Homeschooling The Good and The Bad

Homeschooling: The Chaos, the Choice, and the Freedom to Unschool

Homeschooling was never something I pictured myself doing. Honestly, the idea alone used to make me sweat. Me? Be the teacher? I could barely get my kids to sit through dinner without someone sliding off their chair like a cooked noodle, let alone convince them to calmly do math at 9 a.m.

But life has a funny way of nudging us onto unexpected paths. And for us, homeschooling became one of those paths—messy, challenging, beautiful, and surprisingly freeing.

The Reality: Getting Kids to Actually Sit Down and Do the Work

Let’s talk about the part no one brags about on Instagram:Getting your kids to sit still for actual schoolwork can feel like trying to get a tornado to take a nap.

Some days they’re focused and motivated. Other days they act like picking up a pencil is the same as lifting a 300-pound barbell.

There were mornings I questioned everything:

• Why is this worksheet causing a meltdown?

• Why does teaching fractions feel harder than giving birth?

• Why am I Googling “Can a child learn while upside down on the couch?”

(Answer: yes… yes they can.)

And after trying schedules, charts, timers, and every “fun learning activity” Pinterest could offer, I realized something huge: My kids weren’t broken. The system we were trying to recreate at home just wasn’t right for them.

The Shift: Choosing to Unschool

When our homeschool days began feeling more like battles than opportunities, I discovered something called unschooling—a child-led approach where curiosity becomes the curriculum.

It wasn’t about being hands-off.

It wasn’t about “letting kids do whatever.”

It was about trusting that children naturally want to learn—when they’re allowed to learn in ways that actually fit them.

And suddenly, everything changed.

My kids who resisted worksheets learned multiplication through baking and grocery budgeting.

Reading clicked when they were allowed to choose books they wanted to read instead of ones they were “supposed” to.

Science happened in the backyard.

History came alive in documentaries, conversations, and museum trips.

Learning stopped being a fight and started being something they explored, absorbed, and even got excited about.

Why Homeschooling (and Unschooling) Really Works

Homeschooling gives families something the traditional system can’t always offer:

1. Learning at Their Own Pace

Some kids sprint. Some kids stroll. At home, both are okay. No falling behind. No rushing ahead. No labels.

2. A Safe, Comfortable Environment

No bullying. No sensory overload. No pressure to “fit in.” Just a place where kids can be themselves and thrive.

3. Real-World Learning

In homeschool, the world is the classroom.

Cooking becomes chemistry. Park trips spark biology questions. Errands teach responsibility, math, and communication.

4. Flexible Schedules for Real Lives

Sick day? No problem. Trip to Grandma’s? Educational. A lesson turns into a rabbit hole of curiosity? Perfect—go deeper.

5. Stronger Family Connections

Homeschooling isn’t perfect, but it’s meaningful. You grow, struggle, adjust, and celebrate together.

Breaking the Stigma: The Stereotype Is Outdated

We’ve all heard it:

“Homeschool kids are socially awkward.”

“They’ll never be ready for the real world.”

“Parents aren’t qualified to teach.”

Let me be clear: These stereotypes are outdated and just plain wrong.

Today’s homeschoolers:

• Join co-ops

• Participate in sports and activities

• Volunteer

• Learn through real-life interactions

• Often enter college with strong self-motivation and independence

And parents?

We’re not required to know everything.

We’re required to care—and to learn right alongside our kids.

That stigma was built on a version of homeschooling that barely exists anymore.

Homeschool families today are creative, diverse, connected, and resourceful. And if anyone doubts it… well, they’re welcome to spend a week watching our kids debate science while building LEGO cities or mastering life skills while making dinner.

Choosing What Works for Your Family

Whether you homeschool traditionally, unschool, hybrid-school, or mix all three depending on the day (hi, it’s me), there’s no “right” way to do this.

Kids don’t learn in one uniform, standardized way—so why would we expect one rigid method to work for every family?

Homeschooling isn’t easier.

Unschooling isn’t lazy.

Both require intention, patience, flexibility, and trust.

But the reward?

Watching your children grow in ways you never would’ve seen in a traditional setting.

And honestly… that makes every chaotic morning, every math meltdown, every “Why are we even doing this?” moment completely worth it.