October 26th, 2022

Monday's email was a smash hit, as I received loads of responses from happy fans who are looking to take better control of their time and energy so they can focus on other more important things.

One area that a lot of people have expressed interest in is homeschooling. Because Americans are fed up with our failed public schools that are turning kids into lefty activists instead of smart free thinkers that are well-attuned with their skills and talents rather than so-called "passions."

Today's email was submitted by @Frenna68 (a now friend of mine on Gab), who elegantly explains how parents can tailor their own customized homeschooling curriculum for the betterment of their child.

In short: parents know better than anyone else what will work for their child. So why not take that power away from bureaucrats?

We at The Hungry Beaver hope you learn something from this insightful piece, and want you to know that we have made very few alterations to the writer’s original submission because we want this blog to come across as authentic and thoughtful as it truly is.

You can read this post below (copy and pasted from our website), or click on the blue text to see it online.

-Beavs

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Homeschooled kids won't fit in with peers, and debunking other myths about at-home education.

Maybe it was the latest school shooting that made you think about it. Maybe it was the news reports about how many families decided to keep their kids at home after their local public schools shut down for over a year. Maybe it was that cousin of a friend who decided to homeschool their children and that kid seems to be doing so well.

Then you wonder, “Is homeschooling something I can do?”  

After all, you might not have attended college, nor do you likely hold a degree in teaching. So you imagine trying to lecture to your kids in a converted bedroom for 6 hours a day. Wondering how you could possibly do it all.  

Then you ask yourself: Would my kids be social outcasts for not going to classes with their peers? And what about those rites of passage we all remember like prom, homecoming and team sports?

Well, what is homeschooling really? In its purest and most basic definition, it’s about teaching your children how to survive in this world. It’s a tradition going back millennia. It predates the little red schoolhouse, the university, and the place where you had prom night. 

Now, one would of course teach the basics like math and literacy. But there is so much more than that. It’s not educating the public-school way at home. It’s not teaching 6 or more hours a day, using the same materials the district does, and it’s not trying to recreate all you ever thought education was.

To homeschool means to completely rethink everything you thought you ever knew about education. You must throw away the book you thought had all the answers and start finding your own. It’s about breaking away from the chains of a classroom, the occasional field trip, bureaucrats, and final exams. 

“But what about socialization?” 

You may ask yourself if homeschooling means isolating your child from the world at large. I’m here to tell you quite the opposite is true! If anything, a homeschooled child will have much more interaction with people of all ages. 

After all, when was the last time you were in an environment in which you were surrounded by people your own age? That’s right, high school! 

Homeschooled children are also far less likely to have to deal with the effects of bullying, school violence, peer pressure and other things you may not want them to know at such a young age. 

You get to decide what is in the best interests of your child, not some bureaucrat. You can also teach at the child’s pace, not that of the classroom.  

Teachers, even in private schools, must teach to the lowest common denominator in that class. That means students who want to move ahead are stuck until the rest of the class catches up.  

Other kids who just aren’t grasping the material for whatever reason, compel the rest to move forward when the material is not fully grasped, making more advanced concepts harder to learn. 

Once you’ve made the decision to homeschool, you will need to take into consideration the laws of your state (it’s legal in every US state but some states are easier to set up than others), and then start looking at your lifestyle. Two parent home? One parent? Both working? If at least one parent can be home during the day, all the better, although some kids can work independently, and you can check their work when you get home. 

What time of day to begin lessons? That depends on the child and your typical day. You don’t have to start first thing in the morning like the local public school. Some families get started at the time that suits them best. Maybe 8 or 9 am. Then a lunch break. Then reading or play. Depending on age, children can be educated in as little as 45 minutes a day (age 5- 7) to max about 4 hours (grade 8-12).

Much of that can be reading, projects, hobbies and sports. 

Plus, education is more than just math or science (although you could use them in daily life). It’s learning to run a household. How to clean/do chores, cooking, food shopping, sewing, home repair and gardening. 

What books or curriculum do you use? This is probably the toughest part for families new to homeschooling. There are so many curriculums available and different points of view it can seem overwhelming. If there is a homeschooling conference in your area, it’s a good place to check various curriculums and talk to both vendors and parents. If not, there are highly recommended curriculum sales groups like Sonlight, My Father’s World and others that offer curriculums in a box and instructions on how to get started and projects the family can do.  

Many families new to homeschooling like to try a curriculum in a box, until they feel more comfortable with choosing what works and what doesn’t. There’s nothing wrong with changing curriculums either. Sometimes you start with one, and over time you may decide another is a better fit. That’s the best part of homeschooling – tailoring the work to the child not the other way around. Plus, don’t discount your local library! With a library card, you can have a great selection of literary classics at your command. This can be particularly helpful if you can’t purchase all the books your children would like to read or don’t have the shelf space for them.

Just make sure you keep a journal handy to record the schoolwork (there are many transcript books available to keep track of books read and homework). The most important time for record keeping is the high school years, particularly if the child is college bound. You want to make sure you have a record of coursework and credits to show administrators. You can even print out your own HS diploma! It’s as legit as what any public school can print out. Of course, not all kids may choose collegiate life, as some may choose vocational school and learn a trade. It’s about working with the child and his or her interests and playing to their individual strengths.  

What about tests? Again, this depends on state rules, but if your child is college bound, you may need to take an SAT or ACT. Plus, there are CLEP exams which can help the student skip ahead of the 101 coursework and save both time and money at the university.   

Sports? Yet again, it depends on state requirements, but you can choose based on the child’s interests. Maybe it’s martial arts, parkour, golf, horseback riding, tennis, hockey or yoga. Just let the child’s interests guide him or her to what they’d like to do. Just keep a record of how many hours they spend at this and other activities (and if necessary, keep a signature from the instructor as well) for high school credit.

Finally, I strongly advise homeschooling families to join the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Members can get free access to attorneys should they encounter trouble from local school bureaucrats. The group and its website are also a wealth of information and advice for families.

No matter how you choose to go about homeschooling, always remember no one else in this world has the best interests of your child than you the parent. 

No one knows their strengths and weaknesses better than you do. If you spend more time working in tandem with your children as a family, you can never get their education wrong.

Follow @Frenna68 on Gab!

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