As you might know, our family has recently experienced a serious change: we took a homeschooling break and put our children in public school. For us, that was a major adjustment – something I never thought I would do.
Well, after six months, we’ve decided to end the Great Homeschool Public School Experiment and bring our children back home after the school year ends. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that we were returning to homeschooling, but I wanted to explain exactly why we decided to do so.
Here’s why I’m returning to homeschooling.
Image: nadezhda1906 / Dollar Photo Club
Why I’m Returning to Homeschooling
1. I wanted a second chance with my kids.
When the kids went off to school, I had (a little) more time to think. I’d walk by our homeschooling space and think about how harried I had been and how much pressure I felt to teach them everything on the objectives list each year.
I remembered responding testily when one of my kids had a question. I remembered shouting at Tigger to “SIT DOWN!” I remembered how little I took my own advice about adjusting a homeschooling approach for kids with ADHD.
And I wanted a second chance, a do-over, so I could relax and enjoy homeschooling along with my children.
2. The public school schedule did not work for us.
For kids who’d been homeschooled from birth, getting up every morning at 6:25 a.m. was a real struggle. For a mom who’d homeschooled her kids from birth, getting out of the door by 7 a.m. every morning was a real struggle. But the morning chaos had nothing on what happened in the evenings.
When we homeschooled, evenings were for family time. We’d relax, prepare for our weekly congregation meetings together, have dinner, and let the kids play before bed. Once they were in public school, though, afternoons were a flurry of snacks, homework, school projects, papers for me to sign, hurriedly rushing through our meeting preparation, and finding something to throw in the oven for dinner. After dinner, it was time to rush everyone off to bed so they could get up at 6:25 a.m. all over again.
We all hated what happened to our evenings. It really started to erode our sense of togetherness.
3. My kids wanted to come back home.
Most of all, the kids wanted to come back home. They missed the freedom of learning we had when they were homeschooled. Sometimes I’d pick them up from school and the first thing out of their mouth would be “Can we go back to homeschool?”
I’d hear them talk with each other about field trips we’d taken, lessons we’d covered, and crafts we’d made together. It made me realize how much they enjoyed learning at home, even though they gave me a hard time occasionally. 😉
So that’s why I’m returning to homeschooling!
Have you been homeschooling since birth? Did you start later? What makes you sure about your choice to homeschool? Let us know in the comments!
See more about our public school experience below!
And see more about how we make homeschooling work on my Homeschooling Posts Pinterest board!
This post is part of the “Why We Chose to Homeschool” linky from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read even more great posts from my fellow bloggers!
Yay for you and your kids!
Sometimes experiencing things are the best way to appreciate what you have or to figure out that there is a better way. We started out as traditional schoolers. There was no way I thought I could manage homeschooling my kids and none of my kids wanted that – until my youngest guy mentioned it, begged for it, pleaded for it. Then as a two working parents, my husband and I figured out we’d try. Then we wondered why in the heck we didn’t do it sooner! Here’s our comparison of our homeschool schedule and traditional school schedule as working parents: http://homeschoolandwork.blogspot.com/2014/08/so-you-think-homeschooling-working-is.html
I know I’m reading this late, but I can completely relate. Our family also took a homeschooling break this school year. Now I really can’t wait for this school year to be over so I can homeschool my kids again. For very similar reasons as what you mentioned.
I’m glad I read this today.
I started working from home last February. Usually it’s only a couple of hours a day. But today was a doozie and I have three sick kids.
I need to take a breath, focus on what’s going good and let myself plan for a few important changes for next year.
Thanks for taking the time to write this!
I am struggling with this right now. I have homeschool my kids from the beginning, sent them to private school this year because I was burned out. Decided to go back to school myself. Now I want to bring them home again. How do I introduce this idea to them?? Worried they wont be on board.