image by whgrad

My kids and I finished our 8th year of homeschooling two weeks ago.  It was the very best year we’ve ever had, in spite of being interrupted by endless sessions of editing my book and then launching the book in March, complete with lots of interviews and excitement.

As I think about our 8 years as a homeschooling family, I have to be honest.  It hasn’t all been happy faces and gold stars.  There are some downsides that not many of us like to talk about.

1. At times, your children will be outsiders.  They won’t be hip to all the latest fashion trends, video games, music, and fads.  Many of these are fun and harmless, but it will be your kids who may seem like the odd man out because they won’t fit in.
2. Sometimes you will be the outsider as other moms talk about the teachers at their kids’ school and which sports their kids are into this year.
3. There will be times when school will be no fun at all.  For anyone.
4. You’ll have to listen to public school parents brag about their kids being accepted into gifted programs and how great their kid’s school is. You might detect a bit of defensiveness but it wouldn’t be polite to point that out.
5. Sometimes virtual strangers will confront your decision to homeschool.  “You can’t shelter them forever, you know.”  Yes, I was told that when I informed someone I would be homeschooling our 5 year-old.
6. You’ll spend a lot of time second guessing yourself:
• Should we have chosen that other curriculum?
• Am I doing enough?
• Am I doing too little?
• Are my kids well-adjusted?
• I thought homeschooled kids weren’t shy but my daughter is.  What did I do WRONG???
7. It will be hard to gauge how “normal” your kids are because you will seldom see them in a large group of kids, all the same age.  I’m pretty sure my son is really big for his age, but it’s hard to tell because he hangs out with kids of all ages.
8. When it’s time for your “female annual exam,” you may have to bring the kids with you.  My doctor is used to it.  They sit in the hall and she gives them each a lollipop.
9. Ditto for bra fittings, but no lollipops.
10. There have been lots of time when I wanted privacy just to have a good cry.  Maybe I was discouraged, disappointed, sad, whatever, but it’s hard to cry when you have little people examining your face for any sign of tears.
11. Did I mention that a mom’s privacy is pretty much a thing of the past?
12. Friends and relatives look forward to sitting you down with the news that your child doesn’t know their math facts, or your son has terrible handwriting, or your kids don’t know how to play dodgeball, and you suspect they gossip about this behind your back.
13. When your kids are confronted with bullies, they will be completely unprepared for it.  Life with bullies is a way of life for public school kids. Not so much for the homeschooled.

So why are millions of us sticking with our commitment to homeschooling?  Our kids are worth it.  Our family is worth it.  At the end of my life I’ll never be able to say, “I missed out on some of their most important moments.”  Nope, I was there for every single one of them.  Our family bonds are tighter than ever, in spite of, or maybe because of, the squabbles and rubbing each other the wrong way because we are together so much.

Homeschooling may not be perfect, but it’s perfect for our family.  We wouldn’t have it any other way.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by jimmiehomeschoolmom

When I first began homeschooling, I thought my chosen curriculum (KONOS) would be the one to see us through high school.  It was activity based with lots and lots of great ideas for every unit, as well as an emphasis on character building, which my 5 year-old daughter needed at the time!  (Our first unit was ‘Obedience’!)

I think we were about halfway into our second year when I noticed that one of our next assigned activities was to make handmade deerskin moccasins and pemmican.  Now, I have nothing against either of these but at the time I was running a business and had to draw the line somewhere.  Moccasins and pemmican was that line.  I simply didn’t have the time for grandiose crafts and projects every week.   I also wasn’t convinced that we were covering the most important basics by building a “castle” out of the dining room table, chairs, and bedsheets.  So, I began searching for the next “best” curriculum.

It took a couple of false starts before we found Ambleside Online, a curriculum we all love.  First, the curriculum is free.  I didn’t have to pay money for a weekly schedule of assignments in addition to a collection of books and workbooks.  Rather, we use the schedule online and track down the books we need via eBay, Kindle, and Amazon.  Since my son is following in his sister’s footsteps, I only need to buy her set of books once and then sell the books once he’s finished with them.  That’s not all, though.  My kids help put together this list of reasons why we love Ambleside.

Daughter

1. It’s a lot of reading and history, and I like both of these subjects.
2. It’s easy to understand.
3. If I work hard, I can get all my work done in four days.
4. It’s a Christian curriculum.

Son

1. It’s easy and fun.
2. I get to read a lot of adventure stories.
3. It doesn’t get boring.

Mom

1. My kids are reading real literature, like the original Mary Poppins, Oliver Twist, King Arthur, and other top-notch books that are rarely used in the public school system anymore.  They aren’t intimidated by these titles or under the impression that anything more difficult than Captain Underpants is beyond their ability.
2. Their written and verbal vocabularies are amazing.
3. I use the weekly schedule online to create individual, daily schedules that I can adapt to whatever is going on in our lives at the moment.
4. Four-day school weeks are entirely possible.
5. The curriculum includes art history, drawing lessons, classical music, foreign languages, hymn/folk song studies, physical education, biographies, memory work, nature studies, Latin, Shakespeare, Plutarch, and poetry.  Got all that?  The variety of what my kids are learning is impressive, and there are no workbooks!
6. Ambleside is based on the techniques, practices, and in some cases, the actual books used by educator Charlotte Mason in her schools.  The more I read of her philosophy, the more I found myself nodding in agreement.  For example, she believed it was important for kids to verbally summarize what they learn and have read long before they’re assigned written summaries.  Coming from the public school system, I was exceedingly familiar with the difficulty kids have with summarizing information in their own words, and Charlotte’s method makes so much more sense.
7. My kids scarcely know what a textbook is.  They learn most things from “living books” written not by a committee of adults who haven’t taught real kids in a real classroom in more than a decade.  They do use textbooks for math (Math-U-See) and Latin.
8. I’m learning right along with them.  I’ve been reading the original Marco Polo to my son, and I love learning something new!

If you’re considering homeschooling or are taking a second look at your own curriculum, spend some time learning about Ambleside Online.  I’ll be happy to answer questions via email or your comments.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by whgrad

Survival Mom: Thanks for your email.  It sounds like you’re very excited about homeschooling!  The first thing you should do is slow down and take it easy!  Your son is still in preschool, and the two of you can enjoy making learning a relaxing, everyday experience.  At his age, just run with whatever fascinates him.  He’s at that ‘sponge’ age, ready to soak up every bit of information he can.  If you can tap into that natural love for learning and nurture it year after year, you’ve already done far more for him than any school ever could.

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One program we used when they were in that pre-schooler age, was Five in a Row.  The concept of this program is to use a different children’s picture book each week and read  it aloud every day for five days in a row.  Each day you pull different lessons from the book.  The child really enjoys the repeated readings, and you get a chance to draw lessons from every subject area from a single book.  You can talk about the artwork, or the location of the book (find it on a map, globe, maybe make a recipe from that town/country, etc.), the characters, nature lessons from the book, etc.  There’s a different content lesson each day, all pulled from the same book. The main problem with the program is that many of the books are out of print, and it can take quite a bit of effort to track them down.  However, once you see how the author creates her curriculum for each piece of literature, you could easily replicate it yourself using different books.

image by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Friends of mine who have done this eventually drop out.  One friend complained about the massive amount of time involved.  Longer than a public school day sometimes.  When you think about all the classroom crap that doesn’t exist when you homeschool, e.g. taking roll, lining up to go here and there several times a day, time consumed with discipline problems, etc., it mystifies me why so much work should be piled on homeschoolers using these programs.  Unless the ploy is to actually lure them back to the public schools in frustration.  (Disclaimer: I taught school for numerous years and was a teacher trainer for several more.  I may be a little more critical of public schools than the average mom.)

A: Books.  Lots of books.  A good math curriculum.  Math manipulatives, although you can easily substitute buttons or beads or any number of manipulatives you already have around the house.  You truly need so few materials that you’ll begin wondering why on earth our public school system needs billions and billions of dollars.  As time goes on, you and your child will work on various projects together and you’ll need materials for those, but that really is about it.  You’ll find many free materials and resources online, everything from handwriting pages to flashcards.  We’ve enjoyed using a free

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curriculum called Ambleside Online.  The curriculum is free.  You purchase the books (many are free on Kindle).

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Just think.  You can combine books, field trips, family travel, nature walks, visits with friends and family, camping trips, home routines and chores, and errands to create an amazing lifestyle of learning for your little guy!  He’s probably a bundle of energy and will become even moreso.  Sitting down with a pile of books will drive both of you crazy.  That’s actually one of the main reasons I avoid recommending an all-in-one curriculum because they tend to be very heavy on the textbook/workbook system.

© 2011 – 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Tom Raferty

I promised you that I would share some of the smartest and stupidest things I’ve done in my seven years of homeschooling, and I have.  They’re just not posted on my blog!

My friend, Patrice Lewis, has posted my list over on her blog, Rural Revolution.  You can read it there.  See, I owed her an article from a couple of months ago and had to keep my word!  I hope you enjoy my list and feel free to add your own.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

1.    How happy are you with your child’s school?

image by QUOI Media

Many different elements make up your child’s school experience. The mix of children in his or her classroom, the homeroom teacher, special area teachers, curriculum, and the school principal all combine to create a positive educational experience, or not. A change in even one element can make a big difference in the total experience for an individual child. When forming an opinion of the public school, be as informed and active as possible, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

2.    Has your child expressed an interest in homeschooling or expressed concerns about his or her public school experience?

No parent ever knows everything that goes on in their child’s classroom, the school bus, or on the playground. That’s not an accusation. It’s a fact. If your child expresses feelings of fear or an inordinate amount of stress, it’s time to begin asking questions, visiting the classroom, and evaluating if a change needs to be made. On the other hand, if your child is eager to attend school each day, expresses affection for his or her teacher and fellow students, and is maintaining an excitement for learning, it’s probably a great fit!

3.    Is there a specific area of concern?

Do you have reason to believe your child may not be physically safe at school?  What concerns have other parents expressed about the school or school employees? Is your child’s education suffering for one reason or another? Trust your eyes, your ears and your child. If there are serious issues, you will have to weigh them against the option of homeschooling or switching to another school.

image by Chesi - Fotos CC

4.    Is your spouse on board?

Trying to homeschool with only one parent in favor of the idea is like two people rowing a boat with each headed in the opposite direction. Talking with other homeschool parents and learning more about homeschooling can be reassuring to a parent concerned about things like socialization and academic achievement. Remember, homeschooling isn’t necessarily a forever decision.  Many families commit to trying it for one year and then evaluating whether or not to continue.

5.    Do your circumstances allow for homeschooling?

Taking on the responsibility of educating your children is a big job. What obstacles might you have to overcome so you will have the time, energy and materials to be successful? Most homeschool families make do with just one income since Mom usually becomes the primary educator. Would this be feasible for your family and your budget?

Here are a few more tips.

• Make this decision with both your head and your heart.
• If you decide to homeschool, give yourselves at least a month to ease into it.
• Scour the internet for loads of free curriculum and materials. It’s possible to homeschool without incurring any cost whatsoever.
• The library is your new best friend! Learn about and utilize their many services.
• Find other homeschoolers in your area. You’ll need to interact with other parents who are in the trenches right alongside you.
• Don’t expect too much during your first few months. You’re moving from a highly programmed and regulated public school setting to something far more relaxed.
• Don’t give up too soon!

Check out:

Homeschool Survival: How to get through tough times

My Top 16 Tips for Beginning Homeschoolers

Stepping into Homeschooling, Part 1

Why Preppers Should Consider Homeschooling
// ]]>

© 2011 – 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by whgrad

1.  Just forget trying to duplicate a classroom environment, schedule and curriculum in your home.  There’s nothing sacred about sitting at desks, having set amounts of time per subject, or using only textbooks.  In fact, until my daughter was 11 years old, she didn’t even know what a textbook was!

2.  Ignore the strawman argument about homeschooled kids not being socialized.  I challenge the assumption that putting 20-30 kids, all the same age, in a room for nine months is the best method for teaching empathy, self-control, patience, generosity, and other desirable traits. Often, it achieves just the opposite.

3.  Ultimately, your role will be as a facilitator to your child’s learning.  There’s no need to lecture, and very often you’ll find yourself learning something new right alongside your child.

4.  Connect with other homeschooling families.

image by whgrad

5.  Once you get inside the homeschooling ‘inner circle’, you’ll be AMAZED at the resources available to you!  Here in the Phoenix area we have access to special homeschooling classes at our Science Center.  We get incredibly low rates to virtually every cultural event in town, including the ballet, opera, and museum tours.  You’ll find local homeschooling email loops, forums, and more!  Jump in and enjoy!

6.  Try to attend a homeschool conference if possible.  You’ll have the chance to inspect a multitude of curriculum, listen to inspiring speakers, and network with others.

7.  Don’t assume that you’ll always use the same curriculum or belong to the same homeschooling group.  You’ll be surprised at how your educational philosophy evolves and how one group or activity turns out to not be the best for your family after all.  Just roll with it.

8.  Use technology but don’t become dependent on it.  I used a computer based curriculum this year and when we experienced computer problems, my kids couldn’t do any lessons until the problems were fixed!  I couldn’t believe how often we had issues with this during the year.  We have tons of books on the Kindle, but when we misplace the charger, forget it!

image by jimmiehomeschoolmom

9.  If something, anything, isn’t working, give it one more try and then move on.  There’s no use being a stubborn idiot about it.  I loved the idea of my daughter taking gymnastics, but when it became a fight to get her to class, I gave up and we moved on to another activity.

10. At the beginning of the school year, get your feet wet gently.  Begin with just one subject for the first week.  Add the second subject the next week and another subject or two the third week.  This helps ease everyone back into the school year.

11.  This may go against your nature, but there’s no need to do every subject every day!  Keep in mind that public schools offer music once a week, maybe twice.  Science is taught only two or three days a week, and the same goes for history, geography, social studies, foreign language and more.  You’ll kill yourself trying to fit in six subjects every day.

12.  You’ll be surprised by how few materials you need to teach.  I taught my daughter to read using the book, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  The lessons were ghastly boring, but she’s an astonishing reader!

13.  I can’t over-emphasize the importance of reading and math.  They’re the keys to everything else your kids will learn.  Do everything in your power to develop strong readers and little mathematicians.

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14.  This is YOUR school.  If you want to spend an entire day playing math games and then going for a nature walk, do it!  The flexibility and spontaneity are part of the adventure.

15.  Join HSLDA.  It’s a Christian based organization, but if you are EVER contacted by a school district, Board of Education, Child Protective Services or any other agency questioning your homeschooling, you will be grateful you belong to this organization.  It’s worth the monthly fee of $7 or so.  You can also learn about your state’s laws at the HSLDA website.

16.  The world is your classroom!  Use it!  Track down every resource available.  Plan family vacations that will reinforce what your kids have been learning.

Next in the series:  Smart and Really Stupid Things I’ve Done as a Homeschooler!

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by chefranden

As the current school year comes to an end, a lot of parents begin wondering if homeschooling might be the right option for next year.  My family is finishing our seventh year of homeschooling, and there’s never been a doubt in my mind that it was the right choice.

I believe that homeschooling is the best option for many, but not all, kids.  When I was a classroom teacher, it was impossible for me to know in depth the strengths and weaknesses of every student.  There was only one of me and 25-30 of them.  A lot of my time and attention was spent on classroom duties and maintaining order.  As I taught, I envisioned myself at a bowling alley.  I rolled the ball, or lesson, down the center of the lane, hoping to “hit” as many pins, or students, as possible with the concepts and skills I was teaching.  Kids at the lower end of the spectrum usually received special instruction by remedial experts, and the kids at the upper end were, well, just there.  In my school district, gifted kids were pulled out for three hours of in-depth instruction once every seven days.

There are definite benefits to homeschooling

Now that my attention is focused on just two children, and the two that I know and care about more than any others, I can discuss in detail which subjects and skills are their strengths and where they

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need more practice.  I can observe them work a math problem and know whether or not they understand the concept.  If one curriculum doesn’t suit us for some reason, I know that we can switch to another.  Customized curriculum and individualized instruction are major strengths of homeschooling and reason enough to give it serious consideration.

A huge benefit of homeschooling is that it gives the gift of time.  The kids can be finished with their lessons and learning activities in 2-4 hours, depending on their age and grade level.  That has freed up time for them to take horseback riding lessons, music lessons, skating, drama, sports and P.E. and so much more.  My daughter spends time working on a quilting project, and we’re able to travel during off-peak times, avoiding crowds wherever we go.  Compared with friends whose homes are frantic in the morning with everyone trying to get ready and out the door for school and then filled with homework at the end of the day, our days are much more relaxed.

When I’ve been asked why we homeschool, my reasons have changed over the years.  At first it was just because I thought it would be fun to explore and learn as a family.  Now, I’d say it has more to do with the cohesiveness of our family and the ability to develop two human beings that love to learn, have a positive outlook on life, and have a complete education.

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It’s not all a bowl of cherries

Over the years I’ve appreciated the freedom it gives our family and watching my children enjoy learning, but there are definite drawbacks.

In most families, it’s the mother who is responsible for most or all of the schooling.  Sometimes this has made my life complicated and frustrating.   Even though diaper bags are ancient history around our house, I still have to stop and think what we need to pack in order for my kids to stay out of trouble when I have a hair or a dentist’s appointment.  When I’ve had a doctor’s appointment, my kids go along and sit out in the hallway.  Pretty much every errand takes longer.  I’m blessed that I have family within ten miles or so of our house, but dropping the kids off every time I have to go somewhere isn’t usually practical.

Another drawback is that it can take time to find your family’s unique combination of curriculum, activities, and schedule.  Many new homeschooling parents want to duplicate school at home, along with stacks of textbooks, workbooks, and a strict schedule.  This almost never works and they become frustrated.  I’ll share ideas for working through the process of finding what works for you later in this series, but don’t be tempted to give up too soon just because nothing is flowing the right way and the visions you had of laughing together over a science experiment or sharing the excitement of discovering the nuances in Alice in Wonderland just aren’t happening.

It can be tough to be a homeschooling mom

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As a mom, I have to admit there’s a third serious drawback, and that is maintaining my own healthy self-esteem.  I  have always known that I would be the weakest link in our homeschool journey.  I tend to rebel against schedules and am way, way too spontaneous.  When we get off track from school for a few days, I beat myself up.  Over the years I’ve heard so many other homeschool moms do the same thing.

“We’d be further ahead if I could just…”

“My kids are behind in math, but it’s all my fault.”

“I just can’t seem to find the right curriculum…”

Because homeschooling falls mostly on our shoulders, it’s very easy to set a standard so high that, really, no mom could ever reach it.  Every day you do the best you can do.  You’ll see results, I promise.

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Still want to jump in?

My advice for families considering homeschooling is to consider:

1.  Why do you want to homeschool?

2.  Why do you think it’s the best choice for your kids and your family?

3.  Who will be responsible for the instruction?

4.  Will the family be able to live on one income (assuming the mother will stay home and teach)?

5.  Are there any special circumstances to consider?

If you have spent time thinking about the why of homeschooling, it will be easier to stay committed on days when nothing goes right.

Homeschooling is a radical path.  It changes the way you look at education.  It changes the way your family interacts with each other.  It’s more than just having your kids learn academic subjects at home instead of at a school.  It’s a lifestyle change.

Knowing what know now and having lived through some incredible school days and others that tested the limits of my sanity, I can say that this is the only lifestyle for us.  I wouldn’t change a thing.

Coming next: My top tips for beginning homeschoolers.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

One thing is for certain. If you home-school long-term, you are going to eventually encounter a challenge that will make home-schooling more difficult.  I have been home-schooling for 20 years and have encountered a few of these challenges myself including a natural disaster, the sudden death of my brother (he was killed by a drunk driver in 1997), several moves, building a house, chronic illness, difficult pregnancies,  and the deaths of my niece and my father.

I think you get the picture.

I remember after going through Hurricane Andrew in 1992, that some of my home-schooling friends put their kids in school and some, like myself, continued to home-school.  Now, I’m not here to judge anyone’s choice in this regard, but I do believe it is possible to successfully home-school, even when circumstances seem to be conspiring against it.  The key to dealing with the stresses of life’s challenges while continuing to home-school comes down, I believe, to implementing these two strategies:

1. Flexibility
2. Prioritizing

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Flexibility: When life throws you a major curve, you may have to discard your beautifully laid-out plans for what your “school year” was supposed to look like.  You may even need to take a break for awhile.  There is nothing wrong with this, and it will make sense to you if you are taking a long view.  In other words, taking a break for a few days, or even a few weeks, is not likely to hinder your second-grader’s chances of getting in his or her college of choice.

When my brother was killed in 1997, I was just getting ready to start up our school year.  At that time I had three children, two who were home-schooling.  My daughter was beginning 8^th grade, and my oldest son was beginning 4^th grade.  Within hours of getting the devastating news I was on a plane to my parents’ home, leaving my daughter to care for her younger brothers while my husband worked.  As it turned out, over the next 24 hours or so, she also did everyone’s laundry AND all the packing for her dad, herself, and her brothers for their trip to my parents’ home the next day.  (I did not find out that she had taken these responsibilities upon herself until several weeks later.  It was at that point that I began to realize that all the hard work and training of my children really was paying off.  My daughter was only 13 but managed with the grace and efficiency of many adults!)

During that next year (and for many years after) I was engulfed by grief.  I was also very concerned for my parents having to deal with the loss of their oldest son.  I took many trips to visit with my parents, by myself, for as much as a week at a time.  My daughter was old enough to do her school work on her own and even supervise her brother.  But if I had not been able to be flexible – to allow myself to be available to my parents (for instance) and to trust that what really needed to get done, would get done – I would have missed out on, not only the opportunity to be of comfort to my parents, but also the opportunity to see how my years of home-schooling were bearing fruit, especially in my daughter’s life.

Prioritizing: I’m always a little surprised when I hear home-schoolers saying they are overwhelmed with their day and they mention that one of the things on their “must-do” list is home-schooling.  Do they not realize that it is THEIR home-school?  But I remember a time when I felt like them.  It took a few life-changing events to teach me that my children could get a more-than-adequate education even if I cut back on the amount of work I required of them, for a time.

For instance, I remember after going through Hurricane Andrew I put a lot of stress on myself feeling that I needed to keep up with a full curriculum with my daughter.  For several weeks after the storm we lived with family while we looked for a new place to live.  We found a damaged home that we were able to buy dirt cheap (“dirt cheap” was right within our budget!) but we had to live in it while we repaired it, which was a perfect recipe for stress.  On top of that my husband started his own business and then six months into the rebuilding process I became pregnant with our third child.  I was so ill that I spent virtually the first four months of my pregnancy in bed.

That year or two after the hurricane was so incredibly stressful for me that I even began to question my decision to home-school.  Thankfully, my husband and I went to a small home-school conference about that time and I became re-motivated and re-energized to continue our home-school journey.

When facing later challenges I finally came to the realization that there were really only three things that I needed to maintain in order to make sure my children’s education progressed.  I am referring to what is commonly known as the “three R’s” – reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic .

image by jimmiehomeschoolmom

When your children are young, if you will stick with a consistent math program, and a phonics/reading program, your child will be getting what they REALLY NEED.  If you have older children, they can certainly be doing the majority of their work independently, but even then, if you scale things back for a little while it won’t do them any harm, and it will help to alleviate stress for you and your children.

Now I realize that in some states the regulations are more rigorous in terms of how many days/hours you are required to home-school, as well as what subjects need to be covered.  But I would contend that there are ways to give your children credit for work that does not require them sitting down with books for hours a day.  In addition, I am not advocating that you discontinue teaching other subjects -science and history, for example – indefinitely, only that you take a break for a time to allow yourself to adjust to the new challenges you are facing and how they may impact your family long-term.

I do encourage you, if you live in a state that has stricter regulations concerning curriculum and other requirements, to contact your local and state home-school representatives to help you with ideas for complying with those regulations in a way that works best for your family.

Finally, whether the challenge you are facing is the blessing of a new baby in the house, the tragedy of the loss of a loved one, or the stress of a move or some other life event, it is possible for your home-school to “survive” and even thrive, if you remember two things: be flexible and evaluate your priorities.  Having done those two things, make the appropriate adjustments.  You CAN meet life’s challenges AND continue to home-school as well.  And as you do so, your home-schooled children will be learning valuable life lessons that I believe no other educational model can provide.

© 2010 – 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

The foremost benefit for preppers is that homeschooling provides a continuous flow of education in spite of changing circumstances. Any event that would normally disrupt the school year doesn’t have nearly the same impact for homeschoolers. During a time of intense stress and change, a homeschooling family is together, along with the reassurance and the anchor that only parents can provide.

If a family decides to move to another location or has to evacuate for a time, other than losing some time in the moving process, kids can pick up their schooling right where they left off. The trauma of leaving one school and starting over in another is a non-issue. A multitude of free homeschooling resources on the web can take the place of more expensive curriculum if need be.

In case a pandemic hits, homeschooled kids will already be at home, along with their textbooks, computers, and everything else they need for learning. School closings and quarantines will be one less thing to worry about.

If you’re worried about socialization, I present to you my two children. Bella, age 10, is in a sewing class, on a swim team, cheerleading squad, takes piano lessons, and is pretty much in charge of our neighborhood’s group of kids. Chris, age 7, can talk with anyone about anything, anywhere, anytime. He plays football, takes guitar lessons, is also on a swim team, and attracts little girls like moths to a flame. Our homeschooling has given them the time to develop practical skills, like canning and gardening, that would otherwise be limited by public school hours and homework. If you still need convincing, read this excellent article.

If the idea of homeschooling has ever crossed your mind, you’ll find a variety of helpful articles here. There are thousands of resources online, but for basic information for beginners, here are a few of my favorite sites.

How to Decide if Homeschooling is Right For You

Homeschooling.About.Com

Donna Young

Guilt-Free Homeschooling

The free curriculum I personally use can be found at Ambleside Online.

Feel free to email me at thesurvivalmom@yahoo.com with homeschooling questions you’d like me to answer personally. I have found that homeschooling parents are generally eager to share their experiences and offer advice and suggestions, and chances are, there are homeschooling activity groups and co-ops in your area.

“Follow your heart”, isn’t always the best advice, but when it comes to homeschooling, I think it’s an excellent guide. If your heart is telling you to, at least, consider homeschooling, there’s no better time to do that than right now.

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