If you would have asked me 5 years ago (or even 2 years ago) if I would ever homeschool… It would have been a HARD NO!

So with that confession, I can tell that many of you just took a huge sigh of relief. I just became more relatable. HA! Whether you’re at a place in your life where you’re thinking about homeschooling or if you’re just curious because you think I’m crazy… welcome! I’m so glad you’re here! LOL

So let’s pretend that we’re sitting in a cute coffee shop while I tell you our story and what led me on this path. Then, you can share with me your questions and fears… because we’re good friends. I have a secret to tell you that you probably don’t realize. YOU CAN DO THIS. No, for real. You can. When March of 2020 came around and I started toying with the idea of homeschool, I first had to deal with a lie that I had bought into… that I wasn’t capable of teaching my kids.

WAIT, WHAT?!

I know, that thought sounds absolutely insane. We have to teach our kids everyday. But somehow I bought into the lie that I wouldn’t be capable of teaching them all the things they would need to know and might fail them. YIKES. Feeling like you’re going to fail your kids is a hefty burden to carry. Yet, what was the standard for “failing?” I had to really press into the Lord with this one, and have him change my belief cycle. I am the expert of my kids, and the Lord entrusted them to ME. How could I build the legacy that I wanted for their lives if I hardly ever saw them? We were involved with so many things that I felt like the years were slipping through my fingertips. I felt like I was missing so much precious time with my children, and so many of the light bulb moments of them learning.

The end of the 2020 school year was wild. Yet, at the same time there were so many precious treasures of time. I began to witness a shift. A shift in the hustle and bustle that our life had become. There were a whole lot of “yeses” that weren’t inherently bad… yet those “yeses” had robbed us of valuable family time that we didn’t even realize – that is, until the world shut down. Being able to spend intentional time with my kids was such a gift. Although the virus/world events were difficult, the slower paced lifestyle was a blessing that we never expected. I have seen all of my kids blossom, but especially my oldest son. I will never forget when my mom asked my oldest son what his favorite part of homeschool was. His response was, “I get to spend more time with my mom.” I was stunned and hadn’t fully realized how much we both had missed spending time together. It was obvious that his stress was gone and he wasn’t so tense. Even friends of mine noticed his demeanor shifting. That was when I knew that we would homeschool the next year.

I gave myself grace to change my mind after a year. No pressure. I think this was huge because I didn’t feel like I was locked into something forever. I gave myself permission to reevaluate after the year was done. So with that decision, we began our homeschool journey in August of 2020.

Throughout this year, some of my favorite days have been when we go exploring together and do things we never could have if they were in public school. A constant favorite has been exploring the state park with packed lunches and nature notebooks in hand. Another highlight was going to visit neighbors who have allllll the farm animals. Such sweet and special memories that are made when we learn together. Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing!”

Below you will find some of the most common questions that I am asked. I’d love to be a safe space for you to comment with questions and share your fears. I’m telling you momma… you can do this!

FAQ: What would be the first step if I decide to homeschool?

If you are beginning to consider homeschool (EEEK SO EXCITED FOR YOU!), the very first thing you’ll want to do is look up and understand the homeschool laws for YOUR state. Each state varies in how they regulate homeschooling. Here is a link where you can see what requirements your state. Each state varies on how to withdraw from public school as well as homeschooling requirements (testing, mandating subjects, records, etc).

FAQ: What curriculum do you use? Would you use it again?

Once I decided that we were going to dive head first into homeschooling, the next step was deciding which curriculum we would do. You guys, there are so many great ones out there! I think that different curriculums are better for different children/personality types. We decided to go with The Good and the Beautiful and it has served us so well. It was a one stop shop for us because they offer Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Handwriting, and Electives. It also focuses on the Lord, teaches children integrity and character, and so much more. Another reason that made me fall in love with the Good and the Beautiful was because they believe that there should be resources available to anyone who wants to homeschool – and finances shouldn’t be a factor. The Good and the Beautiful actually provide the Language Arts Course book PDF for FREE for levels 1-5. The new Math Course Book PDFs will also be free in August. I personally love buying the bound books (which are also very inexpensive in my opinion), however the downloadable PDF is a great option for those who have a tight budget. Finances should never stop you from homeschooling your kids if you really want to.

With Math and LA, I highly recommend having your kids take the assessment test for which level they are on. (The assessments are free on their website!) From personal experience, homeschool curriculum is normally more advanced than public school. So don’t worry if your child takes the assessment and places in Level K when they are suppose to be in 1st grade. When we started, my daughter tested in between levels so I went up a level and quickly realized it was too hard. When we went down a level, the beginning lessons were too easy, so what we did was double up on lessons until we got to a place where she was on track. I was amazed at how much she learned and grew in such a short time. She ended up completing an entire level in just one semester. Those assessment tests from when she started to when she ended made my heart want to burst with joy. I WAS the best teacher for her. I could do this! We have already ordered their curriculum again for next year. (Side Note: The Good and the Beautiful did an overhaul on their Math (I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!) and their new Math will be released at the beginning of August 2021.)

FAQ: When schools got shut down and we had to do school at home that was miserable… why would you want to do that again??

For some of you who did school at home for a little while last year, you need to know something. School at home is not the same as homeschool. One of the tendencies is to try and replicate a public school day in your kitchen. That’s not the solution, I promise. You have an opportunity like never before – to leave the classroom model that has kept our kids sitting at a desk for 7 hours (yes, I know they don’t sit there the whole time… but still). Your kids will be able to be creative, curious, and pursue some of their passions (this is where we have thrived in our science curriculum). There is a whole new world of teaching that happens. You can teach real life skills – like cooking and learning fractions, budgeting and talking about finances, chores and responsibility… the lessons are endless.

FAQ: What does your every day look like?

Here is a sample of our schedule! We do school 4 days a week and use Fridays for our catch up day or activities (like field trips, art, etc).

I am a big believer in setting the atmosphere for success. Every time I take the time to be intentional and get my diffusers started and put on some soft worship music… there is just an undeniable shift. So, first thing in the morning, I load up our diffusers. I love using fresh and clean scents or ones that help with mental clarity and focus. We love the Young Living Geneyus essential oil, or peppermint and lemon. (All of which help with retaining information and with mental alertness). I also have them apply some of the oil to the back of their neck and breathe it in. The stage is now set for a productive day! Boy! It makes a difference when I take the time to do this versus when I don’t.

Monday through Thursday we do handwriting/typing (typing is for 3rd grade and above), math, and language arts/reading. We usually alternate between science and history every other day. Since I’m teaching two kiddos, school normally takes about 2-3 hours a day. The rest of the day is filled with chores, outside playtime, creativity, and quiet time. My kids are also very involved with sport activities, so usually our evenings are filled with those. I am so glad I get to see them during the day!

We love how there are so many options for science with the Good and the Beautiful. I let my kids look through the different options and choose ones they were most interested in. We decided to go with Water in our World, Botany, and Marine Biology this year.

What has been working for me when it comes to teaching multiple kids at once is to have one of my kids to start on handwriting while I get the other started on their math lesson. Then, when they reach their independent section, I switch to teaching the other. I continue with that model with language arts as well. Switching back and forth when one is on their independent practice has been helpful so that no one is frustrated and waiting. Science and history are designed to be taught at the same time no matter how many kids you have.

The beauty of homeschool is that you can make your day look like however you want it to look. There are so many options and if you try one thing and it doesn’t work for your family… switch it up! My family enjoys staying up later so we have a much slower morning. We get up, enjoy the morning, eat breakfast, do some chores, and usually get started on school around 10am. That works for us. Do what works for you!

FAQ: What do you do with your little kids who aren’t in school yet?

Another helpful tip is to get your school age kids started on their handwriting (independent activity), journal (have them write a scripture and draw a picture), or even reading while you spend some quality time with your littles. I have noticed by giving my littlest ones some attention (even just 15 mins) before we start school, they are much more apt to be content and play by themselves for a little while. You can also do some educational screen time (we love the show Super Book — free on prime tv) which will hold their attention. Another idea is to have some different bins for each day that contains different activities or toys. There is always something new because you rotate the bin each day. That has worked with keeping my kids busy for a couple hours while I’m teaching the older ones.