I'm Thankful for Homeschool Freedom
The homeschooling movement has really gained momentum in recent years–especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more parents are realizing that they can really thrive homeschooling their own children. They are able to witness first-hand what and how their children learn, what gaps they need to fill, and how beneficial one-on-one, customized instruction can be. I am confident that many more families will join the homeschool ranks permanently once COVID-19 has been stabilized.
The pandemic has caused me to reflect on our decision to homeschool and truly appreciate our freedom to do so. When the pandemic first hit the U.S., disrupting everyone’s work and school routines, our homeschool life was impacted very little. Of course, we miss soccer and other activities that go us out of the house, but we were able to continue school and develop new hobbies that have kept us engaged during this season. This year, homeschool has been a stabilizing force in the midst of the chaos that is 2020. While homeschool has continued to be a blessing, I don’t take the freedom to homeschool my kids lightly.
I can easily recall hearing veteran homeschool moms recount how they drilled their children to hide in the closet if the doorbell rang during the day, just in case the police were to come knocking at their door. I’ve read about the stunning sacrifices homeschool pioneers like Dr. Helen Jackson made in order to homeschool her children. Not only did she turn down the opportunity to become the first African-American female astronaut, but she gave a powerful testimony in the landmark case that secured the right for families to homeschool in Texas. Read about her remarkable story here. https://thsc.org/dr-helen-jackson/
Every year it seems like some new politician tries to introduce new legislation that would erode homeschool freedoms across the nation. Each year homeschool families galvanize to march, write their local congressmen, and keep each other aware of these potential encroachments so that we can continue to educate our children in the way that we see fit.
Grateful for Socialization
There’s an old saying that goes “You never miss your water until your well runs dry.” 2020 has definitely caused us to appreciate the many opportunities we have for socialization as homeschoolers now that most of these avenues have been cut off as a result of COVID. We miss church gatherings and youth group. We miss co-op and in-person Bible Study Fellowship groups. We miss in-person 4-H meetings, projects, and community service. We miss soccer team practices and games. My kids and I have been guilty in the past of not fully appreciating these opportunities for socialization outside the home. ZOOM has been a ram in the bush, but it doesn’t replace physically being among others. Believe me, when COVID passes and things hopefully go back to normal, we are going to have a brand new attitude! One that is grateful for social interactions!
Grateful For Learning Options
With every year that passes it seems as though there are more and more resources available that makes providing my kids with a well-rounded homeschool education easier and easier. As my kids have gotten older, their needs have changed. They’ve steadily grown more independent in their learning and their interests have eclipsed my ability to be their educator-of-all-subjects. While I used to have anxiety regarding how I would tackle each new stage and evolution of my children’s educational journey, I have much less anxiety because of the sheer amount of resources available to meet their needs. There is no shortage of information, online classes–both live and self-paced. There are local classes, Youtube tutorials, apps, books…the list is endless. If I need advice, reviews on curriculum, support or encouragement, there are plenty of podcasts, Facebook groups, and videos galore to look to. While homeschool may not be completely mainstream, it is definitely becoming more widespread and accepted–making it easier for parents to make informed educational choices. I for one, am glad to have so many options to choose from and am thankful for so many resources to turn to.
The Chance to Make A House A Home
Every year I see pictures, posts, and a ton of questions in Facebook groups about how to best design homeschool rooms or how to optimize homeschool spaces when you’re living in an apartment or smaller quarters. Newbie homeschool moms agonize over the ideal homeschool organization or whether a designated homeschool space is even necessary! I was the exact same way. When I first began, the first item on my list to get prepare was to set up my homeschool room. It helped to make me feel less anxious and more like a legit homeschool educator, however a lot of my anxiety came from trying to do “public school” at home. Now, nearly seven years in—homeschooling occurs all over our house. When my kids were in public school and I was still in the workforce, we lived and paid for a house we barely used. We spent most of our time outside our home and when we were at home, it was someplace we laid our head and ate our meals in comparison to the ways that we use it now. Now, we use every square inch of our home.
Our kitchen/dining area goes through multiple transformations in a day—from math lab, to cooking class, to science lab, to an art studio. Our living room has become the music room where you can catch a live show featuring piano, guitar, drums, and dog vocals. Our kids’ rooms act as a daily dog retreat as well as workspace, and break room when everyone needs to go to their separate corners. Even the garage has become a part-time skating rink where you can see my littles dressed in safety helmets and elbow pads, roller-skating and laughing it up.
Homeschooling has turned our house into a home filled with love, laughter and learning. I am thankful that God has taken our tiny mustard seeds and multiplied them into a tree that bears fruit.
The Time Shared Together As A Family
Here is a riddle? What is a precious treasure that is possible to get back once it’s lost? Time. Time is valuable-which is why I am so thankful to have more time with my family as a homeschooler.
I’ve begun to value ordinary, routine days spent indoors or outdoors as much as I value holidays and vacations—because I realize that time is not promised. Life can drastically change in the blink of an eye. One day, all I may have are memories. So I am thankful for homeschooling because each new day is a blank canvas waiting for us to paint vibrant, new, colorful memories.
I enjoy the efforts you have put in this, thank you for all the great blog posts. Rozalie Alonzo Veal