While I heartily agree with Frankie at KitchenTableLearners that the freedom homeschooling provides us is one reason I love homeschooling, at this moment it is not the one foremost in my mind. And even though we did take full advantage of that freedom this past year when we went to State College to care for my dying father, and then when we left for a 2-month west field trip in mid-May while our area schools were all still in session, at this moment it is not the one foremost in my mind.

No, the reason I love homeschooling can’t be summed up in one word but let me share the ramifications of homeschooling that I saw throughout our west trip that are the reasons I love homeschooling.

Point #1 — As we hiked along the boys would hike side-by-side discussing whatever they felt like talking about. I never told them to hike side-by-side but they chose to be that close. I really doubt that they would be such good friends if we didn’t homeschool. The boys, being four years apart, would never be in the same school if they attended our local public school. Never ride the bus together, never run into each other in the hallway, and probable never have the same teacher. Since our local town is growing by leaps and bounds the younger would never even be in the same building as the older one had attended. This would mean different buildings, different teachers, different life-experiences and what common ground would they have to relate to each other when the vast majority of their childhood would be spent having different experiences? Having been in such a situation growing up I know that with my siblings this created a chasm between them and me. We did not have a common educational experience which meant that we also did not have common experiences to bind us together. Having parents that abide by the ‘Siblings without Rivalry ‘ book’s directives helps their relationship too, but being homeschooled together has given them time together to have many common experiences.

Point #2 — At Lassen Volcano National Park we sat at the trailhead and discussed whether or not we should hike up the mountain to the top of Lassen Volcano. At the trailhead was a huge sign warning hikers that there was snow on the trail and an ice axe was advised. We had none and even if we had one, training is needed to learn how to use one properly. In the car next to us a woman was gathering her gear and she looked like she was going to go hike the trail. She looked my age, or slightly older, and carried at least as much extra body weight as I did. Geez, if she could do this trail then maybe we could too. At least we could try. We talked with her. We all talked with her. Time and again I have seen this happen. My boys are comfortable speaking to persons regardless of their age.

While she headed up the trail we sat and ate lunch before we too headed up the trail. It wasn’t too long before we met up with Cumba and she joined our hiking trio. We made it to the volcano top, 5 miles round trip and 2000′ elevation gain and lots of snow to hike through. Once there we enjoyed the view, ate some trail food and invited Cumba to join us for dinner at our campsite. The boys chatted with her as they would with an old buddy, taught her their favorite card game and invited her to join us for dinner the following night too. I wonder if they would be so comfortable with persons outside of their grade-group if they were in public school. I really doubt it and so I love this about homeschooling: they are comfortable being with older folks, younger folks and even folks their own age. To them age does not matter and I love that homeschooling has enabled this to happen.

Point #3 — During those two dinners and on the trail Cumba, a public school employee, continuously praised my boys actions to me. She admired their manners, how polite they were, how well-spoken they were, how well behaved they were, how pleasant they were to be with, and how nice they treated each other. I love homeschooling because it has meant that I am with them reinforcing behaviors that I want there and correcting negative behaviors. Being polite, being thoughtful, being well-behaved, speaking without using curse words and exhibiting nice manners to others are characteristics that being home together has given me the time and opportunities to reinforce those behaviors. I love homeschooling for giving me time, lots of time to develop well-mannered young men and it is really showing these days.

Point #4 — Driving into Glacier National Park with the window wipers going my thoughts were only on finding a campsite and thinking through, planning out, what I needed to tell the boys about setting up a tent in the rain. In all our many days of camping this would be the first time they were going to set up a tent in the rain. To say I was preoccupied with this is an understatement. I did not want our stuff to get wet and that was all I was thinking about. We found a campsite, started unloading the trunk to get to the tent and were greeted by Ann from the neighboring campsite.

It took the boys no time at all to strike up a conversation with Ann, a public school teacher and by the evening she was sharing dinner with us and learning from Michael the ins-and-outs of making S’Mores. Ditto Points 2 and 3 again.

And that’s why I love homeschooling, for the time it has given me to be with my sons to help them develop appropriate social skills.