Why I Homeschool: Making Memories as a Family

Why do you homeschool? Are you prepared to answer that question? I’ll never forget the day I fumbled through my answer. I was in a small crowd of adults when someone (who doesn’t homeschool) confidently explained to the group why parents choose to homeschool. The explanation provided was absolutely ridiculous. As a longtime homeschooler, I didn’t know a single person in my large community of homeschoolers who kept their kids at home for the reasons this non-homeschooling “expert” on homeschooling just listed. 

“That’s not why people homeschool!” I interrupted in frustration. “Well, why do you homeschool then?” he asked. All I could think to reply was, “I homeschool to be with my kids.” While spending the quick years with my kids was and is the main reason I homeschool, in truth there were dozens more reasons I could have provided. But unfortunately, that’s all I could muster forth at the moment. It was awkward, and it was a missed opportunity to share about something I hold dear. On the way home from that unexpected encounter, I thought of plenty of reasons why I homeschool, and I formulated all of the responses I wish I had been prepared to offer.

That’s when I started keeping an actual list of the reasons why I homeschool. It’s a long list that changes every year. It even changes throughout the school year. My list actually started way back when I was a little girl.

When I was in school, my mom often spoke admiringly of the few brave families in the area who homeschooled. Her comments helped me imagine my own life had I been homeschooled. I sure wished I could have stayed home and learned under her kindness and care. What an inviting idea!

If school were at home, I wouldn’t have to wish for Guess jeans or any of the other “right” articles of clothing. It wouldn’t matter that I preferred making music over playing sports. Would I even have noticed bad hair days? I could pursue both music and art and not have to worry that the registrar insisted that pursuing both would be a conflict. It wouldn’t matter that I was a few votes shy of homecoming court because there would be no such silly popularity contest at home. I could’ve gotten to really know my parents. I wouldn’t have had to do all of the work alone each time “group” projects were assigned. To sum it up, I could have thrived as a homeschooler.

While my husband and I were still dating, we easily agreed to homeschool our future kids. So I eagerly started the minute our oldest was ready for preschool. (Actually one of the first things I did with her when we took her home from the hospital as a newborn was read her a book. Maybe I’ve actually been homeschooling since she was born.)

That precious daughter thrived during her school years. Today she continues to thrive as a young adult. I’m thrilled for her that she’s experienced many wonderful opportunities already as a homeschool grad. Our boys are wrapping up high school at home—one this year, the other in two years. The future looks bright for each of them as well as the Lord is already shining light on the paths they’ll follow. In about five years, our homeschooling days will be complete as our sweet youngest daughter expects to graduate then. These truly are quick years!

Here are just a few of the reasons that have shown up on my “why I homeschool” list over the years.

• I can teach to my children’s interests. That was a helpful technique, especially for one child who convinced himself that school was a waste of time. 
• I can also teach to their challenges. Who knew there were so many ways to creatively teach spelling or writing or math facts? 
• I was able to keep close watch on what my very allergic son consumed.
• We’ve spent hours and hours and hours sprawled around the living room for read-alouds. The kids have been free to pursue quiet interests like drawing and coloring, Legos, playing with pets, crafting or sewing, all while listening to me read. (Read-alouds with all four kids gathered round remains my absolute favorite memory of homeschooling!)  
• Since their dad travels for work, during times when he is in between trips, the kids have been able to spend more time with him than they would have if they attended an away school.  
• The kids know both grandmas very well because our homeschooling allowed us time to invest in relationships. That freedom allowed us to spend time with one grandma for weekly piano lessons and with the other grandma for large-scale gardening and preparation for the local farmers’ market.
• My daughter was able to pursue ballet and theater intensely for several years. Homeschooling offered her a flexible schedule. I made her school workload practical for tech weeks and show weeks when she was performing. She was able to get the rest she needed in order to stay healthy following performances too. 
• My son could be flexible with his work schedule as long as he completed his school work. He was able to take on shifts that pleased his employers. 
• We had time to focus on life skills. In contrast, I was rarely home in high school so I didn’t learn how to do the laundry until the day before I left for college.
• I trust that the Word hidden in their hearts will remain firmly planted and will be invaluable to each of my children throughout the entirety of their lives. 
• Our house was full of music all day long. While I was never able to convince my four to make music as a quartet, they treated me to hours and hours of practice. I soaked in the sounds of a french horn, a tuba, a trumpet, a couple of trombones, a recorder, a guitar, a bass, and the piano. Oh, plus a few harmonicas.  
• My kids do not have me on a pedestal. They see my struggles, my weaknesses, and my apologies. I think their front-row view of adult life is ideal. They’ll know what to expect and how to handle real life challenges.

Do you have a list of why you homeschool? I encourage you to write it down. Have an answer ready if anyone ever asks. It doesn’t have to be a fancy list. Start one on a sticky note and place it in your planner. Read through it once a month or on challenging days when you’re the one who needs a reminder of why you homeschool. Update it at every school year’s start or end or when you’re ordering next year’s curriculum.

Because of homeschooling, we have made the most of these quick years together as a family. That’s something this mom will never regret. You won’t either. As I write, my second is just months from graduating. I’ll miss having him near as he begins to build his own life. He’s the funniest person I know. I asked him the other day what he would have changed about our homeschooling years. He couldn’t come up with much. I couldn’t either. Instead we ended up laughing together over the little moments that turned into our years. And so this senior and I made yet another homeschool memory together. There isn’t much time left for school day memory-making. That’s one more reason why I homeschool.

Written by Heidi Mosher

Heidi Mosher writes from just across the border in Michigan where she homeschools three of her children and strives to point them to the Lord. She is also the mother of a recent homeschool graduate. Educated at Dordt College in Iowa (with a Canadian roommate), Heidi currently serves The Old Schoolhouse® as Press Release Manager and Marketing Writer. She loves hiking, studying God’s word, children’s literature, making things look pretty, and all things Dutch.