The Truth About Homeschooling: A Mother & Daughter's Inside Scoop from 12 Years as Homeschoolers

By Anne McDaniel and Christina McDaniel

Homeschooling is a rewarding endeavor, but most of what it entails remains a mystery to the average person. If you've ever wanted to know what homeschoolers are actually doing, you're not alone! The Truth about Homeschooling is an honest and messy look into what makes homeschooling achievable and successful.

 

Based on their 12 years of homeschooling, this short and comprehensive guide written by a mom and daughter will set your mind at ease. Learn practical tips to make your homeschooling journey easier as you discover the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about homeschooling.

 

What makes this book unique and engaging is hearing directly from a homeschooled student's perspective. You'll be surprised to find out what she liked and disliked about being homeschooled at different ages. This rare insight offers a firsthand look at why she now views homeschooling as the ultimate gift.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anne McDaniel
• Release date: Dec 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215209776

Book preview

The Truth about Homeschooling:

A Mother & Daughter’s Inside Scoop

from 12 Years as Homeschoolers

Anne and Christina McDaniel

Copyright © 2022 Anne and Christina McDaniel.

This book is dedicated to

the children of our nation.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: What did you like most about homeschooling?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 2: What did you like least about homeschooling?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 3: What Surprised You about Homeschooling?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 4: What did we do about socialization?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 5: Do you need a classroom to homeschool?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 6: Why are you glad you homeschooled?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 7: What did you worry about while homeschooling?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 8: What health benefits did you notice while homeschooling?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 9: What were the advantages of homeschooling during high school?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 10: What would you recommend doing to help my homeschooled child fit in?

Mom’s Answers

Daughter’s Answers

Chapter 11: Final Thoughts

Introduction

We started homeschooling in 2004. Over twelve years, we experienced many blessings and difficulties that came from simply going against the grain and taking on this endeavor.

As a single parent with three daughters, I had never intended to homeschool. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I already had my hands full raising my children and had an ex-husband who did not participate as a parent. I’d painstakingly interviewed and finally selected the best school option for my children, but I soon found that traditional schooling was not the right fit.

My eldest daughter was close to the end of her first-grade year when I removed her from traditional school. She was unhappy there, and I had a gut-wrenching feeling that if I didn’t do something quickly, she would become more and more withdrawn. I contacted the school several times but did not receive a return call. My daughter became sad and emotionally distant; the toll school had taken on her was undeniable.

While I waited for a return call from my daughter’s school, I sought the advice of her former preschool teacher. She was an older, gentle soul who had taught preschool for over twenty years. She patiently listened to my concerns and asked me if I’d ever considered homeschooling. I remember exactly where I was sitting when she asked me. I laughed nervously at first. The thought had never occurred to me, it almost felt ridiculous, and my initial reaction reflected this. She didn’t flinch, she just sat smiling at me while I processed what that would look like for our family. She then said she wished someone had homeschooled her grandson since he was bored and unhappy in traditional school. Homeschooling? That wasn’t the advice I was seeking, but isn’t that typically how some of the best things in life come to you — when you least expect them?

I walked out of her adorable preschool classroom in a daze. Homeschooling didn’t seem like a possibility for us, or was it? I had received a traditional education and did not know what homeschooling entailed, so I called a few friends; they connected me with homeschool families they knew. I immediately called those homeschool moms, explained I was considering homeschooling, and asked if I could meet with them. The two homeschool moms I met with had strikingly different approaches to homeschooling. It shocked and confused me. How could both be successful?

The first mom had an incredibly laid-back approach to homeschooling. I asked if I could look at the space she’d set up for her daughter to do her schoolwork. Much to my astonishment, it was a simple folding table and chair neatly tucked away in her bedroom. Her daughter had stacked her books and workbooks neatly at the back of the table and tracked her assignments on index cards. When I asked what method they used to track her progress, the mom put a hand to her mouth and casually pretended to call out to her daughter to see how she was doing with her schoolwork. It shocked me that her approach was so unstructured but effective. I knew her daughter to be a bright and well-adjusted young girl. So clearly, something was working. As we left, I knew I couldn’t possibly homeschool in such a relaxed way. It just wasn’t the right fit for us.

Next, we met with a homeschool mom who was the complete opposite. This mom immediately showed me a spreadsheet she used to organize her three children’s assignments and a portal on the computer. The portal, she explained, was used to contact their public school mentor. She had their lessons planned out for the next two months. The public school supplied a storage room cabinet full of art supplies and a computer for each child. They submitted their schoolwork online at the end of each week. The mentor then graded each submission and posted the grades online. This was such a highly organized and supervised method of homeschooling that it immediately intimidated me.

I was grateful but bewildered by these homeschool families. How were they both getting such positive results using such polarized approaches to homeschooling? I thought about this for a couple of days before realizing that both moms were staying true to who they were and how they were the most comfortable teaching. I decided to find a middle ground between their two methods.

Since I still wasn’t getting a call back from my daughter’s school, I made a bold decision and took her out to begin homeschooling. When I called to inform the school, the principal was suddenly available to talk to me, and she was mad. I felt numb and shocked as she casually admitted that they were trying to deal with my concerns but didn’t see a need to communicate with me. We hadn’t had a single conversation! I’d left multiple messages with the school office manager but never received a