7 Benefits of Home Education for Christian Families

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

- 2 Peter 3:18

We are a family who has embraced a lifestyle of home educating our children. We absolutely love it! Unlike many Americans who were thrust into homeschooling due to the events of 2020, it is a decision that we made because of our worldview and family priorities. Over the past few years, we have seen some tremendous blessings that are directly due to this educational choice, and we would like to share them with you. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but are what we would consider our top seven benefits of home education for Christian families.

Applying God’s Word

Deuteronomy 6 instructs parents to teach their children the things of God all day, every day. Homeschooling gives us a truly unique chance to do exactly this. Formally, we are able to include biblical teaching in any and every lesson we choose, from science to math to literature. We are also able to begin and end our days with devotions and prayer, both individually and as a family.

With most of us home all day, there are obviously opportunities for conflict resolution. Rather than leaving our children entirely to themselves to navigate these situations, we are able to help walk them through what God says they must do. We open the Bible together and examine what God says about how we are to treat each other, how to resolve conflict, what we are struggling against, and then can pray together. As we do this, we as parents are also strengthened in our own faith alongside our children. We strive to cultivate a spirit of gratitude and thank the Lord for both the good days and the growth that challenging times can bring.

Family-focused Lifestyle

Homeschooling has helped us be more intentional in cultivating the talents God has given our family. We don’t simply choose particular activities for our kids because they are offered at school. We take a closer look at the gifts and abilities of our children and make decisions accordingly. We are also intentional about the time commitments we make for these activities, which ensures that our family time remains a priority

We happen to live in a day and age when the culture of the world tends to divide and pull the family in all directions. By homeschooling, we actively combat this tendency by learning together most of the day. As an added bonus, we’re able to be efficient with our time which means there’s no homework! This frees up the later part of our days for more family-focused activities.

This may surprise you, but homeschooling families can often get accommodations for classes and lessons. Because children who attend brick and mortar schools all vie for the same late afternoon and evening lesson times, instructors are often dealing with full classes and waitlists.

We were sending our children to a gymnastics class that was offered in the evenings, but we really wanted those hours free for family time. I talked to the gymnastics coach and asked if it was possible to add an afternoon class for homeschool families. Then our kids were able to go to class when many of their peers were in school, and their former class could allow other children into those slots who need them. Everyone wins!

Self-paced, Mastery-style Learning and Individualized Focus

Homeschooling, more than any other educational choice, allows a child’s education to be tailor-made to each individual. Our children are allowed to work at their own pace. They can spend extra time on a project or concept that is difficult, or they can fly through their assignments if they’re confident and ready to learn more difficult material.

In our home, we focus on mastery learning, which means that our kids don’t move on to the next concepts until they have exhibited “mastery” over what they’re learning. Knowledge builds upon knowledge, and this means that they must learn the material well rather than simply “get through” a tough assignment.

As parents, we know our children best. We know what their interests, strengths, and weaknesses are and what is going on in their day to day lives. This gives us a tremendous opportunity to not only custom design an academic system for each child, but also a holistic education of habits, social needs, and spiritual disciplines for them.

Flexibility

Homeschooling has the added bonus of being extremely flexible because children can learn in a variety of different settings. I have taken the kids along with me to the tire shop to get the van tires rotated, and we took the opportunity to do some read aloud time while we waited. We’ve also had many opportunities to travel (sometimes during the school year), and have been able to take advantage of educational experiences we might not have been able to otherwise.

If one of our kids is sick, there is no added stress of make-up work to do. We can simply focus on healing and pick up where we left off. If a doctor’s appointment is scheduled midday or a special opportunity comes up for fun, this is also the case. My stress level is certainly lower because this flexibility lets us “do school” whenever it best fits us. Our education works for us and our schedule, not the other way around.

Learning as a Lifestyle

A well-known quote about education comes from the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats who said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” We desire that our children have this view of their own learning. Education is a life-long process that encompasses much more than textbook learning. We want our children to embrace their education by exploring their own individualized interests. To do this, they need TIME: Time to play during their free time, explore the outdoors, understand and grow in virtue, travel with family, go to camps that teach them unique skills, etc. Learning is not done simply during “school hours” with “school supplies.” Education happens throughout the entire year in a variety of different contexts. To quote Charlotte Mason (another great educator), “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.”

Experiential Learning

As mentioned above, we love to travel with our kids. We get to see places we’ve only read about and experience them first hand. Homeschooling gives us virtually unlimited field trip opportunities, and also provides us with a hands-on understanding of things like cooking, hospitality, and scientific inquiry. We get to include our children in these real-world life skills in our own home rather than in a classroom. It is one thing to read about making food for your family, but it is an entirely different thing to plan a meal, shop for it, manage your time, cook, and serve dinner to people you love.

Learning Through Failure

When children are young, the stakes are low and failing with grace is much easier to learn. Letting our kids experience this while we can coach them through life’s disappointments promotes a growth mindset; failure is not always a bad thing and can even be celebrated with thankfulness. God works through failure, and helping children lean on the Lord when they’re going through something hard is paramount to the Christian life and worldview.

Conclusion

Choosing home education has been a true blessing to our family and we absolutely love it. As Christians, we strive to point all aspects of our family’s life to the lordship of Jesus, and how we teach our kids is no exception. Homeschooling also provides us with lots of family time, flexibility, individualized lessons, experiential learning, and holistic discipleship. If you’re considering making the transition into a home education lifestyle, now is an excellent time. There are so many resources for families who are ready to take the reins of their children’s education! We encourage you to take the leap. You won’t regret it.

Key Points

• We are able to keep our children’s education and lives centered on Christ and His Word.
• Homeschooled children enjoy a tailor-made, individualized education.
• Home education cuts with the grain of family life, giving us time and opportunities to strengthen our relationships.