It’s been almost a year since our homeschooling journey started with a sudden surprise of our world drastically changing due to the pandemic. It’s been a weird ride, but we’re still trucking along enjoying the scenery and trying not to run out of gas.
When my little one asked several times to be homeschooled in her first not-quite two years in brick and mortar school, my common answer was “No, that’s not something our family will be doing.” Now that we’ve had the opportunity to try out this way of living learning life at home on the daily, I’m feeling incredibly lucky to have been pushed into this unexpected change of circumstances.
Homeschool life for us has so many benefits. Not just for my daughter’s education, but for myself and my husband as well.
One of these benefits of homeschooling has been the opportunity to watch our daughter become more herself. To try things and feel the freedom to enjoy and experiment with them without fear of being judged by her peers. She has the time to invest in her own interests without being rushed to learn about something that’s been blotted down as the plan long before the moment came.
I was tidying up our home a few days ago (another benefit of homeschooling) while 7-year-old Z was sitting at the dining table, drawing away in her sketch book, practicing some new drawing strategies. I commented on her work as I do, mentioning pieces I notice and asking questions about her ideas.
She sat silently drawing for a while, and then said “When I was at school, my friends used to laugh at me because I drew stick people.”
This broke my heart. Kids can be so cruel, often without even knowing the hurt they cause.
Instead of being belittled for trying, she can be encouraged to try. Instead of worrying about what hers peers might think, she’s being given the opportunity to think for herself.
She is alive. She is active. She is learning. She is growing into her own unique person, really and truly.
And I am so enamored with watching it all happen.
If you’d like to read more about the benefits we’ve been finding in this homeschooling journey, you can find my recent post on Learnathomeschool.ca – 5 Reasons To Love Homeschooling.
And so I built my own homeschool supply store for parents and educators in Canada to have access to learning supplies that can enhance their learning activities and experiences. (Really, all North America can benefit, but I’m Canadian, and we need more options up here, man).
If you’re a parent, educator, or loved one of a young child (homeschooling or not), check out LearnAtHomeSchool.ca . There you can shop homeschooling supplies, get inspired by articles related to homeschooling and early childhood education, and support this mama in her newest business endeavors. Thank you for all the support from everyone who’s already visiting the site, sharing on their social media accounts and homeschooling groups, or making a purchase from my homeschooling store. I so appreciate every little bit of love!
*Update: Learn at Home School Supplies has closed shop for now, to make time for our newest endeavor that is better aligned with our desires for providing quality, sustainable, non-toxic and experientially-rich products. Check out Dough n’ Play to see what our new made in BC, all-natural modeling dough business is about.*
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