Thing's I wish I'd done differently

When I first began homeschooling I sure would've done things a lott differently now such as:


* You don't have to bring school home. When I started our "official" homeschooling, we had the desk, flag, blackboard, letter strips, etc. I quickly saw and felt how artificial that all was from what we had been doing naturally before "school" started at the age of 5! After that first few weeks, up until now, we continue to learn all over the house! My oldest is 16 and choose not to work at the table, my 12, 11 & 9 yr old like to sit at the table where they can draw and work on projects like notebooking, lapbooking and Story of the World activity papers and maps.

* I don't need to worry about what the kids in school are doing - the freedom to homeschool is the freedom to tailor each child's education, moving at THEIR own pace, NOT the school system's. I spent way too much time during those first few years worrying & comparing our school to the public school. We were fairly relaxed and I knew we were doing it the right way for us, but that didn't keep me from fretting!

* You will make mistakes when purchasing curriculum, and it's okay! With so many options available to us, it is important to prayerfully consider when buying curriculum.. However, there will be times when you purchase books or resources that either don't "fit" your family/child or simply don't get used due to any number of reasons. I've learned over the years to go easy on myself and I've seen how my mistakes have been able to bless others who are looking for that item I have just sitting on my shelf.

* Don't feel guilty when you spend hours reading aloud. I used to get mad at myself for allowing my boys to talk me into reading for hours, therefore not getting to all the "work" that needed to be done. Now, these are my most treasured memories, AND my older children still enjoy listening to me read aloud. Our favorite books these days are from the classics lists from Ambleside Online or Penny Gardner's website.

As I mentioned before, my list could go on and on. It's good to reflect on these things every now and then. I am so thankful to have the chance to be with my children through all the phases of their young lives. One thing is for sure - our homeschooling journey has not been boring. Each year brings new opportunities and challenges! I am so thankful we can learn together and grow together as a family!