When we started homeschooling, I knew that God had called us to do so. I knew that there would be many benefits to homeschooling, but there is one benefit of homeschooling that I never expected.
You see, I am a second-generation homeschooler, who was homeschooled for my entire elementary and high school life. But I didn’t plan on homeschooling. In fact, I was sure I wouldn’t do THAT to my children.
So my oldest daughter headed off to a local private school. And it was a beautiful school. She enjoyed it and so did I. And so she went to school until the year she was in 2nd grade.
That’s when God began to deal with my heart. He began to prompt me to consider homeschooling her and her younger sister who would begin kindergarten the following year.
I really didn’t want to, but I finally told God that I would talk to my husband about it. Up until this point, he had always been against homeschooling. Can you imagine my surprise when he said to me, “I think we should pray about it?” And so we prayed and the answer was, “Yes.”
We would begin homeschooling not just one, but two children the following fall. It was a very overwhelming thought.
At that time, I didn’t know exactly why we were doing this except that God had asked us to.
One unexpected Benefit of Homeschooling
Today, I’m beginning to see the beauty in the midst of doing life together.
Doing life together is messy. There are fights. There are disagreements. There are kids not getting along with their siblings. There are siblings being left out.
You know what’s beautiful in the midst of that?
Do you know what one unexpected benefit of homeschooling actually is?
It’s a 4-letter word called T-I-M-E.
#1: I have the time to work on the character issues.
#2: I have the time to discuss why we don’t talk to each other with unkind words.
#2: I have the time to teach the children why it’s so important to get along with their siblings and to make sure to include each other.
Does that mean that our house is fight-free? In fact, it just might mean that we deal with more fights than some folks.
Of course not. But we have time together.
Doing life together is messy. There are many meals to be made. Dishes to be washed. Toilets to clean. (y’all having 4 people at home all day, every day is messy)
You might ask, what could possibly be beautiful in that when all it sounds like is a whole lot of work?
It’s the gift of TIME, which leads to opportunity.
This opportunity means I have the time to teach my children how to work together to clean up these messes. They are learning to make meals, wash the dishes, take out the garbage, empty the dishwasher, set the table, and even make their beds!
Does that mean they always want to do it?
Of course not. But they are learning anyway.
And these are all things that I took for granted because I was homeschooled myself.
Doing life together is still messy. There are multiple stories written, arts and crafts finished and unfinished. There are Lego creations and snap circuit creations left lying about just to make mama feel a little crazy.
You might ask, “how do you handle all those messes?”
And I would answer, By the grace of God.
I’m thankful my kids have the time to pursue passions, ideas, and multiple ways of doing things.
I’m thankful that I can take the time in the midst of a busy day to play catch with my 7- year old.
To bake muffins with my 9-year-old.
To browse Pinterest with my 12-year-old.
The gift of time with my kids is something I’ll never regret.
It’s one unexpected benefit of homeschooling.
It’s one that I took for-granted as a child because I was homeschooled myself.
Sometimes it takes until you grow up to realize how blessed you were to be homeschooled.
I’m thankful for this opportunity to do life together.
Tell me, what is your one unexpected benefit of homeschooling?
If you enjoyed this content, I’d love if you’d take a moment to share it with a friend or via social media.
*All Photos are my own*
Linking up: Tune in Thursdays