I recently attended the Texas Homeschool Coalition’s annual conference. I was trying to remember how many years we’ve been now and I would have to check my old planners to be sure…but I believe it’s around 7 or 8! Plus other homeschool conferences around the state.   Some years I think about just skipping it since we’ve been so many times and there’s always so much to do. But I’m always glad I went after the fact.  It’s just the encouragement and reminders I need to spur me on.

 

You see, when my oldest daughter was about 3 and a half I was talking to a woman about their homeschooling experience. I wasn’t really interested in homeschooling, had never really thought about it. In fact, growing up the one thing I knew I DID NOT want to do was be a teacher! Ha! I didn’t really know much about homeschooling, but I was eager to make conversation and asked to hear more about it. Even after our conversation, I still wasn’t sure I knew what this homeschooling thing was about and honestly put it out of my mind. However, as I saw this woman again and again, she would ask me if I was thinking about it and then told me about this conference I should go to.

 

I was already “teaching” my daughter at home at the ripe age of 3, probably long before that. We did flashcards, and read a ton of books, worked on spelling, and spoke in what little Spanish I could remember from high school! I didn’t realize it, but I was already home-schooling her. Out of curiosity I agreed to visit the conference and learn a little bit more about this concept. The first day I went by myself and my mind was blown away! I could not believe there were so many people out there who loved the Lord so much they were willing to sacrifice and go against the grain, in order to teach their children what matters most. My heart strings were being pulled. Every speaker I listened to was so passionate about either putting God first, teaching your children the truth of the Bible, or creating the optimal learning environment for your child. It was a breath of fresh air. Their passion was contagious. From that day forward I felt called to this homeschool life!

 

There were so many things about homeschooling that I began falling in love with….

-Freedom to teach your own convictions and beliefs

-Freedom to teach what you believe about Creation vs Evolution

-Freedom to teach your child/ren in a way that best suits them

-Freedom to let your child get enough sleep and not rush them out the door in the morning

-Freedom to be with your children the majority of the day, instead of the remainder of the day

-Freedom from a lot of peer pressure, not all, but a lot

-Freedom to set your own schedule and take off when you want

-Freedom to travel

-Freedom to stay at home

-Freedom from 7 hours in a chair

-Freedom to love on your littles more before sending them out in the world

-Ability to teach them to think for themselves, outside of the box, and deductively

-Ability to choose whether you want to have them do standardized tests or not

-Ability to choose what activities and with whom they’ll do them

-Ability to do more hands-on learning

-Ability to get their education done much more efficiently

(and one that you might not realize until later and you might not like some days)- It’s one of the biggest opportunities for spiritual growth you may ever experience

 

For some people public school is the right choice for them, for some private school is the right choice for their family, for some the reasons I listed above and probably more are what lead them to the decision to homeschool. Since we started homeschooling, I’ve noticed the conferences are less religious-oriented and more education-oriented.  I suspect this is because a lot of parents who are not religious are deciding to homeschool also for various reasons. I know many in our area that are homeschooling for other reasons besides religion. Many are choosing to homeschool to help their child with special needs as well, or to protect their child from bullying, or to accommodate their parents’ jobs that require a lot of travel.

 

That’s the beauty of homeschooling. It’s so PERSONAL. You can tailor it to YOUR family, to YOUR child. I know several families that have packed up everything and driven around the country in an RV, homeschooling around the nation, like the Road School Rookie. What a field trip!  {#bucketlistgoal}  Nowadays there are so many curriculum options, honestly it can be overwhelming to someone who is new to the homeschool world. And they come out with new curriculum and products every year! That’s another reason I keep going back to the conference…to see what’s new!

 

Because it can be so overwhelming, I highly recommend that those thinking about homeschooling talk to a homeschool coach (yes they’re out there). In fact a friend has started this amazing coaching program where you can get personalized help learning what learning style is best for you and your child, finding a curriculum that is a good fit for your learning styles, time demands, and goals for your homeschool. She can also give you personalized instruction on questions you have and stay connected for 6 to 12 months to be there for you when problems arise. I wish I had had a resource like this when I started out. It would have been invaluable! I have learned over the years that the routine you start your kids off on, will become the standard for years and changing it is easier said than done. Start early!

 

Getting started on the right foot is so important!  Watch the video below and check out her program HERE, Good Schooling and let her help you get off to a good start!

 

Here are some other resources I recommend:

Cathy Duffy has this amazing book that has already reviewed the various curricula out there and gives you the overviews!

Great Homeschool Conventions

Check and see if there’s a Homeschool Conference or Convention in your area!  Go listen to the speakers and thumb through the curricula! These conferences are full of people that have a wealth of knowledge!

This book, Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview, looks old, but I really liked it. If you’re a Christian, putting God first in our homes and our homeschools should be the top priority. This book explains how to keep God first in all the subjects!

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There’s so much more you could talk about on each of the reasons I mentioned above. Ask around and see why your friends or acquaintances are homeschooling. If you already are homeschooling, comment below…what’s the main reason your family has chosen to learn at home?

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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