There was once a little girl who loved to write. She loved books and history. Her mind played in the land of Literature and the lives of its authors. She loved playing piano, which spawned a deep appreciation for music. Learning was a part of her life, intertwined with hours spent outdoors, getting scraped up and dirty; those days turned into memories that outlived the childhood they encommpassed.
She road bikes in the gravel and conducted endless games of “house” indoors when it rained. The dirtier the kid got, the more fulfilled she felt, and those scabs were tokens of battle. She loved to soar on a bright red swing in the backyard. Her imagination turned that yard into the kingdom of Narnia, the swing set into a pirate ship, and her brothers into atrocious villians.
“Play is often talked about as though it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” – Fred Rogers “Mr. Rogers”
She had not realized how precious those days were for a long time. She never would have known how quickly they’d come and go. Suddenly, she would be a woman. She would graduate high school and pursue a college degree. Before long, she would get used to telling people: “I’m the oldest of eight kids; six boys in a row and another girl after them.” A shocked reaction would follow into an entirely baffled one as she’d say, “Yeah, I was homeschooled, and my mom is still homeschooling the rest of the kids.”
As I am sure you have guessed by now, I was that little girl. I cannot speak for everyone’s homeschooling experience, nor would it be right to generalize all homeschools based on my experience. But I can offer a glimpse into the childhood of one homeschooled kid and how it impacted her life forever.
Some people view this type of learning as simply another route toward a diploma. For me, it has always been that and more. It is a lifestyle. It gave me an unbreakable bond with my family and allowed me to develop social skills through interactions with people of all ages, not just my own. It pushed me to explore my specific, God-given talents and interests and, most importantly, set a solid foundation for my walk with Christ.
A Stroll Down Memory Lane
Memories of Mom calling us kids in from outdoors for dessert after dinner (I especially remember the chocolate pudding and graham crackers, it always felt special when she’d put them in her “fancy” dinner glasses), watching Wild Kratts, and hanging out with my brothers, all pop up when I think of my childhood. I always thought of myself as a sort of leader of this tribe of boys and had a bossy streak which I implemented into many of the games we played. We spent much time in a thicket beside our house, which has become less of a jungle and more torn down in recent years. We swung from the vines of three huge willows that lined our backyard and chased each other around the garden that Dad had planted.
When I think of being homeschooled, I’m taken back to days spent in the library, sitting beside Mom as she taught us Bible 
history, reading Junie B. Jones books and practicing piano every week. I think of times spent reading my writing assignments for English to the “class,” dreading arithmetic problems, falling in love with history, and learning how to manage my future finances. Just as I hadn’t realized how precious my playtime hours were, I didn’t know then the gifts homeschooling gave me.
Me and my brothers were not only playmates but classmates. We grew, learned, and experienced so much life together. I was blessed by my parents being involved in every aspect of my life. Their commitment to training us and taking on the roles of teachers created a unique bond between them and me. I saw first-hand the sacrifices they made to give us an education that they were best qualified to give, because they knew and loved us better than anyone else. They knew how we learned best and structured our lessons accordingly.
Being homeschooled told me that I was worth it. I was worth their time and effort. They pushed me to do my best, to question things for myself and allowed me the freedom to gain full-time access to their mentorship and guidance. I was encouraged to complete my general studies, branch out, and delve into things that interested me, such as music. I was given space to do so.
While a common assumption made about homeschoolers is that they are deprived of a social life, I cannot say that this was true in my case. My community involved those of every age and of different ethnicities. I met friends back then who became sisters to me. Most of all, my siblings and parents became my built-in best friends. It’s hard to feel like your social life is dry when you grow up with an entire troop of kids. We all had the same schedule, which made playtime very convenient.
That schedule was flexible enough to allow for new experiences, such as travelling to different states. It was always nice going on vacation and having an entire pool to ourselves; since most kids had a diffferent schedule than us! Mom was wonderful with planning field trips, planning lessons, and selecting coursework. She gave me the opportunity to complete college-level courses in high school that prepared me to succeed in future educational endeavors.
My homeschooling chapter came to an end, when I graduated in 2022, but it left a deep impression on me that fuels my passion and support for the homeschool movement today.
Homeschooled For Life
I am ultimately grateful for how my parents instilled in us (and continue to instill) a Biblical worldview and a learning experience that revolved around God’s Word. God created our minds in such an incredible way, so much so that even a child can absorb the Gospel message. That message guided my schooling journey. When I think of how they poured into me, Proverbs 22:6 comes to mind, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Do you remember that little girl from the beginning of this article? She might be a woman now, but she still sometimes swings on that red swing. Her mind still runs into the land of Literature and imagines what isn’t as though it were. Something about her homeschooling experience lingered beyond childhood. It encouraged her imagination to flourish, kept her bond with those brothers close, and didn’t stifle her big dreams. Those are gifts that last a lifetime. Sometimes, the woman that is me, can still see the little girl swinging from willow vines and riding down the gravel road. She keeps riding and riding, until she is called back to eat some pudding and graham crackers from one of Mom’s “fancy” glasses.
–Abby
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