What I Like About Homeschooling By Shannon Mangicaro

I have been a homeschool mom for many years, my oldest is 12 1/2 and we have homeschooled from the start. Deciding to homeschool was more than just an education choice like you would originally think of it as; it really was a lifestyle choice. There are definitely struggles that go along with being a homeschooling mom, but today I want to talk about my favorite things and what I like most about being a homeschool mom.

Flexibility of schedule

This is a big one for me, I love that we don’t have to get up early and rush out the door everyday or follow a school district’s calendar telling us when we can take a day off and when we can’t. Having the flexibility for me to decide what time we start school and when our breaks are works very well with my personality, and helps me not be the stressed mama I know I would be if we had to follow someone else’s timeline and schedule.

Sibling bonds

Yes, my children fight and drive each other crazy at times (which in turn drives me crazy!) but they do have very close relationships that just wouldn’t be able to be nurtured in the same ways if they spent hours every day away from each other. 9 times out of 10 I will let the schoolwork wait until later if they are in the middle of playing together when I want to start. (that’s if they are getting along well and using their imaginations, I should add) Lego’s, paper/sticker dolls, kinetic sand, play-doh, cars, trains, American Girl dolls, checkers, magnetic shapes, TMNT figures, and matching games are some examples of the things my kids currently play often, usually they pair up two or three of them together to play these, although occasionally all 6 will play Legos at the same time. I am a big believer in a child’s ability to learn through play and it makes a homeschool mom’s heart very happy to see her kids engaged in creative play with one another.

Getting to be their biggest influence

Ok, so when *I* am the one that needs an attitude adjustment then the idea that I am their biggest influence doesn’t necessarily sound so great. But overall it gives me peace of mind that my kids aren’t hanging out with the “wrong crowd” or being negatively influenced by peers in a daily school environment. Not only that, but as a homeschool mom I can put extra emphasis on our Christian values all throughout the day that teachers just aren’t allowed to do in schools.

Having a say in what and when they learn

I am the one who gets to pick the curriculum materials we use for our homeschooling and I also get to determine the pace we do it. As homeschool mom, a.k.a. teacher, I have the advantage of tailoring these things to meet the individual needs of each kid. I have kids who may fly through a subject and start on the next level way ahead of schedule and other kids who struggle with something and need to take a lot of extra time or a whole different approach. It just feels right to be able to let my children go at the pace that works for them. I am all for giving them challenges in their schoolwork but not for adding unnecessary pressure and stress on them.

Comfort of home and the simple things

I could go on and on with the benefits of homeschooling, but this post is more about what it is to be a homeschooling mom. Although having the responsibility of the education for my children can be overwhelming at times, there is also something very restful and almost simplistic about this lifestyle.

Not waking up to an alarm clock,

the kids and I being able to stay in our pjs all day if we feel like it,

lessons done on the couch,

unhurried lunchtimes,

nature walks any time we please,

packing up schoolwork and taking it to a local coffee shop for an hour or two with friends,

one-on-one time learning a new math concept,

Nana coming over for a visit with the grandkids,

taking the time to bake cookies or loaves of bread,

folding laundry with my 12 year old while she tells me about the book she just finished…