3 Lessons I Learned While Homeschooling

If you ask a group of homeschooled children why they are glad they are homeschooling, they will probably say that pajama parties, home cooked food, and the lack of heavy backpacks are highlights of learning at home. But you want your children to take away more from the years you taught them at home than the memory of doing science experiments in their pajamas. You may have a niggling worry in the back of your mind and wonder if your children will look back and know that homeschooling was the best decision for them.

As a homeschooler who did not get to choose to learn at home, I can confidently say that I am glad my parents chose to homeschool me because it taught me three main lessons.

Valuing Family: Homeschooling gives the family a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bond. Even though we were all varying ages, my sisters and I learned together, ate together, and played together. Spending time with siblings and parents provides an opportunity for children to learn how to get along with other personalities in an open, non-threatening environment. The close time with family during homeschooling taught me to value time with my family and to cherish the characteristics unique to every family member, even after I graduated high school.

Christian Homeschooling: Having been raised in a Christian environment all my life, I never realized how saturated my life was with the Bible until I graduated and was placed in different situations. The chance to teach your children about God through their daily learning is priceless. As a parent, you do not have to combat outside teaching. Instead, you can give your children a biblical foundation that will last the rest of their lives. Christian homeschooling means you can teach your children how to live a godly life in every situation from the time they get up in the morning, through academics, during music lessons, to the moment you tuck them in bed.

Cultivating Skills: Imagine if you did not homeschool your children. What activities would they be missing? What God-given talents would not be cultivated daily? If my parents had not chosen to homeschool me, I would not have pursued music as thoroughly because I would have been too busy to set aside the practice time. My value of family would have been cheapened, not treasured. My love for book reading would not have flourished. Many days occurred when I was frustrated with an academic subject, so I would practice my flute. My mother would let me begin school an hour or two late when I was in the midst of a reality-fading book. Homeschooling offers children a chance to cultivate the skills they have and enjoy discovering new passions in life.

Why did you choose homeschooling? What do you want your children to say that they enjoyed most about Christian homeschooling?