Homeschool Stories From Real Moms
Episode 4: Freedom

Earlier this month we introduced a new theme on our blog - stories about homeschooling told from real moms. These posts are to encourage you along your homeschooling journey, share experiences and connect with other homeschooling moms all over the world.

This week's homeschooling story is from Ruthie. Read below to hear her story about how she's learning to teach both of her boys who have two completely different learning styles and find freedom in being able to teach them from home.

Hi everyone, I’m Ruthie! I’m a tired, 29-year-old stay at home mom to twin 4-year-old boys. I enjoy reading, coffee, wine, and all things Harry Potter! I enjoy reading to my boys as well as creating educational activities which are how we got started on the idea of homeschooling.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized I was already doing simple Montessori activities at home for them since they were about 1. I continued home educating by creating sensory bins, crafts, educational activities (thank you Pinterest!) field trips, and of course lots of reading! That is when I decided that we won’t be doing preschool and begun my research on all things homeschooling. As soon as I found my local homeschool community on Facebook I was amazed at all the support and resources. I realized that homeschooling is a bigger community than I thought. Homeschooling does not have to be school at home, which is what most people think it is.

I have been fortunate to be able to stay at home with them all this time and have been enjoying doing things together. I learn more about them each day and I am so ever grateful that I get to be a part of their learning process. Of course, there are also concerns, which of course doesn’t help when outsiders voice them to you as well. One of the main ones being, am I smart enough to teach them? Well, after exploring everyone’s advice and reading up on John Holt, I became much more motivated to begin this homeschool journey. When I discovered, ‘when one teaches, two learn’, I then realized it’s not about me being the teacher, but learning life together.

I have been learning about and appreciating different learning styles such as unschooling and even ‘wild schooling’. I then fell in love with the idea where children don’t need a special learning place to learn, they learn everywhere! I never liked the idea of sitting in school for 8 hours and then doing a few more hours of work at home. Where does the child’s play come into this? We sometimes forget that playing IS a child’s work, it’s important! Homeschooling to my family means that we get to explore and gain a new love of learning together. I love it! It also helps give me the time to build strong relationships with both of them to hopefully give them childhood memories that they will treasure later. To us, it’s a lot about choice and freedom which later will lead to their passions. My current passion is finding out what their passions are and then exploring it!

So why do I homeschool? So my children have a sense of freedom to make their own choices. So they can learn how to think for themselves instead of what to think. To have the flexibility to learn what and how, whether it be on paper or out in the world doing. So I can spend time with them getting to know them better and build a strong relationship. So they, along with myself, can gain a love of learning. Best of all, homeschooling helps me make the curriculum fit my children, not the other way around. Children are already born with all the curiosity they will ever need, it’s just us to help encourage it.

So while all of us as parents, at some point, have had the self-inflicted frustration of self-doubt and endless worry, let the little things be the inspiration. I enjoy the occasional “I love mama school”, and “thank you, mama, for fun activities, I love them”, etc, these are definitely my motivation to keep going. Researching and sharing ideas with other homeschool parents help keep me inspired. Really, this learning journey is for all 3 of us, and while it’s not the easy option, it will certainly be worth it!

BE SURE TO FOLLOW RUTHIE
INSTAGRAM

If you are a homeschooling mom and would like to be featured on our blog or would like to connect with other homeschooling moms please feel free to email info@charlottelaila.com and join our Facebook group HERE.

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