Is Homeschooling for Us? Of Course it is!

I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know when I say the last few months have been an unprecedented time in history. Our world has changed and is still continuing to change. One of the biggest changes for many families became “pandemic schooling.” And while pandemic schooling is not the same as homeschooling, I’ve seen a few parents start to question if true homeschooling may be a good fit for their family – especially as school systems start to lay out their plans and parents have a lot of concerns about how the next year will go.

So if you are one of those families wondering if homeschool is for you let me tell you…..IT IS!!!!

No matter what your family dynamics or the age of your kids or your level of education or..or..or…you can homeschool.

Since we decided to start our homeschool journey over three years ago, I haven’t looked back and am still absolutely convinced we made the right decision. Is every day easy? Of course not. Are there some days I feel frustrated? You betcha. Have I told Collier on those bad days I’m going to send him back to public school if he doesn’t behave? Ha, ha – guilty. But do I lay my head down at night confident that we are doing what is right for our family? Absolutely. And I can promise you there is no feeling like that in the world.

Now that you are thinking about homeschooling, what should you do? While I am by no means a homeschooling “expert,” here are some things I would suggest:

• Hit up the library: while they still may be closed for inside browsing, most still have curbside pickup. Browse your library’s website for homeschooling books and select one or two or ten that appeal to you. I probably read 15-20 homeschool books in the months before we started. While they weren’t all appropriate for our particular arrangement, I probably did take away an idea or two from each one.
• Look for webinars: with so many physical meetings being cancelled lots of groups are offering their meetings for free online. Check out Facebook pages like Birmingham Homeschoolers Community and Great Homeschool Conventions for upcoming webinars. Or just talk about looking for them near your phone and Facebook will give you some great suggestions. 😊
• Pinterest: I’m not sure if Pinterest is still cool or not, but you can find tons of great ideas and articles to get started. And then pin tons of cool field trips you always seem to be too busy to go on….wait maybe that’s just me.
• Homeschool friends: Talk to your homeschool friends (from the correct social distance of course). Homeschool families are some of the most transparent people I know. We will tell you our favorite (and least favorite) curriculum. We will share our successes and disasters.
• Blogs and Facebook pages: There are tons of great blogs and Facebook pages for homeschoolers. Join a couple and check out their resources. While you’re here on our blog if you have any questions, ask below. We love to talk about our experiences, obviously!

I am sure that there has never been a better time to be a homeschooling parent. There is a world of information at your fingertips on the internet. There are tons of awesome cover schools and co-op groups who are always doing something educational and fun. There are curriculums out there for every type and level of learner. And when we’re not in the middle of a global pandemic, the opportunities for socialization are everywhere.

No one knows your kiddo better than you do, and no one will work harder to make them successful than you will. If the last few months have had you re-thinking public school, now may be the perfect time to dip your feet in the pool of homeschooling.

Let’s do this!

~Amye