Hear it from Homeschool Moms: “Why I Homeschool” by Beth B.

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My husband and I always knew that we would homeschool our only child. We wanted her to learn from us, her parents, instead of a room full of peers and whatever the school administrators came up with. We wanted the freedom to teach her the important lessons and values of life that often get overlooked.

The most rewarding part of homeschooling is being involved in a community that’s supportive, nurturing and inclusive. If one community doesn’t fit your style, there are many others that could be right for you. When my family moved from Arlington to Fauquier county, we jumped into a ready-made community and we’ve been there ever since.

Kids have different styles of learning and one might excel in one subject yet struggle in another. Some kids are visual learners while others can learn by listening or reading. Homeschooling allows parents to recognize their child’s style and nurture those strong subjects and maybe back off the ones that are challenging. To me, this is the most important part. I love watching my girl learn and grow at her own pace.

My advice to new families is to give yourself some grace as you begin to find your footing. Find out what works for your family’s schedule and your child’s pace. You don’t have to do all the problems in the workbook or have every single hour of daylight planned out with lessons. If your dishwasher breaks down and there’s no time for schooling that day, that’s okay. If your friends invite you on a spontaneous field trip or park day and you need to get out of the house as much as your kids, then go. Don’t stress about the little things. That’s the beauty of homeschooling…freedom.