Why Do You Homeschool? Spending Time with Family

Over the last few weeks, we have introduced you to Deborah, a homeschool mom of four, and have explored with you some of her reasons for homeschooling her children.

What’s another important reason Deborah chose to homeschool? Spending time with family.

This reason became especially apparent to her through one subject in particular. She says, “Our favorite subject was (and still is) reading. All of us are avid readers to this day over twenty years later.” Being able to read together as a family brought them together and encouraged a passion for the written word in each of them.

When you have that extra time to spend with your family, you also gain the opportunity to be there for all of those special little moments in the lives of your children. You can be there as they read their first book all by themselves. When they have questions or concerns, they can come to you, your spouse, and their siblings. You’ll probably notice your children working together as a team. I’m sure you’ve witnessed already that the younger ones are always watching and learning from the older ones.

Extended family time benefited Deborah’s family, but their homeschool journey took another turn. As Deborah puts it, “The need [for me] to work reared its head, but the Lord showed Himself faithful. I had not worked outside the home in twenty-two years, and He gave me a temp job to assist the homeschool consultant at BJU Press. That later turned into a full-time job in customer service helping other homeschool moms—icing on the cake as far as I was concerned.”

She went on, “There was no Distance Learning back then. If there had been, I might have considered ‘part-time homeschooling’ as the kids got older. [But instead] all the kids went to a Christian school that used BJU Press curriculum—no adjustments needed.”

If you’re considering homeschooling, Deborah hopes these reasons will help you in the decision-making process. And remember, you’re not alone. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or stories of your own. Experienced homeschool moms like Deborah are just a phone call away.

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A Creative Writing graduate of Bob Jones University, Hannah worked for BJU Press for almost nine years as a writer and proofreader. Currently a coffee barista and freelance writer, she also tutors one student in French. While Hannah herself was not homeschooled, her experience in tutoring and teaching violin have shown her how beneficial one-on-one education can be. She hopes to homeschool her own kids someday.