Home School

If you have a home, you have a home school. Yes, that's right! Everything you teach your children is part of home school. Other's might help you teach your children, but you are in charge of your children's learning.

There are many ways to effectively school your children. Every family is different. Every child is different. You might get ideas from others, but you are the one who has the motivation, inspiration, and responsibility to teach your children. No one can take your place, and no one has the heart to care for your children better than you do.

We've done home school, private school, charter school, and public school. They have all served a purpose. Every year is different with every child. All of the schools have proved beneficial in helping us raise our 11 children.

We will share some of the things we are doing in our home school in hopes that it will help your family. We would also love to hear about your great ideas!

How to do home school wrong

It might be helpful to understand how to do home school wrong. If you are . . .

Destroying your relationship with your child
Destroying your child's love of learning

You are doing home school wrong. This applies to whether you're sending your children away or keeping them at home.

How to do home school right

You have an amazing home school if you and your children are learning to love and loving to learn. So, if your relationship with your child is growing stronger, and they love to learn, you're right on track. Keep up the good work!

There's so much to learn, so where do you start?

What does your family want to learn?
What skills does your family lack?
What are your family's interests?

Follow your heart. Follow your intuition. More ideas will come than you have time to do. That's okay! Write your ideas down, and work on a few at a time. Keep the ideas flowing even if you don't have time to carry through with them all. It's great to look forward to doing lots of things.

If you're going to be the one who teaches your children reading, writing, math, science, history, art, and music; find a structure that works for your family. If your like me, you will find yourself frustrated and overwhelmed if you try to model your home school after traditional school.

Family life is holistic by nature. It isn't divided up into neat little subjects that start and end every hour. You have a variety of children who are learning at different levels. This is a benefit and you'll feel the beauty of family learning as you're patient with yourself and your children.

So, what is there to learn?

Your family's spiritual and emotional needs come first. Good communication skills need to be taught and practiced. A loving environment is key to the health and success of your home school.

In addition to the traditional school topics, life skills need to be taught, for example: cooking, cleaning, personal grooming, home repair, business management, construction, mechanics, gardening, animal care, recreation, etc.

Your job is to facilitate your children's learning. When they surpass you in their abilities, you'll be their biggest cheerleader. You don't have do do it all.

Put your family in the hands of God and do your best. And some days your best might not look super terrific. That's okay! Just keep going.