Dos and Don'ts for a successful homeschool experience #12

The following DOs and DON'Ts for a successful homeschool experience are being presented in a series to allow for digestion and discussion. After homeschooling/unschooling my own children for over 22 years I've discovered what worked and what didn't work for us was universal. Feel free to add your comments and concerns or ask questions.



#12 DO have fun, be silly and encourage each other in your family and your homeschooling community to lighten up. Laughter IS the best medicine. Throw off the shackles that prevent you and your children from enjoying the simple and silly things in life. Homeschooling shouldn't bring you to tears over unfinished lesson plans or workbooks. If your homeschool feels like you're living and learning in a pressure cooker then it's time to unwind, relax and unschool. Parents need to de-stress before they can create a happier learning environment for their children. Learn to eat healthier to regulate your body's physical and emotional state. Learn better personal financial habits so you're not so stressed over money. Finally, enjoy some adult humor (not raunchy) and fun so you'll be more relaxed around your children. The sky won't fall in on you if you have a glass of wine during some down time, a date night with your spouse, or even if you watch some adult humor on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson or Little Britain.   

#12 DON'T get bogged down with record keeping, grading, and other things that public schools do. If you're doing these things, no matter what your state regulations are, then you're schooling at home NOT homeschooling. This is where the term homeschooling rears its ugly head. For lack of a better word we sometimes use the word homeschooling interchangeably so the novice homeschooler or parent will know what we're referring to. Many of us purposely didn't do school things with our children and we spent much of our learning years out and about in the world. When we use the familiar word homeschooling we're also referring to unschoooling, deschooling, home-based education, free range learning, open source learning and a myriad of other ways of educating.

We veteran homeschooling parents may have begun our journey for academic or religious reasons but when we crossed the finish line and look back we can see what homeschooling is truly about. It's all about freedom and liberty. We homeschoolers are fulfilling the dreams of America's founding fathers. We are pursuing our God-given and unalienable rights. Sure, we kept the drawings, writings and creations our children produced over the years but we didn't consider it record keeping and it certainly wasn't offered up to officials for scrutiny. How would you like someone to grade your housekeeping? The few times we graded our children's work we did so to show them how and why it's done in public school. In your homeschool every child is a Valedictorian!  Don't bury your homeschool in unnecessary paperwork just to satisfy the authorities. Chances are it isn't required and you certainly don't want to offer up information about your children that is, quite frankly, none of the state's business.

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Dos and Don'ts for a successful homeschool experience #11

The following DOs and DON'Ts for a successful homeschool experience are being presented in a series to allow for digestion and discussion. After homeschooling/unschooling my own children for over 22 years I've discovered what worked and what didn't work for us was universal. Feel free to add your comments and concerns or ask questions.



#11 DO become an advocate for homeschooling and unschooling. There is no better way to fully commit to the home education movement than by being an advocate for it. When others see that you are a home education advocate you strengthen their resolve to pursue, persevere and promote the benefits of homeschooling as well. Learn all there is to homeschooling including its history, methods others employ and the benefits. Commit homeschooling statistics to memory so you can answer questions or defend the movement at any given opportunity. Create a homeschooling blog or write books on the subject to share your knowledge and experience. You may even be able to turn your expertise into a full time occupation that could generate an income for you.   

#11 DON'T take advice about homeschooling from novice homeschoolers. First, if you want to learn what homeschooling is really all about, find out what the elders of the homeschooling movement have to say about it in their books, videos, forums and blogs. Then make sure the homeschooling parent you're getting advice from has at least 5 years of experience under their belt. Even then that person may still be finding their way and may not quite have this home education thing figured out yet. This may sound harsh but many novice homeschoolers tend to jump through too many unnecessary state and local hoops. They think they're doing the right thing by abiding by the school's or state's every whim when they are actually causing more harm than good to their liberty and freedom. Whatever you do don't listen to the naysayers including journalists, public school personnel or even those who gave homeschooling a try but failed miserably at it.

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Guerrilla homeschooling was born of my military service

Well, here they are folks. Official photos of my military training for all you doubters out there. Yes, I really was in the United States Army and that old uniform is still kicking around the house here somewhere. Must be a collectors item by now. Even have the black leather purse and shoes to go with it.

Outstanding trainee for Charlie Company at Ft. McClellan, Alabama

Taking the military oath in Albany, New York

I designed and hand stitched our guidon

Yep, that's me with the flag...outstanding trainee

These signs were everywhere on post and they meant business too!

A shout out to all my brothers and sisters in arms on this Veterans Day 11/11/11. Thank you for your service and dedication.

Now you can guess why I'm such a hard ass about things like freedom and liberty and why I think our present day public school system is hell bent on destroying those freedoms and liberties. We ALL must remain vigilant and support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic as the military oath states. Funny thing about that oath...I've never been released from it nor do I ever want to be.

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Unschooling: Legitimate pedagogy or foolish fad?

Unschooling: Legitimate pedagogy or foolish fad?

Would you rather lead a school centered life or a family centered life? So, what is so bad about letting children learn in freedom? Our unschooling years were relaxed, spontaneous and creative but the best part was the freedom we experienced to choose our own course and interests. The pay off is two adult children who can stand on their own two feet and are still a treat to be with.

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