It's that amazing time of year when school ends. You survived, your kids survived, it was a great year.
Regardless of your schooling method for your children there's always a sigh of relief when one grade is finished and you can take a breather before diving in again.
For some, this summer will be spent evaluating the past year and deciding if a change in schooling is right for your family. And maybe you're considering homeschool. This fall we'll be going into our third year of homeschooling and I'd like to share a few benefits I've noticed.
We can vacation anytime. Our state suggests doing school 180 days - which is what public schools do - but puts no qualifications on when those days should occur. So we can vacation when it's the down time for popular places. We can also take breaks for visiting family when it's convenient without playing catch up.
I know what my kids are learning and how they learn best. Every child is different and this year I figured out my son learns completely different than my daughter did at his age. While they both are visual, hands on learners, my daughter could do coloring and worksheets all day. My son got bored within a month of starting preschool. But he loves counting, sorting, building, and books. With that knowledge, I won't buy him preschool workbooks for K4 this year but we'll get lots of library books, work alphabet puzzles, sort shapes and colors. Also, my daughter enjoys crafting and remembers lessons better if we make something or color as review. So we'll be adding some crafts where we can to reinforce what we talk about.
I get to watch them learn. Teaching can be frustrating but it's also a joy when you notice the light turn on and see your children thrive. The fact that you help them reach that point makes it even sweeter. It also teaches you as the parent patience like nothing else will!
I get to learn things with my children. I've heard people say they could never homeschool because they don't remember grammar rules or long division, let alone be able to teach it. But the great thing is you get to learn it again as you teach your children. I don't remember anything about how my mom taught me to read or phonics rules but as my daughter and I went over the curriculum together, it slowly came back. And there are some things we've talked about that I don't think I ever learned about animals and geography.
I know homeschooling isn't for everyone. Children learn differently and thrive in different environments. But if you are considering homeschool, don't be intimidated or overwhelmed or scared. There are so many reasons to give it a try!
Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash