15 Ways Homeschooling Warms My Heart

It's pretty clear that I heart homeschooling.

I do not think everyone should homeschool or learn at home in the exact same way. What I love about learning is that we can individualized the process for each child based on their needs and wants.

When we first started homeschooling during the preschool years, I made many, many mistakes (and hopefully learned from then by now!). I freaked out during kindergarten and sent him to public school, afraid I could not be so radical to go against the grain. But now that we have homeschooled for years, it has become our family's lifestyle. And it so warms my heart.

Here are 15 ways homeschooling warms my heart:

1. My children have a voice in their education.
Although I plan 90% of our home learning, Aidyn exercises his thoughts and opinions on curricula, our daily plan, outside classes, and his views on our book selections regularly. He's pretty much on the school board. I love that he owns his education and knows that it's his to use and grow from.


2. Hearing my child read aloud is the most beautiful sound to me.
I adore driving in the car and hearing Aidyn's voice read aloud from the backseat. I loved when he read in short, quick little syllables and how he progressed to more fluid reading. I love hearing when he uses a bookish cadence when he reads, or stops the story to comment on something with vigor.


3. My little one is immersed in the lifestyle of learning.
Jack, now 14mo, has been in the thick of our home learning since day one. He's been in my wrap while I write on the board, snuggled in my arms while I read history books to his brother, playing with geometric shapes while we do math at the table, and tagged along on several field trips. Now that he's walking, he toddles to our alphabet chart and babbles out his own lessons (where did he get that from?) and pretends to write lessons on the wall.


4. No subject is scary.
Home is comfortable. In our home, we've tackled some pretty intimidating topics: chemistry, Shakespeare, Latin, The Odyssey, square numbers, ancient history, The Aeneid, poetry, cursive, Norse mythology, and other subjects that would have sent me in a mild panic in public school. But Aidyn has loved and embraced each of these seemingly difficult topics. When we study Shakespeare and poetry in more depth when he's in high school, these tasks will not be mammoth and terrifying. There have been many times he has heard a reference to Odysseus or the Trojan horse and piped up with enthusiasm that he knows that person or thing.


5. My child will surprise me with the best comments.
On a field trip to the river, Aidyn said out of nowhere, "This day is adventure!" When we were thinking of something fun to do, he suggested, "Let's take Jack on a walk and look at all the trees and leaves and talk about how they are different and changing." After watching the film Robinson Crusoe after just finishing the novel, he quipped, "Eh, the book was much better." I love those expressions of his because they are unexpected and remind me that he does care about learning.


6. I can lovingly serve healthy meals.
I don't make Pinterest-worthy meals, but I love that I can make healthy, hearty, and wholesome meals, and through that, my children can learn the importance of nutrition.


7. Learning leads us on "rabbit trails" and we can meander and explore as far down the path as we desire.
Our plans are not chiseled in stone. Often a topic ignites curiosity and off we roam to explore it. Yesterday, for example, after reading about basalt and a rock formation known as Devils Tower, we watched a YouTube video showing someone driving to Devils Tower in Wyoming, something I had never heard of before. I love the constant reminders that there is much to learn and discover.


8. Every story we hear helps to build my children's hearts.
 Because we are home, we have the time to learn from Beowulf, King Arthur, Jane Goodall, and the many protagonists and antagonists in the stories we hear. We can look at their choices and form our own opinions and goals. We can observe various aspects of the human condition, practicing empathy and understanding.

9. Playing outside often leads to beautiful discussions and the care of nature.
Yes, many times my kids just want to swing on the swings, jump in the trampoline, and zoom down the slide, but often they hold and observe a pine cone, balance a pill bug on their finger and worry about it, run their hands on the trunk of a tree, and delight in looking at clouds.

10. Poetry teatimes create magical, warm moments.
We light candles, decorate the table, set out some delicious goodies, and fill the air with poetry. It's a beautiful experience.

11. We celebrate holidays with depth and reverence.
Okay, we don't always remember every holiday, but when we plan ahead we delve into a holiday and read books to breathe life into it. We have read beautiful Irish fables on St. Patrick's Day, historic texts for Thanksgiving, and so many warm and sweet Christmas stories. We tend to read in the season we're in, which helps us feel connected to the rhythms of the world.

12. My children explore a wide array of interests and hobbies.
Aidyn has an interest in sewing that I would never have guessed. He's been able to take classes in sewing and express more interests that might seem out-of-the-box. Usually when he chooses something surprising, it warms my heart because I know he's using his authentic desires to learn.

13. I can admire and empathize with their efforts.
If they were away, I might mostly see their grades, their final achievements, but at home, I can witness Aidyn struggling to get through a difficult math problem or sound out a terribly long word. I can express my admiration of their effort by saying, "Wow, that problem was a bear, but you did it!" It's not always about grades but powering through the tough stuff that warms my heart.

14. Being together makes me feel whole.
We can snuggle if need be. Pile on the couch under blankets with a book. Aidyn and Jack can play on the floor or trampoline together in the middle of the morning. Grandma can accompany us on field trips. Dad can oversee science projects. Neighborhood friends can join us for parties. We have time to be together and that warms my heart.

15. We can share in memories of my youth, and I can cycle my culture back to them.
We have spent mornings watching Bob Ross paint beautiful pictures, listened to Mister Rogers sing "It's You I Like," smiled at old Disney Silly Symphonies, read R.L. Stine for fun, and have even had whole weeks where we "went back to the 80s" and played Nintendo and lived the life of an 80s kid.

There are so many more ways that homeschooling warms my heart. As they pop up, I will add to this list and hope that it grows and grows. I want to hear about your homeschool and how it warms your heart. Please feel free to share in the comments so I can follow you! 

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A Peek at Our First Few Weeks of 4th Grade (with a tag-along Jack!)

These first few weeks of homeschool 4th grade whizzed by like a runaway steam train, so I'm lucky that I snapped a few good pictures to remember it by. I'm a tad late, but look back at our first few weeks of fourth grade with me.

 Fourth grade is the year of the home state. Since ours is California, we are spending a whole school year exploring our majestic and exciting state through history books, novels, documentaries, and loads of field trips.

As some of you know, our first day at school is similar to a Homeschool Christmas. The week before I tend to haunt the local thrift shops, finding educational goodies to gift my eager student.

This year, his presents were arranged to spell our state's name. I reminded him, off the bat, how lucky he is in this situation that we don't live in Iowa.

 Happily ripping open presents.

 Baseball mitts for "O," as in "outdoor time."

 An ice shaver for "I."

 Jack lent a hand.

 Cranium.

 Scattergories! "L" is for "language games!"

 What I have recently learned is a "rip stick." Aidyn is still learning to master this board.

 Jack, playing with a pirate ship nearby.

 Aidyn immediately put his ice shaver to work.

And he seems to enjoy it quite a bit.

 We sometimes start the morning with LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow.

Jack enthralled by Reading Rainbow.

 Language Arts.

 Vocabulary.

4th grade language arts is no joke.

 But we still find the fun with goofy language arts games.

 Working diligently on grammar.

Jack exploring the outside.

 We usually start the morning oooing and awwing at this cute face.

 Brotherly bond.

 Word Sorts.

 Hands-on learning.

Hands-on math lesson (Aidyn was less than pleased that I stopped him for a picture.)

 Sometimes Grandma steps in and spends time with Jack outside.

 4-Square Vocabulary. In the picture above, "boycott" is illustrated by a man stopping a customer from purchasing a defective Whoopie Cushion. There was an entire back story here.

 Writing 4-Square Vocabulary in his notebook.

 Jack pre-approves all curricula.

 Hands-on math.

 Jack quietly listens to lessons.

Watching a Cesar Chavez documentary.

 Math bingo game.

 Aidyn loved calling the numbers.

 Painting a landform map of California.

Buoyancy science experiment.

 Aidyn tested the buoyancy of several objects, like a ball of dough, an empty bottle, a metal lid, and eraser, etc.

Jack actively participated, mostly by dumping a container of water on the floor.

 But he was all eyes for his brother.

 Testing the buoyancy of a ball of dough when asked, "Can we change the shape of the object to make it float?"

 Aidyn squashing the dough to find a shape which would allow the dough to float.

 Attempts #1 and #2 resulted in sinking.

 Until he folded up the sides like a boat.

 He struggled to make the perfect shape.

 Success!

 Jack, Grandma, and Aidyn testing dough-boats.

 We continued the buoyancy experiment outside in a kiddie pool. Again, Jack was a willing participant and played the role of baby Godzilla, smashing any boat Aidyn set out to sail.

 The cutest baby Godzilla I've ever seen.

 Eventually, the baby Godzilla was won over by science and tested his own sink/float theories.

 How Jack tries to stay busy while Aidyn does school.

 Hands-on dice game to practice writing large numbers.

Jack played his own dice game, which mostly consisted of resisting the urge to eat them.

And there you have it: the first few weeks of homeschool! We have a busy year ahead with loads of exciting ventures (as I continue to navigate homeschooling with a soon-to-be-toddler in tow!).