My mom always said that home-schoolers were a bit out there. She’d point out families who chose to opt out of traditional education, saying, “Look at them! That one’s probably in a cult. And that one’s kids can’t even read!” My husband, too, had his doubts when I announced my plan to home-school our kids, picturing a life filled with prairie skirts and anti-evolution rhetoric.
They also thought we might not value teachers. But here’s the twist: my mom is a teacher, my mother-in-law was a teacher, and my husband teaches at a public high school. So, we’re big fans of educators! We just believe that home-schooling suits our kids better than a conventional classroom setting.
I have my own views on how children learn best, backed by some pedagogical training, and guess what? That approach doesn’t quite mesh with the current public school model. I’m not a fan of glorifying Columbus, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, or assigning busywork. I’d probably drive my kids’ teachers up the wall with my disagreements. So, we decided to keep our kids home.
And let me clarify: we’re not here to claim that fossils are fake relics planted by the devil. My husband and I are actually amateur paleontologists with a collection of fossils at home! Our kids study these as part of their curriculum. We listen to podcasts about extinct whales for science class and dive deep into dinosaurs, which they’re obsessed with, learning the specific names of bones and their locations.
We’re not part of any cult or secluded religious community, either. We’re Catholic, which means we do study our faith, but we also accept that the Earth is round, recognize climate change is real, and care about the impact of our overconsumption on developing nations. My son is set to make his first Communion this year, so we’re emphasizing the “body and blood of Jesus” aspect. And, unlike certain cults, we’re not teaching our kids to harbor hatred toward anyone.
Now, my kids may be a bit quirky—one’s fascinated with Spinosaurus, and the other knows all there is to know about extinct sharks—but they are social butterflies! They have plenty of friends, some of whom are home-schooled like them, and others who attend public school. They play together, interact appropriately, and are far from shy or disruptive.
I also don’t fit the stereotype of the typical home-schooling mom. You won’t catch me in a sea of denim skirts! I prefer my ModCloth dresses because they’re easier and more flattering than squeezing into jeans post-baby. Plus, I have a daily makeup routine that includes contouring—just like your average office worker! So, let’s just say I’m not what people imagine when they think of home-schooling moms.
I have three kids in tow. Many envision home-schoolers as families with six or more children, each teaching the others because mom is too busy. We’d love to have more kids someday, but for now, three is just right while I teach the basics like reading, the alphabet, and numbers. This way, my 6-year-old gets his reading lessons, my 4-year-old works on his letters, and the baby gets read to. Everyone gets quality time with me!
And yes, my son can read! There’s this stereotype that home-schoolers have 10-year-olds who don’t know how to read. I know someone who didn’t read until he was 10, and he turned out just fine. We believe kids will read when they’re ready, so I’m not worried that my almost-5-year-old isn’t interested in letters yet. This is actually how they do it in Finland, where kids don’t start reading until around age 7.
I’m also not the ultimate homemaker. Some people assume home-schooling moms spend all day barefoot, pregnant, and crafting homemade kombucha. We don’t have a giant garden for educational purposes, either. Honestly, I spend more time shuttling my kids around than I do cooking, and I have a black thumb—every plant I bring home dies, even cacti!
We’re not “bad weird.” We’re just a regular family who chose to step away from the public school system and educate at home. My kids have friends, they’re socially adept, and we don’t subscribe to any bizarre ideologies. I don’t wear denim skirts or brew my own kombucha. We’re just a normal family with normal kids who happen to be home-schooled, and it works for us!
This article originally appeared on Aug. 26, 2016.
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In summary, we’re just a typical family who has opted for home-schooling, embracing a unique approach to education without the stereotypes.