Let me share with you my top 5 reasons for teaching our children at home — maybe you have the same reasons; or maybe these will help you clarify your own reasons, especially if you’re just exploring homeschooling.
I didn’t think I would be able to do it but here we are, on the last post for this special series. You’ve probably already read about the ‘heart’ of our homeschooling so let me share with you my top 5 reasons for teaching our children at home — maybe you have the same reasons; or maybe these will help you clarify your own reasons, especially if you’re just exploring homeschooling.
#1: Our kids learn from life.
After our youngest was born and got sick last year, not much was done on the ‘formal academics’ side of our homeschooling. Despite this, I believe that the kids learned more important lessons — LIFE lessons. I could write a whole new post about homeschooling with a baby and other kids, but my friend Stef of And These Thy Gifts has already done a very good one here.
The point is formal academics isn’t the only point of education. I love that my kids learn important life lessons as we go about our daily routines… at home. (I’m not saying that kids who go to conventional school don’t learn them too, OK? I’m just saying that homeschooling helps provide more opportunities for such lessons.)
#2: We can be more ‘mobile’ as a family.
We first discovered homeschooling when we were still missionaries based abroad. I loved that our preschooler back then (who’s already 7 now! *sniffs*) could learn ‘on the go.’ I love that our other kids have the same opportunity too. We can take our books with us anywhere and learn in the car, in a hotel room, in Lolo/Lola’s house, etc. If we were to take a trip now to Timbuktu, we could still homeschool! 😊
#3: We save money.
I know some families consider this one of their reasons to homeschool and we are no different. Of course, this isn’t our MAIN reason for homeschooling… but I must admit it’s a good one! We all know that tuition fees in conventional schools are rising exorbitantly yet our kids sometimes don’t receive quality education. With homeschooling, we save money and are able to customize our children’s education. At the same time, they receive more individualized attention. Since my husband is more into ministry work and I’m a freelancer, every peso and centavo saved counts! 😉
#4: We get to see our children’s “a-ha!” moments.
I love this part of homeschooling! When your child suddenly ‘gets it’ or has an “a-ha!” moment — when phonics makes sense and he starts reading more complicated words, ones that you never even taught him… when she suddenly says, “Mama, look, I can write the number 2!” without you even teaching her… etcetera… I love that I am in the “front row seat” of my children’s learning stages. And that I am also there to guide them, to answer their questions, to teach them what’s right and wrong right away.
#5: We learn together.
One of the things I’ve learned from homeschooling our kids is this: I still have A LOT to learn! About being a good and Godly wife and mother (I’m still oh-so-far from being one!); about how to learn and what to learn; about being a good teacher and ‘discipler;’ about many, many other things. I love that as I teach our children, I also learn a lot and we’re learning together.