Five Years In
Next week marks the end of our fifth year of homeschooling — or as I like to call it, custom education. What started as a decision rooted in uncertainty has evolved into one of the most impactful choices we’ve made as a family.
If you've followed along from the beginning, you know our journey into homeschooling began after three years in the public school system with our oldest. Despite our best efforts to make it work, something always felt off. We just weren’t seeing the kind of learning that aligned or encouraged our curious and creative child. Our youngest has known nothing else but homeschool, aside from a short year of preschool, and I often marvel at how different her early learning path has been.
Looking Back: From Hesitation to Confidence
In those early days, I remember fielding all the questions — How will you manage? Aren’t you worried they’ll fall behind? Don’t you need to be a certified teacher? My answer now is the same as it was then: I am their parent. I have been teaching them since the moment they entered the world. Guiding, encouraging, and creating space for their interests to lead. That hasn’t changed — it’s just evolved into a richer, more intentional form.
What has changed? Our confidence.
We've grown into this lifestyle. We’ve learned what rhythms work for us, what curriculum fits our values, and perhaps most importantly, how to pivot without guilt when something stops serving us.
What Custom Education Looks Like for Us Now
These days, custom education looks like:
Following curiosity without the constraints of a bell schedule
Prioritizing family travel as real-world learning
Embracing deep dives into topics that spark passion
Respecting each child’s pace and learning style
Emphasizing real world skills
Being together — really together — during these short, meaningful years
It’s not perfect, and it’s certainly not always easy. But it’s real. And it’s ours.
What I’ve Learned After Five Years
Deschooling isn’t a one-time thing — It's ongoing. Letting go of conventional ideas about what learning "should" look like takes time.
Children thrive in trust — When kids know their ideas and interests are valued, they step into ownership of their education.
Community is everything — The connections we’ve made with other homeschoolers have been a lifeline. If you’re just starting, find your people.
You don’t need to do it all — You’re not failing because you skipped the science experiment or used screens one day.
Your home can be enough — You don’t need a schoolroom or a Pinterest-worthy system. You need a relationship, a plan, and a willingness to grow together.
So, Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely. A thousand times, yes.
Homeschooling — custom education — has given us the gift of time, flexibility, and connection. It's allowed us to focus on what matters most to our family without trying to fit into someone else’s mold. It has put family first.
And to those of you just starting out: you can do this. You are the most qualified person to choose what your child needs. You don’t have to know everything now. You just have to begin.
I’ll be sharing some updated resources and what curriculum we’re loving right now in an upcoming post — stay tuned for that if you're in the planning season.
From our custom classroom to yours — here's to five years of growing, stretching, and redefining what education can look like.