Should We Homeschool? A Beginner’s Guide

Last week, I met with moms from many educational backgrounds to discuss homeschooling — a topic more families seem to be considering. I’m surprised and intimidated to find myself among them.

I loved my traditional private school education, but my husband’s experience was different. When he struggled in a traditional classroom, his mom bravely chose a new path that helped him thrive. It wasn’t easy or perfect, but he remains deeply grateful for her sacrifice.

Now, with kids of our own, we’re asking: Should we homeschool?

It feels weighty, but I’m encouraged by moms ahead of me who remind us to take it one year — or even one month — at a time. After last week’s discussion, I wanted to share these resources in hopes they offer wisdom, encouragement, and clarity as your family discerns what’s best.

The Basics

If you’re new to the idea of homeschooling, this article by Ty Salvant is a great read! She suggests identifying the “why” behind your decision to homeschool and then defining education for yourself and your children. Next, it’s essential to understand the various learning styles and approaches.

Watch How to Choose a Homeschooling Style for a simplified breakdown of educational philosophies. Highly recommend!

The Heart

Some great reads that provide encouragement and insight into the heart of homeschooling:

• Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning — Sally Clarkson
  A Christian, heart-centered book about cultivating a love of learning in your children. Less about schedules and checklists, more about creating a home atmosphere full of curiosity, faith, books, beauty, conversation, and wonder.

• Homeschooling: You’re Doing It Right Just by Doing It — Ginny Yurich
  A practical, encouraging book for parents who are starting homeschooling or second-guessing themselves. Ginny Yurich is the founder of 1000 Hours Outside, so expect a strong emphasis on outdoor time, family rhythm, confidence, and not overcomplicating homeschool.

• Mother Culture®: For a Happy Homeschool — Karen Andreola
  A Charlotte Mason-style book focused on the mother’s inner life, habits, peace, reading, homemaking, and emotional stamina. The basic idea is: a healthier, calmer, more nourished mother creates a happier homeschool.

• Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child’s Education— Dorothy N. Moore and Raymond S. Moore:This 1975 book challenges the assumption that earlier schooling always means better outcomes. The Moores make the case that children often thrive when parents protect the early years, delay heavy academics, and allow learning to grow naturally through home life, play, responsibility, and relationship.

The Relationships

The biggest rebuttal I hear about homeschooling? “But kids need to be socialized!” With the flexibility that comes with homeschooling, there are limitless ways to build strong social bonds for your kids and you! Quick online searches can help you connect with local homeschool co-ops, or you can get involved with service organizations, playground sports, attend homeschool library events, and more! Churches may also have great homeschool resources. If you’re local to our home base of New Orleans, there’s CHEF of GNO, Homeschool Louisiana, SERVE Homeschool Outreach and more.

A Beautiful Compromise

Maybe homeschooling seems like too much for you to take on, but you love the idea of flexibility and more time with your kids. Don’t fret! There are increasingly more hybrid schooling options available. But, what is hybrid schooling? Hybrid means a child might attend a school, co-op, or learning center two or three days a week, then complete lessons or assignments at home the other days. This gives families some structure and outside instruction, while still allowing more flexibility, family time, and parental involvement than a full-time traditional school. Search “hybrid schools near me” and you may be surprised to find wonderful opportunities for your family.

As with any major decision, how to educate your children is deeply personal. Not everyone will understand it or agree with it, but this is the beauty of family. We are granted the great privilege and responsibility of stewarding these children, and God gives us much liberty in how we choose to do so. As we all embark on this lifelong journey of learning, may we continually pray, seek wise counsel and invest in a healthy community of believers to journey alongside.

From Another Mother,

Lex