There are SO Many Mainstreamers Registering for Home Education

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he discussion feed, it appears that <i>everyone</i> is new. But looking at the turnout at events, it is mostly veterans who show up. The number of newbies is growing, but they don’t outnumber of us.</p><p id="371e"><b>Third</b>, we all started at zero (or five or ten depending on how much research we did before actually registering). We all felt a bit of uncertainty, nervousness, and fear for starting something so new and different from what we knew. And we all have different levels of tolerance for uncertainty and risk.</p><p id="ef8e">At the beginning, many of us offset some of these uncomfortable feelings by purchasing some type of curriculum or workbook or online subscription. It is a totally acceptable choice to make (for any family, not just newbies).</p><p id="aa7f">As we learned more about child development and how children actually learn, our confidence grew and those uncomfortable feelings diminished. We made different choices because we knew differently. We are more comfortable with the freedom home educating gives us.</p><p id="22f6">Ultimately, each family is on their own journey. Another family cannot travel our path. Just as we cannot travels theirs. It is fun though to ride along on parallel paths for as long as it lasts. It is our job to meet newbie families where they are, to support and encourage them on their path.</p><h1 id="e56f">Home Education is about Family</h1><p id="2dfb">The characteristics that make Home Education different from schooling will not change or go away with the influx of mainstream newbies because the primary one is family. Choosing Home Education for our daughter has changed my family in ways that cannot be undone. It changes yours too. And it will change theirs even if they don’t stay long-term or they choose a school-in-a-box

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curriculum or even a retired teacher to tutor their children.</p><p id="7b79">They are on their own Home Education path.</p><p id="a9ba">Welcome to the journey, newbies. Sit back and enjoy the ride.</p><p id="1164">A shout-out to fellow home educator Jessamyn -</p><div id="5f32" class="link-block"> <a href="https://jessamyn333.medium.com/but-i-dont-remember-fractions-12b0aec0d9c4"> <div> <div> <h2>But I Don’t Remember Fractions!</h2> <div><h3>Finding the courage to not have all the answers…</h3></div> <div><p>jessamyn333.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*S7Koj59c_qnVy7PWGrwrOA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="0433"><i>Thank you for reading.</i> <i>If you enjoyed reading this article and want to support my writing, <a href="https://colleenmillsteed.medium.com/membership">consider signing up to become a Medium member.</a> With just $5 a month, you get access to unlimited stories on Medium. If you sign up using my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.</i></p><p id="d2ef">Previous article: <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-story-of-the-world-books-and-brave-writer-are-excellent-resources-for-homeschooling-c4d38ccb6035?sk=8f2c264fb9fd0a092a822f20b2901b28"><i>The Story of the World Books and Brave Writer are Excellent Resources for Home Education</i></a></p><p id="bbf8">Next article: <a href="https://readmedium.com/home-educating-your-children-is-empowering-e93971f2cf80?sk=189020582fda59ee74aac803fb5e21b3"><i>Home Educating Your Children is Empowering to You</i></a></p></article></body>

We will lose the home education identity!

Me, my partner, and our daughter heading out on a camping trip, January 2020. Photo by Ann Leach.

There are. We won’t.

The number of new families registering is higher this year by a substantially larger number than it was last year. Last year also had a substantially larger number of new families registering than the year before that. The Home Education community is growing and we all enjoy the benefits of the higher numbers — more meet-ups, more excursions, ensured eligibility for large group discounts, etc.

Most local Home Education groups on Facebook are also experiencing a surge in new members. Parents new to Home Education have a LOT of questions and it seems like the newbies outnumber the veterans. But they don’t, not by a long shot.

Words to the Veteran Home Educating Families

We veterans of Home Education are wise to remember a few things:

First, these newbies are joining all the Home Education groups they can find to gather as much information they can. Just like most of us did when we started. Even now, five years in, I am active in 1 national, 1 statewide, and a few local groups.

Second, newbies ask a LOT of questions which fills most of the feed in each group. Veterans are more likely to be watching for the events, excursions, and meet-ups than asking questions. The two groups of parents are using the group in different ways. Looking at the discussion feed, it appears that everyone is new. But looking at the turnout at events, it is mostly veterans who show up. The number of newbies is growing, but they don’t outnumber of us.

Third, we all started at zero (or five or ten depending on how much research we did before actually registering). We all felt a bit of uncertainty, nervousness, and fear for starting something so new and different from what we knew. And we all have different levels of tolerance for uncertainty and risk.

At the beginning, many of us offset some of these uncomfortable feelings by purchasing some type of curriculum or workbook or online subscription. It is a totally acceptable choice to make (for any family, not just newbies).

As we learned more about child development and how children actually learn, our confidence grew and those uncomfortable feelings diminished. We made different choices because we knew differently. We are more comfortable with the freedom home educating gives us.

Ultimately, each family is on their own journey. Another family cannot travel our path. Just as we cannot travels theirs. It is fun though to ride along on parallel paths for as long as it lasts. It is our job to meet newbie families where they are, to support and encourage them on their path.

Home Education is about Family

The characteristics that make Home Education different from schooling will not change or go away with the influx of mainstream newbies because the primary one is family. Choosing Home Education for our daughter has changed my family in ways that cannot be undone. It changes yours too. And it will change theirs even if they don’t stay long-term or they choose a school-in-a-box curriculum or even a retired teacher to tutor their children.

They are on their own Home Education path.

Welcome to the journey, newbies. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

A shout-out to fellow home educator Jessamyn -

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and want to support my writing, consider signing up to become a Medium member. With just $5 a month, you get access to unlimited stories on Medium. If you sign up using my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.