooling mom of 20 years (we have 7 children), I still learn something new every year. 🙂
I just love this list DaNelle. As a formerly homeschooled kid myself, and now a homeschool Mama, every single thing you listed really resonates with me. Learning is really way of life for us, and I seriously can’t imagine any other way. Thanks for writing this! It’s really inspiring to read about your family’s homeschooling journey:)
Love this! We haven’t even been able to have kids yet, but I already know that I want to homeschool, and I love your thoughts! Especially about loving having your kids at home all day. What sweet memories you are creating.
GREAT list of observations, our unschooling experience is very similar. You are learning a LOT!!!
Yay!!!! Another Homeschooling post. I seriously wait on the edge of my seat for you to post more. I’ve connected so much with your approach, style and experience, DaNelle! I’m also starting on my second year of homeschooling and I can relate to what you’ve learned in your first year, but you’ve really inspired me to trust my instincts and go for a more “unschooling” approach this year. I’m not putting any labels on our approach, though, which is kind of what unschooling means to me: go with what works and DON’T force what doesn’t work (which is what I did a lot this past year). Can’t wait to keep getting updates. 😉 Here’s to our second year of homeschooling! (champagne glasses clinking!)
Love this Roz! It’s such a learning experience ourselves as parents when we home school, isn’t it?
Here’s to you, Roz!
This post came at the most perfect time. I was a public school teacher for ten years. I now teach online and decided to also teach my children at home. So this will be our first year homeschooling and we are starting next week! Even though I was a math teacher, I have been so much more nervous about teaching my own kids. Thank you for calming my fears! This really is going to be fun.
I’m glad I could help!
You hit the nail on the head with #2 for me – I was doing the same with all the back to school pics on social media – I’m so grateful for the extra hours I get with my favorite pals!
You can always tell a homeschool mom when she randomly stops in the middle of a completely un-educational event to point out something to learn. “Ohhh, look kids! Isn’t this interesting?” We all use the same tone of voice too. But there is always something o observe or learn!