Have you been thinking about homeschooling but haven’t been able to gather up the courage to try it? You might even know someone who is homeschooling. You think, “That’s great for them, but I could never do it.” I am here to tell you that you can do it and succeed! I was there many years ago. I really wanted to try this venture but wasn’t sure if I could take that leap of faith. After all, my kids were very comfortable in their small school, had wonderful friends and great teachers. But something kept tugging at my heart to bring them home. My husband and I decided to take that leap and have never looked back. It was not always easy. In fact, sometimes it was downright challenging. However, it is oh so rewarding! Let’s go ahead and tackle some of those fears you might be having today.
“I might not be able to teach my children what they need to know.”
It’s okay. You or the school will not be able to teach your kids everything they need to know. They will have to learn some things on their own. The important thing is to teach them how to learn. There are also many curriculum choices that tell you exactly how to teach with complete lesson plans. Everything is laid out for you, taking the guessing out of teaching. When my children were in high school, they became more independent. I also used outside friends to help with certain subjects when needed.
“How will I choose my curriculum?”
I had no idea what I was doing when I began homeschooling. I read any book about the subject I could get my hands on. I also talked to many families who were seasoned homeschoolers. Fair warning: every homeschool family is unique and you will hear about many different curriculum choices and ways to homeschool. The first year is a time you are learning a lot about your children and their learning styles. Just remember, no matter what curriculum you choose, your children are still going to learn. Take advantage of this opportunity to assess what you enjoyed or disliked and how your children processed information. This will equip you to make wise choices with each approaching year.
“Will I be organized enough to stay on task?”
I don’t consider myself an overly organized or structured person. However, I knew I had a responsibility to teach my children and wanted to do it well. If you have this desire, you will be motivated to be as organized as you need to keep your sanity. I made sure we began school every day at around the same time. I had a planner and kept a record of daily work and activities that needed to be completed. Life happens and we didn’t always complete the list. We made up for it on lighter days or went a little longer in the school year. One of the nice perks about homeschooling is you can take breaks when it works best for your family and set up your own schedule to complete your school year.
“How will my children socialize?”
This was a big fear of mine. My kids were leaving their friends behind. Although they still kept in touch with their close friends, it didn’t take them long to make new friends in our homeschool circle. Now there are so many opportunities for homeschoolers. Many homeschool groups have field trips and co-op classes teaching different subjects. If time and money allow, there are many extracurricular activities your children can be involved in to meet new friends. As a homeschooler, you have more control over your children’s socialization and can ensure they have healthy relationships without being peer dependent.
“Will my children be able to go to college?”
There is plenty of research showing homeschoolers fare very well in college. In fact, universities welcome homeschoolers because they are generally great students who know how to learn. Studies have also shown homeschooled students tend to have higher standardized test scores and a higher graduation rate from college. College students who were homeschooled tend to have a high level of intellectual independence. Each of my children has applied to several universities and has been accepted to every one of them.
I might not have touched on all your fears about homeschooling. I do want you to know, though, I have been there and experienced all of those fears. Once we made the decision to bring them home, we dived into this new venture with our heart and soul. Even though there were tough times, God always saw us through. He promises to give wisdom to those who ask. The blessings have been beyond what I could ever imagine! If you need to talk about your fears or have any questions about homeschooling, please give us a call. We do not promise to have all the answers but we will do our best to help prepare you for a great beginning! ~ Gina
