by Cynthia Taylor

Created on: January 20, 2009

Homeschooling and suddenly single. Not by choice, but by circumstance. Due to an accidental shooting in the military, I was now a widow, and relocating. In order not to cause too much turmoil in my child's life, homeschooling was the clear choice for me. Lesson one: be sure to keep the key to the liquor cabinet handy (for when class is over)!

That being said, while home schooling is quite challenging, it is also very rewarding. The key to homeschooling is organization. There must be a plan. Starting out (for me), there was no plan. This was something that was put together very happenstance-like, but ultimately came together. There should always be backup, in the event the parent is unable to teach on a scheduled school day (for instance, if the parent must work). If the parent is one that works and home schools, possibly, the parent can teach after work. If you have a close friend, or parent, that is on the same page as you (with the home schooling), then that person can use the lesson plan that has already been prepared. That caretaker can then guide the child/children along while the parent is unavailable.

An issue that may arise when home schooling is that the child is restless. It can be difficult to separate home life from school life. The same can be said for work-at-home moms; it is very difficult to separate the laundry from the customer service calls, or the like. For this reason, it is wise to have a special place set aside, free from distraction, in order to concentrate on the task at hand. This will coincide with the schedule that one must build and follow accordingly, to be successful.

There were times, in my years of home schooling that I felt like throwing in the towel. However, that idea was quickly withdrawn due to the constant stories in the news: the teachers having sexual encounters with students, the gun incidents at schools, children smoking marijuana in the bathroom (at AGE 10!), and the like. In addition to all those reasons and more, the curriculum is something that has been the same for decades. It is crucial that a child is interested in what they are learning. It would be unwise to imagine that we can teach the same material for decades to different children, and expect a different outcome. We are producing mass amounts of carbon copies of those before us. I have found that adjusting the learning only ensures that the child will excel what we can imagine for them.

I have found that music, art, and other creative classes are very beneficial. They allow the child to express themselves. Also, field trips are a must! We all get cabin fever, and this will help ensure that they will not be subject to that fever. Some wonder about home schooling and criticize, saying things such as, "they need peer contact". My children have friends, and are subject to other children at places like the park, church, playgroups, etc. They are not losing out on anything that is helpful to them. I know the things that I learned, that I should not have, were from schoolmates, not from my family.

Ultimately, home school has strengthened the bond between myself and my children. Home schooling allowed me to get to know my children more, intimately, than I ever could have if they had spent their days being taught by strangers. Not to mention the influence from other children.

Learn more about this author, Cynthia Taylor.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.