Homeschooling Through the Alphabet: L is for Longevity

When I started homeschooling we had no idea if it was going to work.  I was so nervous and doubtful of myself and my ability to be with my children each day all day long that we really jumped into homeschooling as an experiment.

Seriously!

It was an experiment and one I thought might fail. So why did I choose longevity as my L word?


Keep reading...

We started homeschooling during our summer break.  Don't get me wrong we didn't jump right into workbooks and textbooks at home but I did plan a bunch of fun learning activities we could try all summer long to get a feel for homeschooling and if it would work for us or not.

I was pretty determined that I would do whatever it would take to make it work for our family but I was still unsure of myself and how I was going to get three very young boys to learn everything they needed to know at home with me.

Once our summer seemed to be a success we committed to homeschooling for one year.  We hit a few rough patches and I swear I must have threatened to send them back to school on almost a daily basis.
Yet, in my heart of hearts, I knew I wanted them to remain at home with me.  Learning together, while not always easy, was rewarding and we could see our family unit growing closer together; something that had been at complete odds with what we were seeing when we were in the public school system.

While I might have been taking our journey one step at a time I was homeschooling with longevity in mind.



When my boys were still quite young I started talking to moms with older boys trying to get a feel for homeschooling middle school and high school.  Listening to conversations about apply to colleges and how to pull together a transcript and diploma.

While I wanted to homeschool my boys for as long as possible, I was never quite sure where that cutoff point would be. Would they ask to go back to school-- and if so would I really tell them no?  Would they reach a certain point where I couldn't help them with their work or their studies?

Just a month or so ago my oldest expressed interest in going to high school and while I helped him explore his options, weigh the pros and cons, and let him know that we would be here to help him with whatever choice he decided to make I secretly hoped he'd continue to stay home with us.

I rarely plan much about our homeschooling days beyond the current week's work.  When I do have to plan further in advance, like picking out the next year's materials, I don't think beyond that one year.

It might sound weird that while I am using longevity for L and I feel so strongly about homeschooling my boys for the long haul that I don't plan much in advance.... but really I think that's why we're so successful at it!

I keep our end goal in mind and we continue to plod along at a pace that is comfortable for us all.

I take our journey one day at a time, a week at a time, a year a time so that I am not overwhelming myself.  I didn't even notice when I crossed that line from having three kids in elementary school to having two kids in middle school; because it was just that next small step.

So we'll keep homeschooling for the long haul taking our journey one small step at a time.  It helps keep our task manageable and allows us to alter our path when necessary.

Homeschooling Through the Alphabet:

A is for Awe
B is for Boisterous
C is for Creativity
D is for Determination
E is for Expectations
F is for Fun
G is for Games
H is for Heart
I is for Independence
J is for Journey
K is for Kitchen

Comments

  1. I enjoyed reading this post, it's good to be reminded to see the long view.

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  2. This post is a great perspective that I think we all need to remember as homeschooling parents. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I've often tried to plan too far in advance and it usually fails. So, I'm like you and plan for the year and then one week ahead so that we stay on track to m eet the yearly goals. Thanks for the reminder!

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    Replies
    1. Exactly, I find that planning too far just leads to wasted planning.

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  3. Definitely enjoyed getting your overall outlook on homeschooling. Thank you for sharing your experiences thus far with us here, too :)

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  4. Not a wrong word at all lady! You are seeing this through and is a lot more the many parents have been able to do! So proud of you and what you are giving your sweet family!

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  5. Great post! When my son graduates homeschool next year I will have been homeschooling for 16 years!! 16...I don't even feel mature enough to have lived 16 years let alone homeschool my children for that long! Just another ten years to go...

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    Replies
    1. Wow 16 years; that is quite an accomplishment!

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  6. This is exactly what I've thought, but had never put it to words. I could write it exactly this way, and for the same reasons. Not to get overwhelmed!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Something tells me I might have to plan just a tad more than one year at a time when we get to high school... but we'll see. I have yet to even check what our state's requirements are. I don't need to worry about them until next year. :)

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  7. Well done. Thank you for sharing your perspective and thinking on the topic of longevity in education. - Lori

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