When I confess to someone that I’m a homeschool mom for the first time, there’s always a moment of dread before seeing their reaction. In the last seven years, I’ve realized the response will go one of two ways. Immediate love or disgust; there’s never an in-between. Either way, there’s always the same follow-up: why?

Why in this context is such a loaded question. No, we do not belong to a cult. Yes, my family is Christian, but we aren’t puritanical. Our homeschool is secular; we choose to leave religious teachings to our church. No, my children are not mentally, physically, emotionally, or behaviorally impaired. 

The simple answer on why we pulled our children out of public school and started homeschooling them is because we wanted to. And the reason we’ve continued our home education for the better part of the last decade is that we LOVE homeschool!

I can hear you now – but WHY? I love homeschool for so many reasons that I couldn’t possibly list them all – but here are my top 15. 😉

Reasons I Love Homeschool

1. Being Around My Kids. First and foremost, I genuinely enjoy being around my kids! I love them, and I cherish the time we get to spend learning together.
2. Personalization. Unlike in public school, where one size fits all, in homeschool, everything is personalized. Bug and Belle operate at their own speed, in their own time, and learn in the style that best suits them.
3. Interest-Based Learning. Thanks to North Carolina’s homeschool laws, we are allowed to pursue interest-based learning. Bug and Belle have the freedom to select whatever classes they want within their overarching core subjects. That freedom allows us to pursue a wide range of courses.
4. Less Illness. Any place that packs kids in like sardines is a breeding ground for viruses. Both of the girls were constantly sick when they went to public school. These days it’s rare for colds to run through our house. That’s a huge plus with the pandemic.
5. Creating Our Own Schedule. In North Carolina, homeschoolers must complete 180 days of school per year. But we can do them whenever we want. Even better, we don’t get up before the sun rises in a rush to get ready or catch a school bus.
6. Field Trips. Since we can do everything on our own schedule, it means we can travel whenever we want! We’ve gone to the Great Smokies, the NC Zoo, the NC State Fair, museums, concerts, and our fair share of NC State Parks.
7. Learning How To Think Instead of What To Think. In homeschool, there’s no rush for quick answers. Bug and Belle use their critical thinking skills to come to their own conclusions.
8. Stress-Free Testing. The girls complete EOGs every year, but I don’t teach to the tests. They know that they don’t need to stress about taking the EOGs – or over their scores. Don’t get me wrong, their scores are better now than when they attended public school. It’s just not something I want them to worry about.
9. We Are Not Alone. North Carolina has a substantial homeschool community. We’ve never belonged to a co-op, but we do have family and friends who are homeschoolers too.
10. Safe Environment. There’s no such thing as bullies in our classroom, and school violence isn’t a worry.
11. Life Skills. Homeschooling Bug and Belle allows us to spend time developing their life skills. The girls have helped me do everything from gardening to canning. They can both cook, do their own laundry, and understand the importance of personal finance.
12. Quality Friendships. My kids don’t make friends with others simply because they’re assigned to the same class. Instead, they develop friendships based on mutual interests and shared values. Honestly, they are more mature and responsible when picking out friends than I am!
13. School Closures Don’t Affect Us. The girls don’t even know what a snow day is – and the COVID-related school closures of 2020 didn’t impact their education at all. Our homeschool continued to operate as it always had.
14. No Homework. Bug and Belle don’t have to complete hours of homework every night. Instead, they spend time drawing, reading, playing with their pets, talking to friends, and enjoying family time.
15. Strong Family Bonds. Spending so much time together has come with the added blessing of a strong family bond within our household. Bug and Belle are basically besties. It makes my heart smile.

There you have it, 15 reasons I love homeschool. Do you homeschool too? Drop me a comment below and let me know why you love it!