Homeschooling was never part of my plans. However, it has become the central feature of my life at this stage. I am so grateful that I get to spend all this time with my kids. I am honored that I get to be the one to show them how many amazing and cool things there are to learn about in this world. I feel blessed that I get to watch them grow and mature into people that I respect and admire. Mostly, I feel privileged that I get to live life with them and share in their daily joys and triumphs.
Is it hard sometimes? Absolutely. Do I get frustrated when they aren’t cooperating with my lesson plan or they start bickering for the twelve hundredth time today? You bet. They are real people. We are a real family. Life is messy and complicated. Sometimes there are tears that I don’t know how to solve. Sometimes there are hurts that can’t be fixed with a simple “I’m sorry.”
But I get to try. We get to try together. And when we fail, we get to try again. I am well aware that these people will not always be daily fixtures in my life. While they are here under my roof, growing and learning, I am going to take advantage of all these moments I get to have with them. There will be lots of snuggles on the couch and laughter over the kitchen table. There will be plenty of time to get dirty and wet and soak up the sunshine. We will become enchanted by books together and get heated over board games. We will fill our lives with art and music and all the things that make living so wonderful.
Until it is time for them to leave our sanctuary to find their own way in this world, we will have a home together. Will they get an education? How could they not? Whether they are doing a math worksheet or building a dam in the creek, they are learning. They never stop learning. I never stop learning.
Being a homeschool mom to the most important people in my life is the best job I could have ever envisioned for myself. If you decide you want to try out this unconventional, but rewarding path as well, I hope some of these resources are helpful.
Here you will find articles related to general homeschooling. There are articles to help you get started and articles to help you understand what choices are available to you.
Here are some of my absolute favorite homeschool resources. This includes educational products and curriculum as well as office supplies that make my life easier. All of these items have become an indispensable part of my homeschool.
This link is currently inactive. Sorry! My curriculum choices for kindergarten through fifth grade are coming soon!
Here you will find reviews of some of the curricula we have tried. Many of these items have made it into our favorite resources. Some of them are fantastic, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them due to cost. Others might suit your family better, but they just weren’t for us.
I have a love/hate relationship with educational subscription services. I love them, but often I get so busy I don’t use them. Then I feel bad about wasting money. Here you will find reviews of both online and mail subscriptions. Many of them I recommend for just a month or quarter each year so that your kids can get a taste without it being a huge financial burden or time commitment.
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Michelle has a PhD in Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree from the California Institute of Technology. 