Today officially marked the end of Kindergarten school work for my oldest son. This was his first “official” year of school and my first year as a home schooling parent! We made it! 😝 Home schooling definitely requires a lot of patience and energy, but it’s very much worth it in my opinion. I have been so blessed to have the choice to home school. I understand many mothers don’t have the option, and I am grateful to have this opportunity.

I wasn’t home schooled and neither was my husband. My brothers and I went to public school and most everyone I knew did. I don’t have anything against anyone who goes to public schools or chooses to send their kids there; it’s a family decision based on your unique family.

From the time my oldest son was born, I often thought of schooling for him. I thought it was this major life decision and in a way, I didn’t feel qualified to make that decision. A parent always wants to choose what they feel is best for their child and family; no parent wants to feel like a failure. I often tossed around the idea of home schooling especially as the school systems starting adopting different practices and as more and more events unfolded in the world around us. I just seemed to start feeling a tug at my heart as he grew. I felt such anxiety as he neared Kindergarten age because I felt like I knew what I should do and what I felt led to do, but my husband was still on the fence a little. When the time came, we decided as a family that home schooling would be worth the chance, and I could not be happier with our family’s decision.

I’m not saying we chose home schooling to shield our son from the world, quite the opposite actually. In home schooling we believe it gives a chance to experience the real world and learn at a pace the child is comfortable with. No pressures to perform as well or better than another; you work to be better than yourself on the previous day. His intelligence isn’t measured by his grades. He is able to explore the world around him and have time to play outside more, plant a garden, learn to cook, go on nature scavenger hunts etc. It’s be wonderful to have the extra time as a family and for us to take trips together and still have him learning in the process.

But won’t home schooling make him “socially awkward” or “weird”? Compared to what exactly? Is the majority of this world supposed to be considered “normal”? If so, I could only hope my child would be labeled awkward, weird or different. There are many opportunities im every community to get socialization in, if that is something you’re dead set on. I believe it holds some importance, but I don’t believe it’s quite the crisis it’s often made out to be. If that is something that holds you back from home schooling, please research more and don’t let that keep you from decided home schooling!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and daisies! You’ll have your hard days but they won’t all be bad. You’ll have days where you don’t feel good or don’t feel up to teaching. There will be days where your patience is thin and your child or children don’t feel like doing school. This happens with most children I know, whether public, private or home schooled! In the end, when you see your child read for the first time or breeze through their math equations or learn something completely new to them, you’ll have such an overwhelming sense of pride. You’ll be proud of them and also be proud of yourself because you helped your child learn and succeed. It’s very rewarding.

If anyone reading this is contemplating whether to home school or not, I urge you to give it a go! Research all the activities your communities offer, the home schooling groups in your area and all the many options that are now out there for home schooling families. It won’t always be easy, but it will be very much worth it! Even my son is looking forward to beginning his first grade materials! I would call that a success 😊❤🎉

I pray for anyone who is stuck when it comes to deciding what type of schooling is best for their family. May you all be guided in the best direction for your family and may you all have peace in your decision. It’s not easy being a parent and we often have to make tough decisions…but I know we all make those decisions with our family’s best interest at heart. ❤

Much love and God Bless!