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As some of you may already know, we homeschool our kids. Yes, we are some of those people. Somebody recently told me that our kids must be getting a great education in washing the dishes, cutting wood and taking care of the goats. Yes, our kids are learning life skills and how to work, but aren’t all kids learning that? That, however, isn’t school. School here includes the subjects that would expect to see, math, reading, grammar, etc. Homeschooling takes time and dedication, but all very worthwhile. After all, these kids don’t stay kids for long.
I don’t use a set curriculum, I pick and chose what works best for my individual kids. It does take some time to research curriculum, which does make you cross eyed after a while. But I really do like the ability to choose what works best for their learning styles. We do school every morning and the kids can go outside and explore every afternoon. It sounds like a lax schedule, but we get every subject done. We don’t have to wait for a classroom of kids to get on the same page, to be quiet, or to all understand what the teacher is saying. They are learning at their own speed and doing well.
We are studying Botany in science this year, which is perfect for my nature lovers. Every afternoon that they go out to explore, they are looking at the leaves, searching for ferns, moss, lichen, etc. As a bonus, they find turtles, crawdads, frogs, birds, snails, etc. Going out to explore has made the textbook come alive! I wish I would have had a science class like that.
But what about socialization?? There are quite a number of families that homeschool in this area, including our neighbors. I’m really not too concerned about my kids being socialized. They have a lot of opportunities to meet and play with kids, but also interact with adults. I really think they will turn out just fine.
As with everything, there are good days and bad days. Thankfully the good days far out number the bad. I’m learning right along with the kids. They in turn are learning with us as we take on this new adventure of farming. This homeschool in the holler may not be too fancy, but we’re expanding our brains and learning. That’s just how we like it.
Hi! Around here I wear many hats. Homesteader, farmer, homemaker, homeschool mom, gardener and builder. We strive for a simple, self-sufficient life on our little piece of paradise. Read more
