Everyone has a story and a unique perspective on why they choose certain paths. Homeschoolers are no different. When you begin to look for information, you will find new and unfamiliar terms. Words like Charlotte Mason, Montessori, classical education, school-at-home, child-led learning, and unschooling are only a few. In reality, homeschooling is as diverse as the families that choose this path.

Some choose to homeschool because they were homeschooled. Some choose to homeschool because of bad experiences in public school. Some withdraw their children from public school because of bullying or learning challenges. The list goes on.

Our Story

Our journey began as we faced a time of transition. Our family lived in Germany for three years. During that time, our son attended local German Kindergarten. Their education model was very different, focused more on play and experiential learning during those early years. The teachers were surprised that he already knew his letters. I later learned that formal reading instruction typically began when children entered grade school.

We were already doing some very informal schooling at home. German Kindergarten was more for his social needs, learning the culture, and giving me a couple of hours with his baby sister.

Our time in Germany ended in October 2014, after the school year had begun. We had no plan for where we would be, so rather than enrolling him in one school and transferring at least twice, we opted for homeschooling.

When we started this journey, we said we would evaluate each child and each year to determine what made the most sense. For our family, homeschooling continued to make the most sense, and we have been blessed to have many other homeschooling friends in our community.

What You Really Need to Know

If you choose to homeschool, one of the most important things to understand is that there isn’t one right way to do it. The best approach is the one that works for your child and your family.

This may change with each child and from year to year—sometimes even in the middle of a year. The greatest advantage of homeschooling is that you can try different things to figure out what works best for your child and create a timeline and schedule that fit your family.

Everything is a learning opportunity! Helping in the kitchen, planting a garden, and looking up the answers to questions together can all become part of our school days.

The Final Scoop

Homeschool laws and guidelines vary by state. Before beginning, learn the homeschool requirements where you live and make sure you understand your responsibilities. You can find state-by-state information through HSLDA.

Homeschooling is a journey, not a destination. What works beautifully for one season may not work for the next. A curriculum that fits one child may frustrate another. A schedule may need to change. Sometimes the lesson itself is learning when something isn’t working and being willing to try another way.

The goal isn’t to homeschool according to someone else’s definition of what homeschooling should look like. The goal is to know your children, keep learning alongside them, and give them what they need.