Why would anyone……ever…… homeschool their kids? Come in with a clear mind and an open heart and I’ll tell ya allllll my secrets. 

The Top 7 Reasons Parents Homeschool Their Kids (homeschooling benefits)

1. Ultimately, more free time.

Say what? How? Going from a compulsory “punching the clock” mentality to getting work done efficiently, in far less time, is the root of it. With technology, focus and committed guidance from you, your kiddos can power through their work while enjoying time together. Think of what you could accomplish with a student to teacher ratio of 1:1, 2:1 or 3:1?

Now, what could you do with all that extra time? I mean, the possibilities are endless. My son learned to knit. Friends have their children in competitive sports programs.  How about nature walks? Or podcasts. Drawing art, music. It’s the cornerstone of a successful homeschool strategy.

2. Obviously or maybe not so obviously…..a flexible schedule.

Have a child who enjoys traveling as much as you do? School them on the road, in a new city, while your spouse works. Want to take a class together to learn guitar?  Sure, do it any time of the day, whenever is best for your family. The beauty of homeschool is that you can do the work anytime, anywhere. Do you have a child who works better in the evenings? Let them get creative when their brains are in full learning mode. Vice versa, what about a child who loves to crank work fast and early to get stuff done so that they have free time to enjoy what they really love? Go for it! I have a 12 year old who is obsessed with skiing. During the season he is up early at 6:30 a.m. crushing work so that he can work on his tricks on the mountain in the afternoon. By working under the premise of flexibility, he has more time to pursue personal goals. With that extra time, he also decided he wanted to volunteer.  So, he got certified with the local Adaptive Ski Program to work with skiers facing physical and mental challenges on the mountain.  This is what I have come to know, when kids are able to pursue their passions, they’ll get their work done. No coaxing.  Like a free-lancer or entrepreneur, forget the standard “show up 9-5 schedule” and get the work done in your time. It’s great training to show them that they are in control of their own destiny. Yaaasss!

3. Freedom to be who they are…bye-bye bully.

I remember in middle school, I wanted a pair of z cavaricci pants so bad. I didn’t care what they cost. What they looked like. I just knew everyone had them and I wanted them. What if, back then, I could have decided for myself if those pants were undeniable awful? What would I have liked? When there is no pressure to be or act a certain way from outside influences kiddos can grow into their true selves.  Now on the flip side of this, isn’t it a right of passage to have to deal with difficult people in life? Sure. Difficult people are everywhere but now as an adult I have the tools and mindset to better understand the situation. So, why not skip this phase? It creates an environment for success. Let your child become who they want to become. Let them experiment in creating different parts of themselves and decide what to pursue on their own. Not have another 10 year old dictate it for them. 

4. You pick your homeschool curriculum…. if you decide to use one.

Freedom from the mainstream education and free pursuit of knowledge. We wanted more flexibility in what we taught our kids.  Trade yoga for World Economics next Wednesday? Sure. Want to learn about Ghandi or Jesus Christ next Friday at noon?  Let's discuss. You get to pick while keeping your families deep and meaningful ideals at the forefront.  Think back 20 years, most families  that chose to homeschool did so for religious purposes. Now, I see families motivated by just the opposite. A free pursuit of knowledge, religious and otherwise. Families are learning about the world’s great philosophies of how to live life, exploring the sacred teachings of the world. Asking their kids- what do you think? Expanding, opening and broadening their scope of learning. Ahhhmmmeenn. :) 

5. Safety.

While this reason wasn't really a driving factor in homeschooling for us, we know several families where this is a consideration.  The fact is, mass violence could happen anywhere in America. When it shows up in schools, it creates fear and panic in society. Some families feel as though the terrorist preparedness drills and lockdowns send a subconscious message to kids that they're not safe.  A child who feels safe in a particular environment will learn better. This is not disputed by the experts.  While homeschool isn't perfect in many regards, it does provide a level of safety and comfort for children while learning and for some parents, makes it worth the endeavor to take on.

6. Traveling, exploring and homeschooling on the road.

Who loves to be on the go? If you can work from anywhere. Do it and homeschool at the same time. The amazing thing is, once your kids get used to learning on the go, they become unstoppable.  Life becomes an opportunity to work hard and explore harder. In 2017, our family of five (three boys ages 6, 8, and 10) decided to sell everything and take an around the world trip. It was looking at life life as an opportunity to learn about new cultures, new places and new ways of living from others and see how they create happiness. When this happens, learning is life. Life is learning. And, just to clarify. You don’t have to sell everything and take a trip around the world. How about two weeks exploring national parks? 

7. When to start homeschooling?

Now is the time. Period. Do you realize what it’s like to have the opportunity to be able to learn from the greatest minds of our time right from our laptops or iPads? At any time. When we want.  We are literally walking around with supercomputers in our pockets. Learn from Ivy League professors on YouTube. Listen to long-form podcasts with the greatest authors and entrepreneurs of our time sharing their expertise. Incredible. It’s strange to think that classrooms haven't evolved in society today like everything else. They still mostly look like they have for the last 100 years. So what do we do in that case? Make your own life out of learning. It is all there for the taking. These are the greatest times to be living and learning as a human. The fact that homeschooling is allowed in America is literally one of our most amazing freedoms.  Capitalize on it.

Think about it. It is all a matter of deciding what aligns most with your priorities as a family. For us, it changed everything. 

xoxo- Jess