When I first mentioned the idea of home-schooling to my mom, her immediate response was a skeptical, “Home-schoolers are strange.” She pointed out families we knew who had chosen to leave public education, labeling one as part of a cult and insinuating that another’s children couldn’t read. My husband shared similar concerns; he pictured home-schooling as a lifestyle that rejected evolution and favored long, flowing skirts.
There’s a misconception that we home-schoolers don’t respect teachers. This couldn’t be further from the truth. My mother is an educator, my mother-in-law was one too, and my husband currently teaches at a public high school. We have immense respect for teachers; we just believe that for our kids, home-schooling fits our needs better than traditional schooling.
I have a specific philosophy about how children learn best, supported by my pedagogical background, and I find that this approach isn’t always nurtured in the public school system. I’m not keen on glorifying figures like Columbus, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, or assigning needless homework. I would likely frustrate my kids’ teachers with constant disagreements, which is why we decided to home-school.
Let me clarify something: we don’t subscribe to ridiculous beliefs, such as the idea that fossils are a trick of the devil. In fact, my husband and I are amateur paleontologists, and our home is filled with interesting fossils that our kids study as part of their education. We listen to podcasts about extinct marine life for our science lessons and dive deep into dinosaurs, where we learn the names of various bones and their locations within the body.
We are not part of any cult or extreme religious group; we’re a Catholic family. We learn about our faith, but we also acknowledge scientific truths like the Earth’s roundness and the reality of climate change. We’re committed to understanding the social issues stemming from overconsumption and its impact on developing nations. My son is preparing for his First Communion, which adds a layer of religious education, but unlike many stereotypes, we teach our children to be accepting and kind, not to harbor hatred.
As for my kids, they may be quirky, but they’re not socially challenged or overly shy. One is fascinated with Spinosaurus while the other can rattle off facts about extinct sharks. They have a healthy circle of friends—some are home-schooled like them, while others attend public school. They interact socially in age-appropriate ways and enjoy playing with a variety of peers.
On the fashion front, I don’t conform to the typical wardrobe associated with home-schooling moms. While I’ve seen enough denim skirts to fill a store, I prefer wearing ModCloth dresses, which flatter my postpartum figure far better than jeans. I also enjoy a detailed makeup routine, just like any professional. In short, I don’t fit the stereotypical image of a home-schooling mom.
I have three children, and I know many people envision home-schoolers with large families—often six or more kids—teaching each other due to a lack of time from their parents. While we would love to expand our family, three is our sweet spot for now, allowing me to dedicate time to teaching each child: my six-year-old is learning to read, my four-year-old is mastering the alphabet, and the baby enjoys storytime.
And yes, my son can read! There’s a stereotype that home-schooled kids struggle with reading until much later in life. I personally know someone who didn’t read until he was 10, and he turned out just fine. We believe children will learn at their own pace, which is why I’m not concerned that my almost-five-year-old shows little interest in letters. This approach aligns with practices in places like Finland, where formal reading instruction often begins around age seven.
Another misconception is that home-schooling parents are domestic perfectionists who spend all day cooking and gardening. I am neither of those things. I spend more time driving my kids around than I do cooking, and I have a notorious knack for killing houseplants, even cacti.
In summary, we are simply a family that has chosen to educate our children at home. My kids are social, have friends, and possess solid social skills. We don’t adhere to strange religious beliefs, nor do I fit the stereotype of a home-school mom. We’re just an ordinary family who happens to home-school, and it works for us.
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