Our Homeschool Journey

I get a lot of questions about homeschooling, and that's understandable. I had a lot of questions when I first started and even before that. I used to find the idea of homeschooling fascinating. How were these families doing it? Why were they doing it? Were the kids okay? Were the moms burnt out and barely surviving? Were the kids thriving or flailing? What did their days look like? At first, the idea of homeschooling seems daunting, overwhelming, confusing, and at times, impossible. However, after four years, I’ve gained some insight and I’m always happy to share our experience. So, I will.

At this point (spring 2024), I’m home with my three children, two of whom I homeschool. Mr. 9 is finishing up third grade, Miss 7 is in first, and Mr. 3 is our happy, goofy sidekick. We’ve been through a lot in four years, including many different curriculums, homeschool methods, enrichment programs, extracurricular activities, projects, books, days of perfect glory where everything falls into place and homeschooling feels magical, and days where we all just want to run away screaming. I can assure you that whether you’re just starting to consider homeschooling, have recently begun your journey, or have been in the trenches for a while, I can definitely relate.

Ours was an unexpected journey. We never planned to homeschool. My oldest son was happily finishing up his last year in preschool where my daughter still had two more years and I was pregnant with our third child. I had already scoped out a non-traditional school (think Waldorf or Montessori-esque) in our area and had started the enrollment process for our son. I had also begun a new career venture and I was looking forward to working from home while my oldest attended kindergarten, my daughter was in preschool, and my mom and a part-time nanny would help with the new baby. The plans were set and we were happy and confidently moving forward with them as a family. Then, the pandemic hit. In a matter of days, my kids' preschool closed. Local schools switched from in-person learning to distance learning. Eventually, the school we had selected for our son wrote an email to inform us that they would not be opening in the fall. Our plan for kindergarten was gone and we were left with two choices: enroll in public school and do distance learning or homeschool.

A picture from one of our very first days of homeschooling. We only had an old, small children’s table to work on, but we made it work.

I knew a few moms from the preschool we attended who homeschooled and I had always been intrigued by their stories. Although I found their experiences interesting and admirable, homeschooling didn't strike me as anything I wanted for myself or my family. As a typical millennial, I still thought of homeschooled kids as weird and socially awkward. However, amid the pandemic, it seemed I had no other choice. Distance learning was not something we were willing to participate in and, although I planned to be working and managing a new baby, I would be home and would have lots of help (thank God).

When you homeschool, every day is dress-up day.

I reached out to the homeschool moms I knew from preschool and asked for all the advice, guidance, and resources. If there's one thing I've learned throughout this journey, it's that homeschool parents are always happy to help and will enthusiastically talk about their experiences. They were incredibly kind, patient, and reassuring, and I am so thankful for their wisdom.

In June, I gave birth to our third child, and in August I started homeschooling my five-year-old for kindergarten. I still remember texting one of the veteran homeschool moms I knew after we finished our kindergarten lessons for the day and saying, "OK. We're done ... and I feel like we did next to nothing." Her reply was: "Yep. You're doing it right!" I didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried.

The school year continued in much the same way. I did schoolwork with my son during baby's nap times and in between client calls and managing my preschool-aged daughter. It took probably less than 45 minutes a day that I usually broke into smaller chunks of time. I felt like we weren't doing anything. But the miracle was that he was learning. So much. After just a few months he was sounding out words, writing using capital letters and periods, adding numbers, and identifying landmarks on a map. At the end of the year, he took an iReady test and scored high above his grade level in all subjects. I was blown away. How could he have learned so much when I felt like we did so little? And what on earth were kids doing in schools for six hours a day if learning could be accomplished in so little time with so little effort?

It's safe to say that our family was sold on homeschooling. When things began to open back up after the pandemic, we continued to homeschool because we had seen the immense benefits to our children and our lifestyle. I loved being home with my kids, taking them on field trips and adventures, and learning alongside them. I eventually let go of the career I had started and focused all my energy on our home and raising and schooling our children, which has been my absolute dream job.

We spend a lot of time at our local libraries.

Over the years, I've grown into one of those confident, capable, "veteran" homeschool moms, like the ones who helped me along in our early days, and I want to pass on the favor. I want to help those coming up the ladder behind me, which is why I'm going to start posting more content about homeschooling and family life. You'll find we are constantly juggling schoolwork, outdoor adventures, kids' activities, sports, enrichment programs, family events, and much more. It's a delicate balance and it's far from easy, but I'm in love with the life we've created. You can expect to see lots of family life here, with all of its trials and triumphs. I hope you'll follow along and I hope I can help you with resources, guidance, or simply solidarity if you need it.

Peace,

Maddie