yep we are homeschoolers :)

I just felt inspired to write about homeschooling today after seeing a friend under fire for her choice to homeschool. It makes me so sad to see or hear that and ive experienced my fair share of it. my heart goes out. Nobody ever feels the need to question why you wore that shirt, how you paid for that big screen, why do or dont you put your kids in preschool or let them date etc etc etc.... but soo many people either inwardly or often outloud, feel that they have the right to question how you educate your child. I want to scold those people or spew statistics at them (10 u.s. presidents were homeschooled as well as Albert Einstein), I want to remind them that homeschooling is a right and is currently legal in the free nation they live in, that soldiers die to protect these freedoms, but I decided instead to share a bit of our lives with them in hopes of showing why we have made our decision and why it works best for us and many other families like us.

One of the first concerns people allways question me about is " Wont they be unsocialized?" and the answer is, No....well, Yes in a way.......you see, when you meet a homeschool kid you can often tell them apart from others. Occasionally they lack a bit of style, and when i use the term "lack" what I really mean is , they dont allways know what is in with the local high school kids. They often wont have a clue about the "in" brands etc. and most wont care, but they have their own style for sure. Some go for comfort, some care simply about beating the heat, staying warm, or simply doing their own thing sporting duct tape accessories and big red glasses :) They are insanely creative!
Homeschoolers spend all day in close contact with an adults. Usually their parents and their parent's friends, so they are pretty good at adult conversations. When your child is with you all day long you talk about everything, there isnt much to be hidden. Socially this does make them a bit different than the average kid but certainly not "unsocialized". They eat with utensils, use indoor toilets, help out around the house, watch documentaries and get their PE hours on trampolines out back and organized sports teams. Once nobody cares about "cool" and "popularity", once high school is over and real world sets in, it is my personal opinion that none of the homeschool awkwardness will matter and homeschoolers mesh right into the real world with ease. In fact, ive known an amazing mother/wife/all around well liked intelligent woman for awhile and had no clue she was homeschooled. And for those of you who need more concrete evidence just trust that as homeschool moms, we make more than the average effort to get our kids out and about, making friends and interacting with others through homeschool groups, class days , and coops so they will be great socialized individuals!

The second question I get alot is "how can you homeschool if you dont have a teaching degree?" Well, im pretty sure every teacher I encountered throughout my public school educations wasnt allways the smartest, and certainly many could have cared less if i learned at all. Many many were excellent educaters, but far from all for sure. I can also admit that while i was in school i was more focused on what i was wearing, who I could impress, what social event i would get invited to, sporting events, how to get out of trouble and all that jazz. That was in high school, but as an elementary student there were hours spent waiting on other kids to finish, waiting in lines of 25 kids to go potty, lining up, washing 25 sets of hands and plenty of other stuff that isnt allways academic related. That leaves me as a homeschool teacher with alot of extra time to spend with my student. We figure stuff out, look it up, read a book about it. Yes there are times when mom doesnt know, but we find out the answer thus teaching my children to use their resources and that even grownups will need to do this from time to time (even people with math degrees own a calculator right?). A teaching degree is geared toward teaching an entire class. As a homeschool mother I am able to figure out my kids learning styles and teach them the best way for them. I can choose a curriculum that meets their needs and individualize it for them specifically. If that isnt enough of an answer I will make you a little more comfortable with our abilities by assuring you that there is a plethera of curriculums available, often the same ones used in schools. Experts create them and there are teachers edditions that instruct us how to teach each concept, right down to telling us what to say and what items to have on hand that week. Also, many homeschoolers do it online through government approved, state paid for programs or use teaching dvds, so in a sense, someone with a degree does it. We employ tutors and do state standardized testing when necessary, and the average homeschooler tests well above grade level (not to brag but my Parker has skipped a grade and completed a standardized test proving it was an appropriate academic decision).

In addition to all the not so fun academic stuff there are the perks :) and yes there are many. I never have to wake kids up and beg and argue them out of bed. They get all the sleep they need so they start school well rested, well fed and ready to go. I dont have to be dressed, dolled up and ready to meet the world at the bus stop or drop off either. I get to enjoy my morning coffee on my time! Most days we are done around noon and get to take the time to enjoy 2 if not all 3 meals of the day together as an entire family unit. The kids do chores and they do them well! Like well enough that mom doesnt have to go back and do it. They spend more time at home watching what I do, learning to clean and cook and care for others. They know what it takes to run a household, things dont get done by magic elves while they are away, and mom is not sitting on her butt eating bon bons! There are no misconceptions. They value our time as a family and we do it all together. Yes, this does mean I grocery shop with 5 children but there is a positive spin as well ( I have 5 personal assistants so nothing gets forgotten). There are tons of real world field trips. We have been to farms, airports, museums, indian sites, caves, hiking you name it. We go in groups, we go as a family, we experience the world on our own schedule. We can finish a book and watch the movie in the same day. Though there are laws in each state, in general, we can learn about what the kids have shown an interest in and foster their own interests and talents. It truly is a fun lifestyle!

I dont write this to put anyone down for choosing public or private school. I know there are reasons many cant homeschool and many reasons why school outside of the home works for other families. My sincere wish is that every parent with a child who is miserable in school or struggling academically etc, knows that homeschool is a valid, legal, and very doable option. their child can be educated and become intelligent even if they dont go to prom or learn in a classroom. If you think you cant, know there are options out there to support you financially, emotionally, and academically. You can do it too!

So please when you meet one be respectful and dont underestimate a homeschooled child. They are smart! You dont need to quiz them in the grocery store to make sure their mom is doing their job. Very few homeschool moms are lazy bums. It is certainly not an easy choice and puts a cramp on the bon bon intake for sure. Instead, assume they can talk to you about the classic novel you read, assume they can help figure out the mistake on your reciept, but most importantly assume they will help you get those groceries out to your car with a smile because they are being raised very carefully with love and consideration by a parent who has made a difficult choice to go outside of the social norm and make educating this child their lifes work.

"Different, not less" Temple Grandin