You Know You're a Homeschooler When...

You know you’re a homeschooler when...

You can no longer ‘dine’ at your dining table.

Your boot has a permanent collection of pencils, drawing books, spades, whittling knives, kites, pond nets, and a change of clothes….just in case.

The back seat is covered in books and sultanas....and is that a Greeking Out episode playing?

You take food with you everywhere because you never know how long you’ll be out, and you can’t risk the hangries.

You know more about clouds, rocks and layers of the earth than you ever thought you would.

Every day you get a little more confident, a little more resolute in your decision, that, YES, you can do this!

And yet, at least once a year, it all comes crashing down, and you want to curl up in a ball and hide.

    

You rediscover old interests and find yourself speaking passionately about Shakespeare or the gravity on Mars.

Your house is a mess. Constantly. But it’s a good kind of mess. It’s Lego, and painty cups of water. It’s in-progress projects that you MUST NOT TOUCH at all costs, and end up manoeuvring around for a week. It’s abandoned forts and empty cups next to open books.

You see learning EVERYWHERE!

Your home seems to have morphed into a sanctuary for snails, silkworms, stick insects, and tadpoles. You drew the line at cockroaches!

You sign up for all kinds of weird and wonderful things…Where are we off to today? A sheep-shearing demonstration? Alright, bring it on!

You find the weirdest things in your pockets.

The cat has officially become one of the students.

    

You have more books than you or your kids could ever read….but there’s always room for more!

Your days start early and finish late. But there are moments of calm and joy, too.

You linger longer at places. There’s no need to rush. You can take your time.

But only during school terms!! You avoid museums, parks and shopping centres like the plague on the weekend and school holidays. Where did all these people come from?!?

The librarians know you by name.

You ask, "What day is it?” at least 4 times a day.

And when it all comes together, you catch yourself thinking, This. This is why we homeschool.

It’s a messy, equal parts joyful and exhausting, kind of life. But it’s a good one… even if it is held together with snacks and a great thermos, because we all know that cup of tea isn't getting finished before it goes cold.

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