As I mentioned in a previous blog post, we never planned to homeschool our kids, although I did feel drawn to homeschooling and suspected it might happen at some point. But there was one stipulation: I would never, ever homeschool for high school. Up to eighth grade was fine, but once the kids reached ninth grade, they were going to school. No question about it.

And yet here we are, in our second year of homeschooling a high schooler, and not only do we plan to finish off her high school years at home, but as of right now we also plan to homeschool all the kids through high school. Before I go into the reasons for that, here’s the story of how we found ourselves in this position.

When we decided to move to Florida, there was one big concern I had: our oldest daughter’s schooling. She had gone to school from kindergarten to fourth grade, then homeschooled through eighth grade, then attended ninth grade at a small independent high school in Washington DC, where my husband was the headmaster. When we made the decision to move, my biggest worry was taking her away from her beloved friends and high school community. But in the end, we decided to give homeschooling a try, just for a year, to see how it went.

We moved to Florida in September 2023, and it took us a whole semester to get into a good rhythm. We changed books several times until we found a good fit for math and science. She took a few online classes and decided in January 2024 that she would try out a few classes at our homeschool co-op. By February, we had gotten into a pretty good routine, and she was starting to make some friends. Now, about 15 months after our move, we are so grateful we made this decision, even though it seemed scary at the time.

Why We Love It

Aside from the academic freedom homeschooling allows, homeschooling during the teenage years has the potential to address some of the common challenges our kids face in college. Specifically, she’s seen real growth in these four areas:

Time Management: Our daughter has an open schedule, and we encourage her to structure her own time. We don’t give her rigid schedules to follow, and we allow her to do her school work wherever she is most comfortable (within reason!). Every couple of weeks, we sit down to plan out her lessons and touch base about challenges she’s been facing. Sometimes she needs some help and gets off track, and in those situations I’ve found it best to just to listen and brainstorm solutions, rather than telling her what to do. It’s been exciting to see her grow in this area and take responsibility for how she chooses to structure her time.

Social Connection: Socialization is a common concern people express about homeschooling, and there certainly is the potential for isolation and lack of interaction. We’re fortunate to be part of a homeschooling co-op with a high school group that is about the same size as her old school in DC. It still took some time for her to warm up to the group, and she had to learn to take initiative in building friendships. For the first few months here in Florida, she was pretty aloof and shy, so we were proud of her when she decided to join some classes and social groups. Now she has more social engagements than she did when she was in school!

Lifestyle Habits: It takes much less time for our daughter to complete her school work each day, so she’s been able to pursue hobbies she didn’t have time for when she went to a brick-and-mortar school. She’s also loved being able to be outside more, and enjoys preparing healthy meals (and not-so-healthy treats from time to time). Given that many college students report poor eating habits, low sleep quality, and high levels of stress, we hope that the high school years can prepare our kids for a healthy transition to college life.

Family Connection: People always warned us about the teenage years, which sadly have the same reputation as the terrible twos. I think part of the challenge is that kids go through a bit of an identity crisis during the high school years. Often they have to act one way in a school setting to feel like they fit in, and then they come home and have to be an almost entirely different person. Parents and kids grow apart, and then it’s time for graduation.

What I’ve loved most about homeschooling in high school is the connection I feel with our daughter. She comes to us with her struggles and questions about school and life. She’s close to her siblings and has helped them so much in their school this year. Our friendship has deepened and matured, and I’ve learned so much more about who she is as a person.

In Conclusion

I’ll conclude with the following advice: If you’re on the fence about homeschooling for the high school years, but are afraid that you wouldn’t be able to replicate a high school experience at home, please remember homeschooling is not just school at home. This is true of homeschooling in general, but I’ve found it especially crucial to remember during the high school years.

Think outside the classroom box for a minute. Imagine what it would be like for your teen to be able to pursue interests and hobbies without being tied to a school schedule.

Imagine knowing exactly what she is learning on a daily basis and having the ability to adjust the pace as needed.

Imagine being able to witness her grow in friendship with her family members and her peers on a daily basis.

Imagine feeling confident not just that she’s learned all the things she’s supposed to have learned in high school, but also developed the habits she needs to enter into the adult world confidently.

Imagine hearing your teen say she loves learning – and even that she loves learning with you, at home.

These are just a few experiences we’ve had so far during our high school homeschooling adventure. Despite all my initial worries, it’s been one of the best choices we’ve made. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but if you feel in your heart it’s for you and your child, don’t be afraid to take the leap.