02 Sep Top 5 Reasons I Love Homeschooling My Teens

When I started homeschooling, almost a decade ago, I had not thought out the entire process. There were a few reasons that I was initially thinking to experiment for a year or two. My plan was just to “see how things go.” I certainly had not thought beyond the elementary grades! Middle school and high school were a distant vague worry. But now, as we move into these upper grades, I am finding that worry was unfounded. I am finding as much joy and enjoyment as I did with the elementary grades. Here are my top 5 reasons I love homeschooling my teens:

1. Our Years of Habit Training Start to Show Results

If you are anything like us, you’ve spent many years and countless hours training your children in good habits. Habits that will be of huge benefit in adulthood. We’ve worked on focus and attention, the habit of excellence and giving your best effort at all times, the habit of obedience but also using discernment, observation, and reading, the habit of spending free time wisely. The list goes on. This training in habits is a major part of our children’s education, but can sometimes be disheartening. There have been many days when I wondered in discouragement why my consistency and effort was not paying off. But = don’t be disheartened! It does pay off! As children grow into their pre-teen and teenage years, these habits are becoming hard-wired into their brains. Just like Charlotte Mason describes in her Home Education Series, when you spend time laying down the rails, eventually the train will simply follow the path laid out.

I no longer have to constantly remind my children to focus, to finish their math, to do their reading assignments, or even how to spend their free time. They are independently taking on the work of their education and it is a beautiful, very rewarding thing to see.

2. We Get to Spend Valuable Time Together

Some of my best memories with my children come from when we were homeschooling in the early years – cuddling on the couch, reading great books together, engaging activities and adventures, taking long nature hikes, or spending the day by the pool. I treasure the time that I was able to spend with them. And here’s the great part – I still get to spend valuable time with them as they get older!

As parents cautiously entering the world of pre-teens and teens, we are often warned of children pulling away from parents, horrific behavior and attitudes. And while, yes, those warnings may occasionally have merit, my experience has been that when we enjoy spending time with our children, the feeling is reciprocated. Us homeschool moms have the unique opportunity to spend more time with our children than many others, and I see this as such a gift! I still get to cuddle with the on the couch, reading great books. We still do engaging activities and go on adventures together. I still get to hang out by the pool with them on my days off. And I still love every minute of it.

My children are brilliant, creative, thoughtful, sensitive, funny, deep thinkers, and (most of the time) hard workers. I’m sure it is not biased of me to say that everyone should be so fortunate to have such incredible people to hang out with!

3. We Have Great Discussions While Sharing Books and Ideas

Our homeschool curriculum is based on classic literature, so we’ve always read incredible books. Each one has been a source of discussion – sometimes at the dinner table, sometimes while tucking the children into bed at night. Now, as the children get older, these discussions are getting deeper and more controversial. The kids are learning about current events and exploring new ideas in the safe environment of their home. As their parents, we then have the opportunity to discuss the subjects and their views together, and I love it!

Teens are also learning about what they are passionate about, and they begin to delve deeper into these subjects. It may be art, music, history, or science. Homeschooling gives them the opportunity to explore their interests in greater depth, and as they explore their interests more deeply, we get to share the journey with them.

4. They Can Take Advantage of Unique Learning Opportunities.

Homeschooling opens up a world of unique learning opportunities for teens that they wouldn’t necessarily have access to otherwise. From field trips to internships and apprenticeships, or having the time and opportunity to earn money or start their own business, homeschooling gives teens the chance to really explore their interests and learn in a hands-on way. I feel so fortunate to be able to be by my children’s sides as they navigate their futures. Although school guidance councilors are a great resource, no one loves and cares for our children, their best interest and futures as much as we do!

5. They Can Prepare for Their Future on Their Own Terms.

As our children are entering the middle and high school grades, our minds start to turn to high school transcripts, graduation requirements, whether college is an option to consider etc. Sometimes this can become a rat-race in itself. As homeschoolers, our teens have the opportunity to start thinking about and preparing for their future on their own terms. They can begin planning for college or a career, and exploring the options that are available to them, without feeling pressure from others.

As homeschoolers, our children also have more freedom to work toward a college degree while completing their high school education, if this is a path they choose.

There are so many reasons to love homeschooling your teens. Homeschooling gives us the ability to provide a unique and customized learning experience that can be tailored to our children’s individual needs and interest, but the advantages are not all academically related. Homeschooling your teens also allows for the ability of true, deep relationship building, which has life-long value.

These are just the top 5 reasons I love homeschooling my teens. There are so many more and I hope you are experiencing every single one of them!