8 things I’ve learned about education in my 8(20!) years of motherhood ~
Originally written by Jamie C. Martin in Sept 2012 ~
Updated by Jamie in Nov 2024 – find updates in blue
Education wasn’t exactly my top concern when I first became a mother. Unless it was my own education–I had a multitude of lessons to learn, mistakes to make, and love to give.
The learning curve continued dramatically when I began considering homeschooling.
Now I look back shocked to see that eight twenty whole years have passed. (Um, #howdidthishappen)
I have plenty of new questions I need answers to (still true!), but I’m also far enough down the road, of both motherhood and homeschooling, to feel like I’ve gathered a few lessons under my belt.
I feel far more secure and confident now – in myself, in my mothering, in our choice to homeschool. (No regrets, 20 years later!)
Here are eight things I’ve learned about education in my eight twenty years of motherhood.
I thought about updating this article to 20 things I’ve learned in 20 years…but I don’t have the energy for that LOL, and you probably don’t have the energy to read something that long. 
8 things I’ve learned about education in my 8 (20!) years of motherhood
1. It’s not rocket science.
The idea of homeschooling absolutely petrified me at first. Education seemed like some obscure, foggy, unattainable concept. A topic so complex and complicated that only experts could figure it out.
20 years later, I still agree that learning doesn’t have to be rocket science when relationships are at the center. And by that I don’t mean that relationships are always rosy, far far from it!
I mean that pursuing wholeness in all forms (not solely academics) gave my children an (eventual) foundation of safety that allowed their minds to open to learning, according to their unique strengths and weaknesses.
2. Children are born with a natural curiosity and desire to learn.
2004 – Oh, baby Jonathan, my heart melts to look at you (2024: I still miss that baby version of my boy/man!)
I am far from sending my kids out the door to graduation (um actually, I blinked and we finished homeschooling!), but having seen all three of my little people (currently ages 9, 8, & 7, make that 21, 20, & 19) through the infant/toddler/preschool phase of life I can adamantly say that they each entered the world with a deep desire to learn.
Kids start off naturally curious – and they remain that way unless burnout kicks in.
Burnout can have many causes, not just stress, anxiety, and overwork but also trauma, abuse, and neglect. We have dealt with that our entire homeschool life (and still do) because of what my oldest and youngest went through before they joined our family via adoption.
If you have a child who is no longer curious, it doesn’t mean that it’s your fault or it can never be remedied. Just explore paths to reconnect them with that curiosity and to heal what is at the root of the burnout. This will be a gift for the rest of their lives, and is definitely a long-term project.
3. An absolute wealth of homeschooling and educational resources exist to choose from. (#understatement)
Gone are the days of home learning in isolation. Homeschool groups and co-ops currently multiply like wildfire across the United States, not to mention the vast selection of curricula available as well as incredible, high-quality online educational programs like Khan Academy, TED talks, and so much more.
Check out Simple Homeschool posts about co-ops here.
I have no doubt that this trend will continue (#overwhelm), but:
4. You don’t need much to homeschool successfully. A growing home library of well-chosen books works best. (And it’s so fun to have an excuse to buy books! )
I tend to look for complex formulas or strategies to implement because lofty plans give me a temporary feeling of security. But as is often the case, simple is often the best. And the easiest. (Yes, still agree! And yet, simple can feel awfully challenging in a society that tends to complicate things.)
I want my children to think of books as friends. Because a child who loves reading is primed for a lifetime of learning.
While I still believe this, not every child is going to have the same type of relationship with books that we tend to think of as “loving reading.” And that relationship with books is going to change as they become adults and start lives of their own, and as screens naturally become a part of that life.
While I consistently encourage you to follow your children’s interests in learning, I do want to mention the difference between off-screen interests and on-screen ones. There are a myriad of healthy ways to handle screens. Please be intentional about it, however, as the addictive quality of screens and their impact on the brain can dampen the natural in-built curiosity that leads to learning.
Use screens, for sure. They are an amazing tool, and a horrible master! Don’t be afraid to set limits and boundaries. For ideas, you can see what we have done here.
5. My children give clues when they are ready for something new.
Jonathan did it as an infant by weaning himself from breastfeeding. He clued me in by his continued lack of interest in nursing. In spite of all my efforts, at nine months he was ready for something new.
My kids still provide these clues: By a new interest in a subject, by asking to learn something, by their enthusiasm, or even by physical changes like losing teeth.
If I pay attention, I can work with these clues instead of against them.
Yes! And following those clues makes your job as homeschool parent so much easier.
6. Waiting until they’re ready saves a ton of time – and tears (theirs & mine).
Each child has his own timetable of development–his own repertoire of strengths and weaknesses to consider.
It is nothing short of ludicrous to expect each five-, six-, nine-, or twelve-year-old to tackle the same skills judged solely by the date of their birth. My children need an individualized education that matches their readiness so we both avoid frustration.
I still agree! But I’d also add that if there’s something that you feel you must cover at a specific time (either because of regulations or your own anxiety levels!) then find a way to do what’s required while also getting your child to buy in (so you don’t hate your life – cue intentional bribery).
7. Enthusiasm matters in education–especially mine.
If I want to invite joy in learning in my home, I must show that I find joy in learning.
If I want my children to choose learning, they have to see me choose it first. Yes! And the beautiful thing is that this gives you permission to invest in YOU even while you’re inspiring them.
I’d rather inspire them to choose it themselves than use compulsion and force because:
8. Self-education matters most.
I agree with educational pioneer Charlotte Mason that “self-education is the only possible education.” A person–no matter what their age–who is internally motivated is unstoppable.
By teaching my kids how to learn for themselves, I’m giving them the freedom to become who they were born to become.
Yes, and my post about redefining success may help you aim in the right direction!
I hope these 8 things I’ve learned about education have given you some encouragement. I’d love to hear some of the lessons you’ve learned if you’d like to share.
* Click here to read more updated posts from Jamie, Then and Now
What lessons have you learned about education during your years as a parent?
What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!
8 things I’ve learned about education in my 8(20!) years of motherhood ~ Originally written by Jamie C. Martin in Sept 2012 ~ Updated by Jamie in Nov 2024 – find updates in blue Education wasn’t exactly my top concern when I first became a mother. Unless it was my own education–I had a multitude … Read More a mom’s education, jamie, then and now Simple Homeschool