I love all of this! Some of it I'm learning the hard way, some I've been fortunate to have wiser people in my life share. When we moved back to Colorado and I was living with my in-laws with tiny children and a newborn I made the decision that I was not shopping for curriculum anymore, ever. It didn't matter how pretty it was. I picked a history book and a science book to read aloud. We did phonics and handwriting and math and bible. Case closed. It saved my sanity and lo and behold... they still learned things that year. This year we stepped out of a wonderful co-op halfway through because it was just too much. I feel like a 400 lb elephant just got off my chest. Nothing is worth your family's peace. My husband, also the ballast to my idealism, told me, "If you're not enjoying it anymore, it's not working". He knows I love to learn, and teach, so if nothing is enjoyable, we've somehow lost our way. I'm always more inspired to add on if I feel we're doing a small list consistently, but a huge list of "curriculum" makes me feel like a failure. I think for others they need the options to not feel boxed in. It's all so dependent on your particular self, and your particular children.
Lo and behold--they still learned things! Amazing, isn’t it?
I still learn a lot of things the hard way, and looking back I can recall many helpful, wise older women who gave me great advice...that I still had to learn on my own the hard way. Thank God for grace.
I homeschool my 9, 7, and 2-year-old boys and I kid you not, right before, I saw your post (suggested on Substack), I was wondering (worrying) about what I am not doing or not doing enough of in our homeschool for each boy. I needed these reminders and wisdom, thank you!
"Gaps get filled in by curious minds, and then more gaps appear. The goal of a good education, in my opinion, is to know that you don’t know everything but have the tools to learn anything."
Haha! No, never quite like we envision it, right? There are days, or moments at least, where everything goes beautifully...and then there are most days.
My oldest turns five in April and deciding what to do for kindergarten has been a much harder question to answer than I imagined it would be. We are still in the thick of the decision process, visiting schools, talking to trusted homeschool families, taking it all in and I’m here for all the bossiness. This thirty something mom of a preschooler could use more bossy big sister energy (another LG term I love).
I really resist being the bossy big sister but I just don't want to come across as a know-it-all! I irritate myself with my unsolicited advice, so I'm always holding back ; ) But truly, no regrets here about homeschooling.
This is the hard-won wisdom of years spent in the trenches, navigating all the things that home educators navigate, day in and day out. I think if we as parents aren’t growing while trying to help our kids grow, that’s the bigger concern. Homeschooling has been a huge gift to our family, and while my kids aren’t up yet to confirm that statement (sleeping in is a perk of homeschooling, after all 😉) I know they would say the same. Has it been easy?--no. Have there been doldrum-years--sure. But it has helped us stay together and learn to navigate our different personalities and pursue our own interests, and become the people we are now. The end of my homeschooling years is just around the bend, it will be joyful and bittersweet. These years have been a treasure I never imagined.
I love all of this! Some of it I'm learning the hard way, some I've been fortunate to have wiser people in my life share. When we moved back to Colorado and I was living with my in-laws with tiny children and a newborn I made the decision that I was not shopping for curriculum anymore, ever. It didn't matter how pretty it was. I picked a history book and a science book to read aloud. We did phonics and handwriting and math and bible. Case closed. It saved my sanity and lo and behold... they still learned things that year. This year we stepped out of a wonderful co-op halfway through because it was just too much. I feel like a 400 lb elephant just got off my chest. Nothing is worth your family's peace. My husband, also the ballast to my idealism, told me, "If you're not enjoying it anymore, it's not working". He knows I love to learn, and teach, so if nothing is enjoyable, we've somehow lost our way. I'm always more inspired to add on if I feel we're doing a small list consistently, but a huge list of "curriculum" makes me feel like a failure. I think for others they need the options to not feel boxed in. It's all so dependent on your particular self, and your particular children.
Lo and behold--they still learned things! Amazing, isn’t it?
I still learn a lot of things the hard way, and looking back I can recall many helpful, wise older women who gave me great advice...that I still had to learn on my own the hard way. Thank God for grace.
I homeschool my 9, 7, and 2-year-old boys and I kid you not, right before, I saw your post (suggested on Substack), I was wondering (worrying) about what I am not doing or not doing enough of in our homeschool for each boy. I needed these reminders and wisdom, thank you!
I'm so glad this found you at the right time! I hope you feel encouraged, Ashley. It is a huge task, but really so much simpler than we make it.
"Gaps get filled in by curious minds, and then more gaps appear. "
Such a good admonition.
"Gaps get filled in by curious minds, and then more gaps appear. The goal of a good education, in my opinion, is to know that you don’t know everything but have the tools to learn anything."
I loved loved loved these thoughts of yours.
Also a homeschool “survivor” of 20+ years, and it was a gift to all of us in the long run--even though it didn’t look at all like I had envisioned it!
Haha! No, never quite like we envision it, right? There are days, or moments at least, where everything goes beautifully...and then there are most days.
My oldest turns five in April and deciding what to do for kindergarten has been a much harder question to answer than I imagined it would be. We are still in the thick of the decision process, visiting schools, talking to trusted homeschool families, taking it all in and I’m here for all the bossiness. This thirty something mom of a preschooler could use more bossy big sister energy (another LG term I love).
I really resist being the bossy big sister but I just don't want to come across as a know-it-all! I irritate myself with my unsolicited advice, so I'm always holding back ; ) But truly, no regrets here about homeschooling.
SAME! And yet, I find that kind of energy so refreshing in a person. Please don’t ever hold back!
This is the hard-won wisdom of years spent in the trenches, navigating all the things that home educators navigate, day in and day out. I think if we as parents aren’t growing while trying to help our kids grow, that’s the bigger concern. Homeschooling has been a huge gift to our family, and while my kids aren’t up yet to confirm that statement (sleeping in is a perk of homeschooling, after all 😉) I know they would say the same. Has it been easy?--no. Have there been doldrum-years--sure. But it has helped us stay together and learn to navigate our different personalities and pursue our own interests, and become the people we are now. The end of my homeschooling years is just around the bend, it will be joyful and bittersweet. These years have been a treasure I never imagined.
Yes indeed. This is why I really think homeschool parents deserve a degree of some sort.
We homeschool our son and it’s truly incredible.