There was a time, back when we were still fairly new parents, that I started learning about homeschooling. I thought it was a terrible idea and never thought it would be something we would do.

I started substitute teaching in our school district back in 1996 and quickly realized that public school might not be the best place for our children to gain their education.

Once we started homeschooling, of course the questions and the comments started…

“Oh, I could never homeschool.”

“Are you planning on homeschooling through high school?”

“What about college?”

“What about socialization?”

As I think about those early years of our homeschool journey, there were many days I doubted myself and didn’t think we could keep going.

One big mistake I made was trying to duplicate what was being done at school.

A public school setting is completely different than educating your children at home.

At home, there is more to a child’s education than what can be learned in a textbook.

As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher.

You are the one who teaches them to talk and walk, and so many other basic skills they learn early in life.

All parents are teachers, whether you want to admit it or not.

There are so many things that children learn from their parents that they will not learn anywhere else, the good things and the bad things.

Children see us at our worst and our best.

Educating children in our home gives us the opportunity to teach them life skills as they happen. When the car breaks down, when the washer overflows, when the neighbor needs help…all the things that happen in the day in, day out happenings of our lives. Even things like laundry, meal prep, grocery shopping, housework, yardwork, basic home repairs, etc. When your children are educated at home, basic home life skills become part of your education plan.

What things have your children been able to learn at home?