My family has been on our homeschooling journey for 12 years. Our journey has been filled with both joys and sorrows, laughter and crying, victories and obstacles.
My wife would tell you that she often thought about quitting, but she would also tell you that she is happy she never gave up.
One of our family values is seeking new things to learn and exploring new ways to learn. We believe that learning is an important endeavor that should last the lifetime of the learner.
As a homeschooling family, we value the flexibility that comes with being our children's primary educators. We set the schedule. We decide when it is time to take a break. We have the flexibility to schedule vacations, field trips, and other activities as desired, without being bound by the traditional school schedule.
We also value the freedom we have to decide what to teach. Each of our kiddos is different. They have different needs, desires, and dreams. As parents, we desire to tailor our children's learning opportunities to our family values and morals. As students, our children enjoy the freedom to lean into subjects and lessons that bring them the most joy and have the most impact on their future.
From my perspective, homeschooling has been a win-win for our family.
Choosing to start homeschooling is different from choosing to continue homeschooling. As I mentioned previously, there have been many hard days. As those hard days have come and gone, my wife and I have often asked, "Did we make the right decision? Are we doing what is best for our kiddos?"
I believe we have. Our children are smart (even though their primary educators are not trained teachers), sociable (even though they don't spend 8 hours a day with 20 kids their age), and impactful to the world (even though we spend so much time together as a family). As I said, we have had our challenges, but I would not change a thing about how we have chosen to educate our children.
Before I continue, I want to make something very clear. Not all kids are heading in the same direction. Not all milestones are appropriate for every kiddo.
That being said, homeschool graduation was a significant milestone of success for our oldest daughter. For several years, she has recognized that a college degree will be necessary for her to achieve some of her future goals.
So ...
It was a long time coming, but my daughter has graduated. Class of 2025. And this pappa is very proud of her!
There is a community of homeschooling families that live in and around our town. My wife and children have received a lot of encouragement from our homeschooling community. Special fields have been planned. Special lunches have been set up. Most recently, a special, highly personalized graduation ceremony was held.
Forgot those long ceremonies where all you do is watch graduate after graduate walk across the stage. Instead, each graduate ...
Our 2025 Graduate enjoyed her day alongside the other graduates. It was our honor to celebrate her, her accomplishments, and her future dreams.
While on a recent car ride, she told me, "I never thought I would have a graduation ceremony as a homeschooler." Although homeschooling affords us the chance to be different, I was glad that we could give her something that other graduates get to enjoy — a ceremony.
Thanks for stopping by!
