Thankful for Homeschooling

I know what you are thinking:  "Oh no, here is ANOTHER post about homeschooling!  We get it--you love homeschooling!"  Yes, I do.  But, this month is one where I am documenting some of the things for which I am thankful.  And, homeschooling is a HUGE part of my life.  This post is not about all the great reasons for homeschooling.  It is not about how great it is academically for the kids.  It is why it is good for ME!   So, here it goes.  Sorry!

Some of the things I LOVE about homeschooling and am thankful for:

1.  Learning alongside the kids:  They are learning so much.  We read TONS of books.  They ask lots of questions.  And this causes me to learn right alongside them as well!  I don't have all the answers to their questions---so we look them up together.  I am glad I don't know all the answers.  If I did, they would rely on me too much and not be independent learners.  But instead, by seeing me go through the process of finding the answers, they learn how to find answers.  They see that it is ok not to always know the right answer.  It is fun to explore and learn things!  We love to learn around here!

2.  I get to "be a kid" again.  In our learning, I get to play, have fun and be a kid as well. We get to go to fun plays, that are geared toward the children.  In these participative productions, we all giggle, clap our hands, and sing songs.  At home, we get to explore nature, play in the mud, find cool bugs, and learn all about them.  We get to go an adventurous hikes together, and build dams together, dig holes, find cool rocks and more.  Homeschooling really does bring out the kid in me!

silly group picture at one of our recent hikes with other homeschoolers.

Being silly on the trampoline with the kids

Me and my friend, Sarah, at the "Where the Wild Things Are" play

3.  It brings out some of the passions and skills I put away so long ago.   I haven't played the flute or piano in so long.  I just hadn't had time to do so.  But, recently, the kids have shown a big interest in music.  So, I bought a beginning piano instruction book for them and I enrolled them in a homeschool Choir.  So, they are getting a lot of music instruction now and I LOVE it.  Music is something I have been passionate about all my life and that part of my life has been missing the past 10 years or so.  I randomly pulled my flute out a week ago or so and began playing.  It was so much fun and soon I realized an hour had flown by.  The kids really enjoyed watching me play.  Then a few days later, their choir teacher sent out an email to all parents seeking instrumentalists for the Christmas Choir Concert.  One of the instrumentalists she needed was a flutist.  So, guess who is playing at their choir concert?  Yours truly.  I am so excited!

4.  I love my kids!  Because I homeschool, I get to be around the kids all day long.  I don't miss any of the special moments.  I cherish each one!  If I didn't homeschool, there would be 28-35 hours or so each week where I wouldn't get to help them grow, teach them and enjoy their company.  Someone else would get to do so.  I would be a bit jealous.

5.  I get to go on so many field trips!!  I am an adult.  But I get to go on field trips.  All the time.  That is all.

At our field trip today to the Bob Bullock Museum.   This cowboy told us all about life as a rancher.

6.  Sleep.  We don't have to rush around early in the morning to try to get the kids to school by 7:45am.   The kids can sleep in as long as they want.  When they awake, they come into my room and snuggle with me in bed.  They are my alarm.  So, of course I love that.  I don't have to get up at 5 or 6am to get their lunch and things ready so we can be to school early.  Who wouldn't love that?  Who doesn't love sleep?

7.  Lots of cuddle time.  If it's time for reading aloud, we get to snuggle up and read together on the couch.  If we decide to watch some educational videos--cuddle time on the couch.   I get lots of cuddle time with the kids since I homeschool.  And the kids love it as much as I do.

There are so many more reasons I am thankful for homeschooling.  But, these are just a few that I wanted to highlight, as I don't believe I have ever mentioned them in a blog post.