If you had asked me a year ago if I would consider homeschooling my very strong will and independent girls, I would have given you a big NO WAY! I enjoyed having the house to myself, the few hours of quietness I had, and the release I had that I did not need to parent for a bit.
My mama heart has never loved the idea of public schools, even though so far both of my girls have had PHENOMENAL teachers. We honestly could not have asked for better teachers for our oldest child (our shy, somewhat anxious, and introverted kid). We decided to try the free version of school first. It was better for us financially and we knew that if we needed to make a change, we would figure out how to do it. And honestly, I think we made a good decision. Sending her off stretched her and allowed her to see she could do this. Her teachers taught her so much and provided a nurturing environment. Montessori school has always appealed to me for her learning style, but it just wasn’t feasible at the time. Homeschooling was never an option either, as I was not willing to give up my time nor did I think I would ever have the patience.
But now, the times have changed and we were given time to re-evaluate our family’s priorities and needs. I (like most of you) was put in a position to balance work and teach my kids in a virtual setting at the same time. I can look back at that and laugh now, but during that time our house was chaotic, emotional, and we were a big ball of mess! I began looking at my schedule and editing so that I can give them uninterrupted time, watching and learning how my kids learn, and observing how much they crave to have playtime. It was in these moments that I knew that homeschooling needed to be and could be considered for our family.
So the research started, the late night conversations with my husband, calling and talking to friends who have been homeschooling, joining facebook groups and learning from other communities began. Now in no way do I think homeschooling is the right decision for everyone. I still don’t know if it is the right decision for us. I just knew it was right for us right now. I have full intentions of transition time for me and the kids. It will take us some time to get into a routine or a natural flow for us. But I am excited. I am excited to start this journey with my girls and help them dive into their passions, I am excited for the flexibility it will give our family, and excited that I can be a part of their lives as they grow. I have no idea on how long this will go for us. But I am open and will be sharing the highs and lows that we experience on this blog.
We are at the very beginning, and I mean VERY beginning. We have filled out the paperwork, and our curriculum has arrived. Now it is time to start cleaning out a space and creating a “learning environment”. Stay tuned as a lot more will be coming…