5 Ways Our Sons Will Be Different If We Homeschool Them

Overview: Are you concerned that your sons will be DIFFERENT if you homeschool them? Guess what?!? They will. But that’s actually a GOOD thing. Find out why!!!

I recently heard from a mom who was concerned that if she homeschooled her son other parents would judge her for it and that they would likely label him as quirky. I hated to break it to her… but she was right.

Even though homeschooling is on the rise across the country, it is still not the cultural norm. If we homeschool our sons they WILL be different than if we send them to school.

5 Ways Our Sons Will Be Different If We Homeschool Them

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Most parents want desperately to do what is best for their children. And we also want some confirmation from others that we have made the right decisions.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always going to happen. When we choose to homeschool our kids, we have to be prepared for the disapproval of our friends and family members.

There are plenty of people who will think you’re strange or that you’re making a huge mistake in choosing to homeschool your kids. But I ask you – are you more concerned about pleasing God or about pleasing man?

As for our sons being labeled as different or quirky, that can also happen. However, I submit to you that it’s actually a GOOD thing that our homeschooled children are different from their publicly-schooled peers.

That’s part of the reason we’re homeschooling them in the first place!

5 Ways Your Sons Will Be Different if you Homeschool Them

Here are 5 Ways Our Sons Will Be Different if we Homeschool Them:

1 – More Self-Assured

They force kids in school to fit inside of the mold of what the government thinks kids should be like. Kids must try to learn everything at a certain age, whether they’re ready for it or not.

They feel pressured to look and act like their peers. They are often bullied if they are different from the herd.

Boys who are homeschooled are usually much more self-assured than are their publically-schooled peers. They’re used to answering lots of questions and speaking their mind. They’re able to be themselves and to pursue their own interests.

They are often around people of different age groups and from various walks of life. They’ve been socialized in the real world rather than in the artificial world inside a school building.

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Boys

2 – Less Stressed

Kids in school are swamped with homework from a very young age – even over weekends and holiday breaks. They are tested and quizzed about everything they are taught. 

They have constant pressure to perform.

Boys who are homeschooled often don’t have homework. Their nights and weekends are free to pursue their own interests and for family time. They have the luxury of being able to learn at their own pace rather than being forced to keep up with faster kids in the class. 

They also aren’t forced to waste time waiting for others if they catch on quickly. The learning environment is much less stressful.

→ Related Content: Homeschool Moms Speak Up About the Benefits of Homeschooling

3 – More Rested

Kids in school are forced to get up early in the morning to eat, get ready, and run out the door to catch the bus. They are also often up late doing homework and participating in extra-curricular activities. 

Many kids in school are sleep deprived, which can lead to depression and anxiety.

Boys who are homeschooled are often able to sleep in if they’ve had to be up late the night before. They can start their schoolwork when they are more awake and finish it in whatever amount of time they need. 

They also often get to bed earlier at night because many things can be done in the afternoons rather than having to do everything that isn’t school related at night.

4 – More Engaged in the Learning Process

Kids in school are told what to think and when to think. And there isn’t a lot of appreciation for differences of opinion or religion. They are given information, told to memorize it, told what to think about it, and then they move on to the next lesson.

Boys who are homeschooled have the freedom to learn about things which actually interest them. They are given a list of things to complete for the day or for the week which teaches them how to manage their time wisely and make decisions about what to work on when. 

They learn how to learn – and they WANT to learn.

5 – Healthier

Kids in school learn to sit still while they’re in class and to try very hard not to interrupt the teacher. They learn to respond to bells, to eat at a specific time whether they’re hungry or not, and they have to try to put a hold on their bodily functions.

Boys who are homeschooled are able to eat when they’re hungry. They can take their time and have a leisurely lunch as well, rather than having to wolf down their food. 

When they need to use the bathroom, they use it. They’re also able to get up and move around while learning and take exercise breaks between subjects whenever they feel like stretching their legs. 

In other words, they’re able to listen to the cues their body gives them and to respond rather than having to try to ignore these signals, which is very unhealthy.

I remember how hungry I used to get back when I was in school – high school especially. I used to try to sneak gum into class – hiding it under my tongue – and then I would slowly break off small bits of it throughout that hour so that my stomach wouldn’t growl as loudly. 

We weren’t able to drink anything or eat anything while learning and there were a few years when I was growing rapidly, that I felt like I was starving all day long.

I can’t imagine an environment where my boys weren’t allowed to eat throughout the day. I know it would extremely distract them to be that hungry all day long!

The next time someone talks to you about how different your boys will be if you homeschool them, take comfort in it. Rather than fearing this fact, we should actually embrace it.

Yes, our boys will be different if we homeschool them. And that’s a good thing!

Question: How have you noticed that your sons are different due to homeschooling? Have you been encouraged by the changes you’ve seen? Please leave a comment below.

Are you afraid that your sons will be quirky or strange if you homeschool them? Guess what?!? They WILL be different - and that's a good thing. Click through and be encouraged! | homeschool socialization | homeschooled kids different | homeschool encouragement |
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89 thoughts on “5 Ways Our Sons Will Be Different If We Homeschool Them”

  1. This is so encouraging, especially for new home school moms. I’m proud my boys are different. At one time, they owned every single My Little Pony toy and movie, and no one made them feel weird or bad about it. That’s one of my favorite things about homeschooling–they get to like what they like without peer pressure telling them it’s ‘wrong. ‘

    1. I’m glad you found it encouraging! Yes, isn’t it wonderful that our boys can be who God wants them to be… who He created them to be without pressure from others to conform?!? So true!

    2. Yes, my son is different. He was home educated from age 11-18. At nearly 21, he is a concert pianist. A traditional system would not allow for him to be that, and still play football, baseball, be an Eagle Scout, and have the balance that kids need. My son is kind, respectful, faithful. He demonstrates passion through his music and his love of the history of baseball. (Something he researched and pursued on his own.) He is extremely social and relates to all ages of people. He knows how to network like no one I’ve ever seen. 28,000 people follow his piano on Instagram. Mostly, my son and my daughter are very close friends. To me that is the true test of socialization…get along with your family. Home educating made all the difference in the world.

      1. I love your post! I have three boys and we live in a fly in posting (their dad is law enforcement). I always hope my boys grow up close and living here has taught them that at the moment all they have is each other – they have to agree to disagree! My 6 year old regularly comes to me with questions or topics he wants to learn about. Our 4 year old commented the other day about something and my husband says “how do you even know what this is”. It’s amazing what they can explore and learn when they aren’t forced to be in that mold!

        1. Yes, isn’t that amazing!?!? I’m always saying, “How do you know that?!?” to my boys. LOL

          I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Be sure to look around my site because I have tons of information about parenting and homeschooling boys. Oh, and thank-you for your service to our country. I have a lot of respect for our law enforcement officers and their families. 🙂

  2. I am considering home schooling my 3 year old, but want them to develop friendships in the small community we live in. Right now he is 3. I am a single mom, new to the community, with not a loot of contact with people. I want him to develop the social skills, friendships, and have extra curricular activities outside off our home. Is there a certain age that you feel is best to begin?

    1. I actually wrote a post and I think you’ll find very helpful about when to start: Better Late Than Early? – When Should We Start Teaching Our Children? Even if you start homeschooling him right now, he’ll still have PLENTY of time to socialize with friends and family members. My boys are 14 and almost 16 and they have more time to spend with other people than their publicly-schooled peers because they aren’t as bogged down with homework.

      If you have any other questions, let me know. I’d be happy to try to answer them for you. No matter what decision you make, I hope you and your son enjoy the journey!

    2. Boys should be allowed to take their time in the learning process. Any more it’s ok for them to start at 6 or 7. Going to the library is a good way to meet people and get a child into learning to love books.

    3. I have a 3 year old as well. I would recommend starting at age 4 and find a local co-op where he can start forming friendships within the local homeschooling community.

  3. I have two boys, and they have opposite personalities. One is quiet and has a tremendous attention span. He will sit and draw or build legis for hours on end. The other is constantly in motion and loves being around people. I am so grateful to be able to gear our studies to each of their strengths and not try to fit them into a “box” when it comes to their learning styles.

    Thanks for this encouraging post!

  4. I remember when I was younger. How I begged my Mom to homeschool me. But at the time she worked full time and the resources to do so were hard to come by. (I really did well with one-on-one or individual learning. My Mom saw that when I dislocated my knee for the second time and one of my teachers actually came by and did work with me at home. But alas, that wasn’t meant to be!).

    With what you were saying, I really feel the same for my boys as far as they are getting so much more opportunity to grow and learn things than if they were in school and were just made to do what was asked of them without any creativity. My 11-year-old is becoming more organized lately, and is amazing me with what he is trying to accomplish! He also gets encouraged to learn more and wanting to be older. He has dreams and he wants to do so many things that if he were in school all day, he would never get to do them!

    I want to encourage all my kids in their interests, as well as expose them to what they need to grow. I am so thankful all my children are homeschooled! And, yes, I think sometimes people look down on us but as far as society, anytime I tell a parent we homeschool as of late, I keep getting positive feedback about how they wish they could have done that for their kids. Or that they wish they could do it now, especially the way schools are headed.

    You also mentioned eating throughout a school day and I remember hardly eating during the day when I went to high school, which at that point we could eat whatever we wanted as long as we could buy it if we didn’t bring it from home, and I ended up buying a giant cookie some days. Then I would eat tons of food when I got home, which wasn’t really the wisest decision. So it is interesting! Thank you, always, for your amazing posts and constant encouragement!

    1. Yes, I agree. Homeschoolers are so blessed to have the freedom to learn about things that interest them, to be able to exist OUTSIDE of the box, and to have a more individualized learning environment. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us, Elizabeth!

  5. Thank you for this!!!!

    Since all the housework isn’t done by magical elves while they’re at school, my boys know what goes into keeping a house. When my oldest was in school, there just didn’t seem to be time for chores, as that would have taken up the very little free time he had in a week, and a kid does need to play, i think. Now, we have “home ec” worked into the school day. They will, hopefully, be able to cook and clean efficiently by the time they leave us.

    Same thing for other skills, like building, home maintenance and improvement, gardening, car stuff. We have time to teach them life skills.

    Something i love about homeschooling is my boys are friends with each other. When we get together with other friends, my boys are still friends with each other. They are not getting the message that they must only be friends with people in their grade, and they are not spending their days in separate classes.

    We have actually had almost completely positive reactions when we’ve told people we decided to homeschool. Only teachers seem skeptical, but most of them say, “you’re doing the right thing” or even, “if i didn’t have to work, I’d homeschool my kids.” Our neighbor boy turned to his mom and said, “why don’t you homeschool me?!” He’s a teen. I was worried my parents would think we were crazy, but my dad wishes he’d been homeschooled and so do my brothers! My mom told me about an intern at her place of work who got them a huge grant and, impressed, my mom asked where she had gone to school. She said, “My mom homeschooled all six of us.” My mom said that girl wasn’t afraid of people and that she was “a genius”.

    Best of all, my boys aren’t learning that you either are the bully, kiss up to the bully, or get bullied. They’re outside of that dog-pack, Lord of the Flies mentality that we saw at my son’s previous school and i have seen elsewhere (i was a youth minister before having kids). That training kids get at school continues into the workplace, as we see from the workplace bullying epidemic. My boys, i hope, will be outside of that.

    Thank you for this great blog!!

    1. Such good examples, TJ. Thanks for sharing those with us! I think that the worse things get “out there”, the more positive people are becoming about homeschooling. Magical elves! Ha! I wish!!! Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂

  6. I see a big difference in my youngest so. Who’s is home schooling for his 6 th year now and my college aged son who went to public junior high and high school. The greatest difference is in their inner character. The one who goes to college is brave and strong, yet always strives to maintain a toughness that the younger is not interested in. It might sound challenging to articulate in a short blog comment but it is intangible and I really notice the world pushes a certain type of “success” that just is so unique from the home school definition of success. I am happy to have the opportunity to make this decision to homeschool this particular child for as long as he cares to. He might ask to attend high school next year but right now he is thriving in spite of a chronic pain issue he has to live with right now. If it was not for home school then he’s certainly not be keeping up and coping as well !! Thankful in Bothell~ Susan Larson

    1. So true, Susan. The world definitely pushes a different type of success. Thanks for pointing that out! When my boys were younger and were in a group, someone would tell them to line up and the schooled kids would race and push to get to the front of the line. Mine would wait for the commotion to be over with and then would walk to the back of the line. I remember urging them to race to the front but they never understood the urgency. Their response really made me think about the way I had been taught to behave as a child. Wow!

      1. I’ve noticed the line thing with my boys as well! They even let others get in front of them in line. Recently at a snake encounter I realized that by being at the end they were able to spend more time and actually ask the presenter questions that they wouldn’t have had time for if they had been at the front. I felt chagrined that I had tried to urge them to move faster and keep their place in line. Oops!

  7. Thank you so much for the reminder of why my husband and I chose to homeschool in the first place. My kids will know how to take care of a house when they grow up, they also will be able to take care of a car (oil change, tire rotation, etc…). The children are taking care of animals on a daily basis (sheep, goats, dogs, chickens and pigeons at the moment). Also the children have lots of interaction with different age groups throughout each and every day. The ages range from almost 100 years old to 2 years old. They have to learn how to converse with these different people. How you speak to a 100 year old man differently that you speak to your 2 year old sister. All of this is fascinating to watch. When I tell others I homeschool, I usually get a positive reaction. It’s a much better reaction than I get when I tell people I have 4 kids. People usually are floored and say “you do know how that happens, don’t you?” Like having 4 kids is sooo bad that who in the world would want to do that. God planned these kids long ago, who am I to mess with His plans?

    1. Wow, you get that kind of response with only having 4 kids?!? That’s pretty sad… Our world certainly has changed in the last 20 years or so.

      By the way, it sounds like you’re doing an amazing job with your kids. Yes, homeschoolers learn in a real-world environment and that makes such a difference!

    2. When we got pregnant with our third (all planned using NFP), someone i barely knew joked, “you do know how that happens, right?” I said, “yes, and it seems we’re pretty good at it!”

      Ironically, since we have only boys, now we hear constantly, “gonna try for a girl?”

      These remarks brought to you by well socialized products of traditional school. 😉

    3. I have 4 boys and get that reaction from so many people too. I’ve even had someone tell me I was irresponsible to have so many children.

  8. Thanks for this, Michelle. My husband just got asked the socialization question at work today. I feel he answered it pretty well, but it always gets us talking about if we are sheltering our boys too much. I was, once again, struggling with whether or not our boys will grow up to be weird and ill-equipped to live in the real world. I always come back to who we are really trying to please, God or the culture around us. We definitely want to please the Lord. This blog post came at just the right time. Thank you for the encouragement!

  9. My boys recently visited a church which had a children’s sermon. All the kids were invited up by the minister and he talked directly to the kids. He kept asking the kids questions, and my 2 boys (4 and 10) answered readily and in depth. The other kids were less responsive. I think it is because my boys have not been in a school environment, having a big person tell them repeatedly for years to sit down, be quiet, don’t talk, wait, etc. while the other kids had been. My boys thought since another person asked them a question, they should engage in conversation. And surprisingly, it really stood out as odd in that context. Strange isn’t it!

  10. As a homeschooling mother of sons, I wholeheartedly agree with you. I homeschool so my sons can have many of the advantages you mention. I’d never thought about the hunger-while-working issue, but it makes perfect sense to me, too. Recently, we took our son to a doctor’s appointment. The doctor was pleased when she found out we homeschooled, but it was primarily because she says so many of her young patients are already dealing with sleep deprivation. How sad! Thanks for sharing at the #LMMLinkup.

    1. Yes, isn’t it sad that the normal behavior in our society is to make our kids neurotic by stressing them out, causing sleep deprivation, and then sending them out into the world to become “successful” adults. And we wonder why everything has become so broken in our world. Thanks for stopping by, Leslie!

  11. I think another benefit is that they can grow to be leaders no matter what their personality type. I have one child who is a natural leader and functions well in any environment. My other son has an extremely strong personality, but he is also a follower. Having him at home gives me the opportunity to develop his weaknesses (impulsiveness) and highlight his strengths that disappear under his weaknesses sometimes (leadership).

    Boys are at the biggest disadvantage in standard schools – and keeping them home lets them develop without the feminism and boy bashing and empty bravado that happens in school. when a group of boys all of the same age are competing for popularity, bad things happen.

    1. Such good points, Jennifer!!! So true. That was one of the huge reasons my husband was on board with homeschooling. He saw what a follower he had become when he was in school and he didn’t want that to happen for his boys!

  12. I stumbled onto your blog several weeks ago and have loved it! We are new to homeschooling and your blog has been super encouraging in dealing with some of the things we have been dealing with. I have experienced both sides of the coin with public school and homeschool and agree with all of your points. I’m very thankful my sons are different. Also, very thankful they are free to be and become who God created them to be.
    So thank you for your blog.

    1. Oh, Natalie, I’m so glad you found me! And I’m glad you’ve found my blog to be encouraging. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so that you’ll always see when I have new posts and videos and stuff come out. 🙂 And if you have any questions along the way, feel free to ask. I love to help other moms whenever I can. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and I hope you have a great weekend!

  13. We homeschooled our three kids for 13 years and then they wanted to go to our small local high school so I let them. Now that they are all 3 in college I am teaching second grade at a public school nearby. I agree with everything you said! Almost daily I tell my husband how grateful I am that we were able to make the sacrifices we did financially to be able to allow me to stay home and homeschool them. There are of course children in public schools who thrive and succeed however they do have to put up with a lot! Waiting in line, waiting on others to finish, waiting to move on when they’ve mastered a skill/subject, waiting to eat, waiting to talk and play…
    I would encourage homeschool parents not to worry about their kids being weird or quirky. Mostly they will be like their parents and that’s true whether they homeschool or not. There are some very quirky kids in public school too. What I see now as a public school teacher that frightens me is kids who come to public school that their parents claim they homeschooled but clearly they didn’t do enough. Kids who can’t read or do basic math in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade! Because I spent 13 years in the homeschool community I know this is the exception and not the norm. So I would encourage all to make sure you are teaching the basics and being consistent with their education. But definitely do not stress about “socialization” because your kids will be fine! Blessings!

  14. Yep! You nailed it. I have homeschooled my three sons from the beginning, and I see big differences now, especially with my oldest (11). He doesn’t have the same concerns about fitting in as his peers. He’s more self-assured and has no problem talking to adults if he needs something from them. He is responsible and independent. They all know how to use tools and do practical things (they helped their dad renovate a couple of houses last year) and cook and do laundry and all kinds of other things that kids their age don’t have time for because they are too busy with school and homework and after-school activities.

  15. Another great aspect is for them to learn to do hard work. If in school and other activities, they come home, eat and do more homework leaving no time in the day for chores and working. My son loves shoveling snow, digging in the garden and harvesting. He loves work of any kind, really. Especially if it’s outside, and he’s barely five. As he gets older I would think he would be too tired to come home and enjoy these activities or not have time due to homework. I’m thankful for the “different” he has the opportunity to be!

  16. Thank you this is a lovely read. I was just discussing this with my homeschool tribe of how I already notice he’s a “homeschooled kid” however it’s not a bad thing. He’s kind, friendly, and confident! Just what we are hoping for.

    1. Amen. That’s exactly right, Carla. And thanks so much for your kind words. It’s always encouraging to me to hear that something I’ve written has resonated with my readers. 🙂

  17. Yes! My son just headed back to college and I was thinking about how unique he is. He is very quiet but not shy. He is earnest about learning and loves taking his time to listen to others, yet he may be the first to raise his hand to discuss in class. His college classes are real to him. He truly is interested in learning, thinking and discussing. He is not merely striving to achieve a high GPA & get a diploma so he can get a job. He desires to grow intellectually, relationally and spiritually as a human being. I guess the difference is that he knows who he is and he is not trying to prove anything or manage his image. He is putting his whole self into learning, growing, and serving others without that surface veneer that many put on to protect or advance themselves. I cannot say I had much to do with his virtues other than trying in my flawed motherly way to encourage them. God used the homeschool environment and my son’s unique gifts & personality to form him into an a unusual young man.

  18. Janice Grantham

    My son has a congenital limb amputation. He was bullied unschooled so his dad and I decided it was time to homeschool! We also habe a daughter who is older. We are in our second year of homeschool and we love it! My children are strong in their faith as Chriatians. They speak like adults and have had an amazing bonding experience with each other, as well! I am so glad to know that my children ARE different because we homeschool! I am a very proud parent!

    1. How sad, Janice. Kids can be so cruel! I love how God can bring something good out of what started out as a bad situation, though. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us!!!

  19. YES! We have been homeschooling for a month and a half and within this time my son is much more loving and not angry. He was angry and depressed. I love the change I see in my boy. He’s 13. He’s so much happier and relaxed now and he’s eager to do work and show me what he knows. I don’t pressure him to do work but when we sit down at the table to work, he’s focused and ready to go. He doesn’t dread doing work any more. I’m SO happy I pulled him from public school.

    1. Oh, Teresa, that’s wonderful to hear! Wow, amazing how quickly you’ve seen a change. I’m so happy for you and for your son! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your story with us. I think it will be encouraging to lots of other moms who are considering homeschooling. 🙂

      1. My son was so full of anxiety and bottled-up anger after school, before we pulled him (3+ years ago). Now he is much more comfortable with himself and happy! The change was dramatic, and was apparent, also, like you, within a couple months.

  20. Thank you for the reminder of pleasing God or pleasing man. My mil very recently gave her opinion of our choice to begin homeschooling my 4 yr old. Although her comments were disappointing, I am thankful my husband and I are able to raise our children how we feel called and not let others pressure our decisions.

  21. I wish we had all the warm fuzzies you mentioned.
    It seems like our son sleeps too much, eats too much, games too much, and wants to be outside otherwise..
    I am worn out trying to get ‘things ‘ done having to do with school.. What to do?

    1. You know what?!? Our kids go through phases for sure. And some of those phases are more difficult than others. I’ve also written about my frustration in various blog posts. 🙂

      I don’t know how old your son is, but our tween/teens do need more sleep than we might think. And don’t even get me started on boys eating a lot. My sons are 6’5″ and 6’4″ so they can certainly pack it away.

      Hopefully, the posts I linked to in my reply will help you. I certainly didn’t mean to make it sound like homeschool moms should only be experiencing the warm fuzzies. I’ve been through rough patches as well. But I’ve also experienced the good moments! Hang in there!!!

      1. Thank you and I will look for your suggestions. We need them in so many ways. I see all of the benefits you mentioned , agree with them, but would like to experience it.

  22. Oh my goodness! As a momma the 4 homeschooled boys the hits the nail on the head!!! We run totally differently from the normal. My boys are full of Spunk And Spirit And are
    Curious About the world. Sometimes I struggle with their voracity but I Need to remember to see it as a blessing Compared to the alternative. We get a lot of
    Comments about how sweet, polite and chatty our boys are because they will talk to anyone anywhere, especially adults. It’s because they are around a lot of homeschooling families and interact with parents all the time. Homeschooling them has also given them More
    Opportunities to be around their grandparents! Sharing in my Facebook group Homeschool Curriculum 101!!

    1. Thanks so much for sharing this, Nadine. I appreciate that. And it’s great to hear about your experience. It sounds like your boys are thriving in your homeschool. Keep up the good work! And thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  23. These are all very true, and very good things. We are preparing our sons to be the spiritual heads of their households, so learning what they believe and why, and being able to explain it and stand their ground in it, are very important. I have a son, so I’ve written some posts about the benefits of homeschooling for boys, as well. My son owns his own business, so I wrote about that last year. I once heard someone on the radio say that homeschoolers were much more likely to be entrepreneurs because of the self-confidence they gain from being homeschooled. I think they’re more likely to have new inventions and discoveries, too, simply because they have the time to follow their own curiosity and creativity.

    1. I think that’s so true, Michelle. They are more likely to have the courage to walk the road less traveled. That’s for sure. I’d love to read the post you wrote about your son and his business. Feel free to link to it here. 🙂

  24. Can I be honest? In my experience- the homeschool families are often the ones that are more judgemental. I have been both. A homeschool mom, as well as having my kids in school. Can we ever get to a place where we just realize some things work for some- but simple don’t for others? There are many positives to homeschooling. There are also positives to regular schooling. I feel it’s different for each family and it is theirs to decide. I also think it’s sad this article must point out all of the reasons why homeschooling is better. Or the homeschool children will turn out better. I have one child who greatly benefits from homeschool. I have another child who FLORISHES at school. So to your point…all kids are not molds. What is right for one child/family- may not be right for the other. And that’s ok!

    1. My point in this post wasn’t to be judgemental in any way but to encourage parents who have chosen to homeschool their children. Homeschooling gives families a lot more flexibility and that’s what I was pointing out in my post. You’re right that homeschooling isn’t the best fit for every family. And some kids flourish in public school. But it can be stressful for families who have chosen to homeschool and are concerned that their decision will cause their kids to be “different”. They are the ones this post is meant to encourage. 🙂

  25. We started homeschooling about 3 weeks ago. 2 boys 7 and 11. We are half way through week 3. I have wanted to homeschool forever but my hubby was not on board. The stress was horrible for all.of us and the daily fights and anxiety. Since being home there has been a huge change in my boys for the better,which I knew would happen. I am.mad at myself and my husband for allowing the stress to ruin our house for 8 years even though I knew in my heart this was the right thing all.along. my brother was homeschooled so I am.not opposed to it. My hubby wanted them to be normal. I said nothing about our life has been normal. We have had other issues health as well and we have tried many different counseling sessions to for them to figure things out. My oldest misses his friends and extra curriculars but i reminded him he was never actually at school to attend these functions. Both are becoming more.confident little by little. My youngest is eating and leaving my house again and actually wants to be around me instead of mad at me. My oldest is harder because he still refers to what they do at school. I remind him it’s not supposed to feel like school. We are home on stress leave. The stress was actually harming their bodies. Enough is enough. I am so happy we are on this journey. I hope it lasts longer than the year but for now I have never felt so alive and not stressed. It is stressful in other ways but we are figuring out their learning styles stamina and interests. Such a difference. They both say they are calmer to and feel good. My oldest is actually sleeping in which he never has ever he is 11. He used to get up between 5 and 7 to prepare himself to deal with going to school and now he sleeps in past 8 or 9. I have been reading these posts for a couple of years now and really enjoy them. Thank you.

    1. Oh, Lisa, thank-you so much for sharing your story! I’m so happy for you and that you were able to make this change. Like you said, whether it’s a permanent change or not, you saw something that needed to be done for the health of your entire family and you took the leap. It takes lots of courage to do that. And what an amazing transformation to notice in the span of 3 weeks. Wow! I’m thankful and humbled that my posts have helped to encourage you. And I pray that the positive changes will keep on coming.

  26. I have two boys, ages 7 and 11. Already, I see differences in them compared to traditional school kids we have been around. It’s been encouraging, as much of our day is spent on consistent character training, to see them have compassion, seek truth, stand up for others who are mistreated, hold open doors for others, challenge conventional thinking to seek a better way, and more. I echo others in that my greatest joy is watching them grow together and the bond between siblings grow stronger everyday. I also hope that I am helping shape their views of what a good wife, mother and woman is including all my faults and sinful ways and how I wrestle with those thoughts and actions in front of them. I pray they understand their father better and that they learn lessons of hard work, perseverance and integrity from him given the more focused time they have with him. We are all different and should celebrate how beautifully made we are – homeschooling has helped us to do that in our family.

  27. This will be our first year homeschooling. My son, who is only 6, was bullied. One kid in particular would throw rocks at him during recess. Another girl would come up to him and hit him in the back of the head. The school district didn’t believe him, even when he was pushed down and got a bloody nose.
    No wonder he had a hard time learning and was deemed “well below proficient.” How could anyone focus in an atmosphere like that?! Once we decided to homeschool (during the Covid shut down) I felt free as a bird.

    1. Oh, Anna, I’m so sorry your son had to go through that. But glad you were able to make the decision to homeschool him so he won’t have to deal with that horrible behavior any longer. As someone who was bullied on the bus for years, having to deal with bullies can really crush your spirit. So praise the Lord he isn’t going to be in that atmosphere from now on. I hope and pray that you guys enjoy your first year. Know that it’s a process and it can take a bit of time to transition to homeschooling. But you’ve probably already had to experience that during your pandemic-schooling phase so next year will be that much easier for you. Take care and God bless you!

  28. Thank you for posting this. I “know” all of these things about my own two boys (9 and 7). However, reading the same thoughts and experiences from other boy moms helps me not feel so discouraged or worried when 30 minutes of school work ends up taking us 2 hours to actually finish. My 7 year old is dealing with some behavioral issues, which makes homeschooling a huge challenge. Yet, I know that he would probably be ridiculed by his peers in a larger classroom setting. Thank you for your encouragement!

    1. You are so welcome. Yes, there’s something so comforting about knowing that we aren’t the only ones experiencing something, isn’t there? Homeschooling is such an amazing way to give our children the time they need to help them interact with the material and actually learn what we’re trying to teach them rather than them having to either race through things or wait for the rest of the class to catch up.

  29. I’ve enjoyed reading all the posts here. I just started homeschooling my 7 year old grandson 2 weeks ago. I am using the Abeka workbooks. I decided to just focus on the math and language for now, just to get him caught up, but I question myself about what and how much I need to present to him daily. He is in second grade, but I decided to use the 1st grade math and language workbooks, because Abeka seems a little more advanced, and he was not keeping up with the 2nd grade work as it was. Its all so overwhelming, and I worry. He does seem to be learning better since its been one on one. Any suggestions or words of wisdom?

    1. I think you’re wise to meet your grandson where he’s at with the math. It isn’t going to do any good to try to give him material that’s way over his head and is frustrating for both of you. That’s one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling. We get to help our kiddos learn at their own pace. My biggest piece of advice would be to try to get plugged into the homeschool community in your area. Are there any support groups nearby? Also, look for your state’s annual homeschool convention in the spring. Most states have them and they are worth attending to get a lot of your questions answered! Here’s a blog post I wrote about that a while back: https://www.homeschool-your-boys.com/homeschoolconventions/

  30. Anri Pretorius

    Thank you for this post. I have a wonderful son that is now in 5th grade and still in private school. I am so ready to start homeschooling with him. Most of the time he is frustrated, angry or unhappy. Or all 3 at once.He doesn’t want to be in school anymore. He just wants to start with homeschooling.
    With your post, I realised once again, this is the right thing to do. We are living in South Africa. At the moment it is quite a struggle with the government policies for schools and especially homeschooling. But that is definitely not going to stop me to start educating my son at home. He struggles so much in school, but he is one clever boy and so intelligent. He is put into a box and needs to adjust to that box. I say NO! I am taking him out of school very soon that he can start to have the adventure of his life, to start learning in his own wonderful way.

    1. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Anri! I’m sorry the laws aren’t in your favor when it comes to homeschooling. I am so grateful you see your son’s gifts and that you’re willing to do what it takes to help him reach his full potential. I hope and pray that you are able to navigate the red tape as smoothly as possible and get on your way starting your homeschooling adventure!

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