“How Homeschooling Found Me” by Randi Tisdall

This is a subject near to my heart because in a few (short) years, I plan to homeschool. So I’ve asked a veteran homeschool mom, Randi Tisdall from Beautifully Bohemian to share her insights. Take it away Randi!

“How Homeschooling Found Me”
By Randi

I never thought I’d homeschool.

In fact, I didn’t think I could make it to the pre-school stage
without tearing my hair out.

I have twin girls, and they are wonderful kids. However, it was tough
being a mom of two toddlers and trying to take care of them while running
a household! During the early years, it was never a question of
whether or not they were going to go to public school. I mean, they
“had to” right? I did it, my husband did it, and my parents did
it…actually, I didn’t know anyone who hadn’t gone to school. I
was ready and counting the days. And then something magical happened…

…I met a homeschool family.

My husband had been sharing stories for weeks about this wonderful family
he had met, and I was intrigued because I had never been exposed to that
type of family before. They invited us all over for a BBQ one Saturday to
celebrate a special occasion. I think about that now, an afternoon with
these lovely people, and I realize that I was a changed woman that
day. I saw possibilities I never knew existed!

A light bulb went off. “You mean, I can keep my kids at home and
school them…myself?”

It’s not like I hadn’t heard about homeschooling, but those were
the weird kids. The ones that stayed locked up in the basement, didn’t
have any friends, and smelled funny.

After that lovely afternoon, I learned that homeschoolers can, and
are, much more than society makes them out to be. These kids were
smart, well behaved, friendly, and well adjusted. The eldest, about 8,
chatted to me about her studies, as she pulled me around her school room.
The little one, about 5, sat at a piano in her swim suit and played
Beethoven. I was blown away, not just by their intelligence, but also by
their excitement and willingness to learn.

I was impressed, but what stuck out the most for me was seeing the love
between the children and their mom. More than anything, I wanted that
love and trust with my own. Could we develop that kind of relationship if I put their education into my own hands? Could I make that sacrifice to stay at home with them?

From that point on, I really thought about it. Hard. I loved the idea,
but…could I do it?

I thought about my school experience, and it sent shivers down my spine. I
was picked on, I had few friends, and the teachers were less than
unsatisfactory. I came home crying everyday and hated every minute of
it.

I wanted so much more for my kids than what I had experienced growing up.

So, I made a pros and cons list. I started checking out books at
the library about homeschooling, doing research online, and I had
MANY conversations about it with my husband and parents. They all said “go
for it!” I thought, “I don’t know if I have the patience, but I’m willing
to try!”

Fast forward to now. My kids just completed 3rd grade.

I look back at all the fear I had about homeschooling, and it seems so
silly to me now. Homeschooling is a process, and while
that first year of schooling my own was a challenge, it was necessary to
get to where I am now with my children. If there’s one thing I
learned, it’s that you don’t have to be perfect when you start. You will develop
your own way of teaching, and yes, you will LEARN patience (otherwise
nothing will EVER get done lol). Your method will evolve, and soon you
will know exactly what is and isn’t successful for your family.
For ours, we have taken the Waldorf approach to schooling, which is more
art and literature based.

Most importantly, the best thing you get out of homeschooling is
the bond between you and your child. Just like when they said
their first word or used the potty for the first time, you are there now
through a new set of milestones! I was there the first time each of my
children read a book aloud. I was there when they successfully completed
their multiplication tables. And I’ll be there when they graduate and move
on to the next adventure. Yes, the love and trust is there, and it is
strong.

The power to teach with love is in each of us, we just have to let it
blossom.

*Blessings and Love*

-Randi

For more on my adventures in homeschooling, plus tips and lesson
ideas, visit my blog at BeautifullyBohemian.com!