Deciding to homeschool can be a huge step in anyone’s journey. Check out our WHY for homeschooling and how we got there.
A Peek Inside Our
Homeschool Life…
If you are currently reading this, it means you somehow stumbled upon the very first post on my homeschool blog! I’m so excited that I get to share a little piece of our journey with YOU.
While this post may just seem like a simple glimpse of homeschool life, it’s actually a huge piece of my heart.
From the Life
We Thought We Wanted…
Once upon a time, (the most commonly used beginning to every good story right?) there lived a busy family of 5.
This family did all the things that most American families were expected to partake in.
The father worked outside of the home and the kids went to school for 8 hours each day. This family then spent their evenings at the ball fields or going to school events.
Then, they somehow fit in homework, dinner, and bath-time before their heads hit the pillow each night.
Now, I want to stop right here for a second…
I know there are millions of families out there living this exact life and I am in no way placing judgment on them. I have friends that still live (and love) this lifestyle and that is great for them. In fact, I’m happy they love it so much!
It simply isn’t for us.
You may now continue…
To the Homeschool Life
We Needed…
Suddenly something drastically changed with this family.
They craved something different — something better.
Once homeschooling entered their lives they couldn’t get enough of the freedom it had to offer.
The dad started fighting to work from home more often, the kids completed their schoolwork early so they could play, and the mom finally realized her house would never be clean again (haha! This is definitely the downside of homeschooling, you guys!).
The family spent more quality time together (sometimes a little too much) and less time doing organized sports and events.
Life was simply… more simple.
For Real Though…
As silly as it sounds, simplicity became our reality.
In the beginning, we did all the things we thought we were supposed to do and homeschooling simply wasn’t a valid option in my mind. My kids were going to attend a well-known private school their entire childhood (the one their father graduated from) and that was it.
I was the person who looked at homeschool moms and thought they were total superheroes because I could never do what they do. Props to them, but the homeschool life was not for me and honestly, my biggest reasoning was completely flawed.
First, I thought I wasn’t smart enough.
Second, I thought it wasn’t the normal way to do things.
Kids need school, friends, and sports — that’s how it’s supposed to be (or so I thought)
I was so wrong.
The Day Everything Changed…
This is where it gets really good, you guys!
My oldest struggled through school his entire life. He was about to enter his 5th-grade year and things just weren’t looking up.
This kid begged me to homeschool him and finally, I caved.
It was new territory for me and I was terrified, but guess what? I totally did it!
We started with online schooling (did that a couple of years ago), then eventually transitioned over to doing our own thing and we will never, ever look back.
My One Regret?
Not doing it sooner.
I will never get those precious grade school years with my older two children back.
While I am thankful for some of the connections we made when my children were in school, I will always miss the opportunities and little moments I could have had if they were home with me.
My oldest started homeschooling in the 6th grade and my middle son in the 4th – because of those missed moments, I soak up every second I can with my youngest.
I watched her learn her letter sounds. Then cried in amazement at the brightness in her eyes when those sounds turned into words.
Homeschool mom life was the life I craved all along and I never even knew it.
Our homeschool life isn’t perfect by any means. Sometimes it’s messy and full of things like interruptions, mishaps, and schedule changes.
Sometimes it’s just plain hard.
However, with a little perseverance and the right attitude, it can also be pretty darn incredible.
Life + Homeschool Blog
My one hope for this homeschool blog is that it will truly be a reflection of who I am as a homeschool mom and what I deeply desire for my own children.
I also look forward to encouraging other new homeschool moms along the way! While I’m not exactly a newbie at this rodeo, I am and always will be learning alongside all of you!
If homeschooling is a new journey for you, I encourage you to read What to Expect the First Homeschool Year— which I wrote with the new homeschool mom in mind.
Simply Be Wild & Free
Did you know that the Life + Homeschool blog is a part of something even bigger? It all started on Simply Be Wild & Free just a few short years ago.
The words simply be and the words wild & free were on my heart.
Learning to simply be was my biggest struggle as a new homeschool mom. I had to force myself to let the housework sit so I could soak up those little moments with my kids.
Finally stepping back and realizing my kids are meant to be wild & free was like a welcomed breath of fresh air in my lungs. Allowing them to learn and grow in their own element was an incredibly eye-opening experience.
If you are curious about the full inspiration behind my original website (which eventually led to this blog) check out the ABOUT PAGE on my main website for all the details!
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