Thankful Thursday: Thanks Mom & Dad for Homeschooling Me!

"I'm interested in homeschooling my own children after talking to your son," a young man said to my friend Laura. 

This son was a distractable student and Laura was excited to hear what he had to say to others about about homeschooling. She was excited to know that he was very grateful for the time Laura had invested in his education. 

What about other grads? Were they thankful, too?

Most of the homeschooler grads I know want to homeschool their own kids one day. Or they do already. 

I asked a few homeschoolers and homeschool grads to share why they are thankful that they are being homeschooled or were homeschooled in the past. 

I told them to be brief. 

Let there answers reassure you that it is worth the sacrifice to educate our children at home. 

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​One thing I really appreciated about homeschooling was the flexibility in the school-day schedule. I wasn't forced to work exactly one hour on math, one hour on science, one hour on writing, etc. It freed me to finish quickly if I could or take more time to understand a difficult subject. The only thing my mom made us time was reading. She required us to read a book at least an hour a day. Homeschooling also allowed me to get a little more sleep than most public schoolers probably would and it allowed me to have a relaxing morning routine. (After all, I didn't have to wait for a bus to drive me to classes!) In high school, I was able to wake up at 6, have my quiet time, go for a run, and shower before starting my first subject. That helped me cultivate the habit of spending time with Jesus to start my day. In those precious times of intimate quiet with the Lord, I fell in love with Him. If you're homeschooled, don't waste this opportunity to make Jesus the center of your schedule. You won't regret it. 

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​I appreciated the flexibility of homeschooling for studying niche subjects, but most importantly I appreciate the opportunity my family had to bring Jesus into our everyday education.

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​I am receiving a better education because I am homeschooled. I am able to learn at my leisure. When I learn something completely, I move forward to the next thing. 

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​I'm glad I was homeschooled because I got a good education that prepared me for college. I am also grateful because I was not polluted by the world. 

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I appreciate the personal aspect of homeschooling. The way you can personal what and how you study because people learn differently and at different rates. That's what my Mom did for me. I was in different grade levels for different subjects compared to the public school so I could excel at some subjects and catch up in others. Homeschooling gave me time to pursue softball and piano. My mom and I spent a lot of time together and both Mom and Dad were heavily involved in all my extracurricular activities. 

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​I'm thankful for the good friendships I've built with other homeschoolers. I'm very glad I didn't have to go to public school because I got a better education at home. 

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​It's just much easier to focus on schoolwork,  not being around other people or be bullied. I'm grateful to be home in my own comfort and have parents and co-op teachers who really care about me. 

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​One of the main things that I appreciated about homeschooling was my co-op teachers. They actually cared about me and my grades, and wanted me to succeed. Whenever I struggled with something academic, they would come alongside me and help me as much as they could. They are a huge reason that I was able to graduate.

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I'm thankful for the shelter it afforded of me during my rebellious stage. I did get into mischief, but think I would have gotten into a lot more trouble in public school. I'm thankful for the vast array of things I was able to learn. I feel like I graduated with a lot more knowledge than most people graduate from college with. For example, the literature we read. Since I was a business major, all the literature and history I know is from homeschooling. I'm really glad that it let me explore different subjects like web design and computer science which led me to major in that area and now my career is with computers. 

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I know that when I hear all these good things from homeschoolers and homeschool grads, it makes all the sacrifice of time and energy worth it! 

God called me to homeschool and it's been a blessing to me and my children. Not only that, but my children have been a blessing to others as they let their lights shine. 

If you would like motivation and practical help in your homeschooling journey, I have several books just for  you! Written from one homeschool mom to another, these books are filled with practical wisdom and tips from almost 30 years of homeschooling. 

For the basics of what is most important in homeschooling, The Seven R's of Homeschooling shows you how to "Major on the Majors" and what those majors, or 7 R's are: Relationships, Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, Rhetoric, Research, and Right living. Read more about Seven R's of Homeschooling here. You can purchase Seven R's of Homeschooling at Amazon in print. The E-books are available at PayHip and Currclick. There is also a Kindle version here. 

Joyful and Successful Homeschooling is the big "how-to" book jam-packed with everything you could possibly need to homeschool. Written to help beginners and encouragement veterans on their journey, Joyful and Successful Homeschooling covers how to teach, how kids learn, philosophies of education, setting up your homeschool, choosing curriculum, managing  your home, family ministry, easy recipes for busy days, and how to teach every single subject. WOW! That's a lot stuffed into one book. You can purchase Joyful and Successful Homeschooling at Amazon in print or purchase the E-book at PayHip or Currclick. You can learn more about Joyful and Succesful Homeschooling here. There is also a Bible study workbook for parents to go through together to process and apply all the info in Joyful and Successful Homeschooling. This Bible study, Joyful and Successful Homeschooling: Your Journey Workbook is available at Currclick. 

Are you preparing for the high school years ahead or already in the thick of the homeschooling high school adventure? Laura Nolette and I have logged many hours helping parents get started homeschooling high school. This book is a compilation of all those talks and more with all kinds of samples, book lists, and directions to make your own transcripts. Unlocking the Mystery of Homeschooling High School is available at Amazon in print. You can purchase the E-book from PayHip or Currclick. Learn more about Unlocking the Mystery of Homeschooling High School here. 

Homeschooling is a blast! I love teaching and learning right along with my children and teens. One thing we love in our house is unit studies. We create unit studies centered around living books. If you want to take the unit study plunge or just add a little hands-on fun to history, science, Bible, or English courses, this book is for you! Quick & EZ Unit Study Fun is available from Amazon in print. The E-book is available from PayHip or Currclick. You can also purchase Quick & EZ Unit Study Fun for you Kindle. Learn more about Quick & EZ Unit Study Fun here. 

Also, check out our website Joyful and Successful Homeschooling packed with freebies, classic books you can download, Free Lesson Plans, high school help, pages loaded with homeschool and family helps, and our ever-popular FREE Reading Lists. 

Because my homeschooling journey has been such a blessing to and my entire family, I want to pay it forward and bless  you with resources and tools to make your journey joyful and successful. 

Be blessed in every way! 
​Meredith Curtis

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