I’m blessed to be a homeschool graduate. I’ve never stepped a foot inside of a public or private school as a student. My mother didn’t plan to homeschool, but she stepped up to the challenge. Homeschooling myself and my two brothers from Kindergarten through High School is one of her greatest accomplishments in life for which I am forever grateful.
Growing up I didn’t realize how special it was to be homeschooled. It wasn’t the “in thing” nor was it popular when my mom started our homeschooling journey, but that didn’t stop her. She knew that it was the right step for our family and that was all that mattered.
There were times when I was growing up that I wondered what it would be like to actually “go” to school. I had the opportunity to attend private school for a day with a friend while I was visiting her. I wasn’t impressed with sitting at a desk for hours when I could have completed the entire day’s work in less than half the time. I missed doing school on my bed in my pajamas and couldn’t wait to get out of the required school uniform, which included a skirt. That day was all that I needed to show me how special it was to be homeschooled and I’ve never forgotten that lesson.
My mom worked hard to ensure that we had as many opportunities as possible to participate in sports, field trips, music lessons, extra-curricular activities, etc. throughout our homeschool years. She became the president of a homeschool group for several years providing countless occasions for us to learn with other homeschoolers. Her time was greatly sacrificed during these years, but she impacted not only my brother’s lives and mine, but many other homeschool families were blessed by the time and effort she put into the planning, field trips, conferences, etc. that she put together.
We were never not busy learning, whether we were at home completing our daily lessons, on a field trip to add fun hands-on learning, playing basketball on the YMCA team or living life and learning important life skills along the way. School was always “in session” because our lives were all about learning, whether a school book was open or not.
Even after I graduated I didn’t plan to homeschool my children because I didn’t truly realize what a blessing it was to be homeschooled. At times I thought about the opportunities that I wanted to give my children by allowing them to “go” to school, but more than anything I was sure that I didn’t have the gift of patience that my mother obviously had been given.
My son wanted to read early, so I ended up homeschooling him through Kindergarten, then I enrolled him in small private school for 1st grade. He was well advanced in all subjects for his age and after attending one year, he came home farther behind than when I had enrolled him. I was beyond frustrated, but I finally saw homeschooling as the huge blessing it truly is to both moms and children.
I realized that homeschooling gives children the ability to reach for the sky, you’re able to cater their homeschool journey towards their interests and prepare them for their future and it provides them a safe place to learn at their own pace without the difficulties that surround public and private school classrooms.
I’m so thankful that my mom was willing to go outside of the box and try something new by choosing to homeschool. I wouldn’t change anything about my school years, I have wonderful memories, the education I need to succeed in life and homeschool my children. I don’t have any regrets or bad recollections with teachers or other kids in school, all thanks to homeschooling.
As a 2nd generation homeschooler, it is my hope and prayer that my children are just as thankful (if not more) for their homeschooling journey as I am for mine.
As a homeschool graduate, I hope that homeschool moms realize the significant impact that they are making in their children’s lives, even if they can’t see it yet and that their children realize what a blessing it is to be homeschooled.
If you’re a homeschool graduate I would love to hear your thoughts on your homeschool journey, please share them in the comments!
