There are numerous aspects of homeschooling, from various angles. In this post I have highlighted just a few.
1. Vacations in the Off-Season.
Whether we are taking a field trip or a week-long vacation, homeschooling allows us to schedule our time away according to what works best for our family, rather than being locked into a predetermined time slot set by someone else. We generally visit places like museums, the zoo, library, and sometimes parks, during times when other children are in school. We've also been known to camp during the off-season, which gives us more privacy and time alone as a family to reconnect.
2. Monitoring Friendships.
Terry and I unashamedly monitor the close friendships of our children outside our home. Proverbs 13:20 says "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Pretty strong words of caution! Homeschooling allows us to really get acquainted with the friends of our children, as they are generally children of our (mine and Terry's) friends! And we are able to determine how much (or how little) time our children spend with their friends. The goal is that friendship should be mutually edifying and God-honoring.
3. Emotional Freedom
Our children have never experienced bullying or peer pressure. They don't worry about being laughed at if they don't know the answer. They don't compare themselves to other kids their age (which is not wise--2 Corinthians 10:12), nor do they ever worry about "fitting in"...because they always have! They are free to be all that God intends for them to be (within the boundaries of discretion and self-control) without fear of what others might think about them. And because they are secure in their identity, they have no problem getting along well with others. As most homeschooled children we've known, our children are just as comfortable in a conversation with adults as they are children their own age. They make friends easily (some more readily than others). I rarely get asked the "socialization question". But when I do, my standard answer is, "Oh, you haven't met Destiny or Samuel yet, have you?" Haha!
4. Personalized Education.
Each of our children has the unique opportunity to learn according to their interests and aptitude. Yes, we want them all to be able to read, write, and solve math equations proficiently, but beyond that, some enjoy creative writing, whereas others really don't enjoy writing at all and prefer to work with their hands, instead. Some are more gifted in music and prefer to spend time practicing and honing their skill. We can also tailor how we teach academics to their individual style of learning, as well as their interests. Which I think is pretty cool! Memorizing and spouting off facts and data has never been part of our plan; rather we want to instill in our children a love of learning. Our long-term goal is to grow life-long learners!
Another aspect is that we are able to impart to our children the things that are important to us: Christian principles, strong morals, family values, as well as life skills that so many children are lacking in our modern society, such as homemaking skills, gardening, and home and car maintenance and repairs.
5. Family Togetherness.
As crazy as some of our days are, I often console myself with this thought: Our four school-age children could be attending 3 different public schools and be involved in a variety of after-school programs. That puts everything into proper perspective in my mind.
The school bus passes by our home every morning at 7:20. Often when I see that big yellow bus pass by after 4 pm, I take a moment to reflect on all the living that has taken place in our home during those hours when other children have been separated from their families.
I hope I'm not painting too rosy of a picture here. Our younger children do have their moments of squabbling, of course, but for the most part, they are wonderful playmates and friends and our older children are truly bffs.
I spend the majority of my life with these children the Lord has blessed me with and you know what? I find they are pretty enjoyable people to be around! I am growing my own best friends!Â
6. Sense of Community and Support.
We were not a part of any homeschool groups until just a few years ago, and didn't really know what we were missing. We have met some really good friends through our local group and have made some wonderful memories.
Another avenue of support that we really enjoy is the annual Indiana Association of Home Educators (IAHE) homeschool convention, which usually happens toward the end of March. Our teens have enjoyed participating in the teen tract, and the older ones have had opportunities to grow in leadership skills by volunteering to lead a group of younger teens.
This year our younger four are in Speech and Debate, a weekly coop class that challenges them to learn to articulate their thoughts, and develop skills in research, critical thinking, organization, persuasion and communication.
What are some of your favorite perks about homeschooling?
