Challenging the Many Misconceptions of Homeschooling: Interview With Brandi

Here on the blog, I love to share, not only our family’s life homeschooling, but “our life” collectively as homeschoolers. That is why I regularly post interviews with everyday homeschool moms just like you! I hope you will be encouraged by reading this interview with my friend Brandi as she talks about challenging the many misconceptions of homeschooling.

To see more interviews from other homeschool moms, see the Our Life Homeschooling Gallery of Homeschool Mom Interviews.

Video: Challenging the Many Misconceptions of Homeschooling: Interview With Brandi

Introduce Yourself

Hi! I’m Brandi! I’ve been married to my wonderful hubby, AJ, for almost 9 years! We have three kids and a dog named Buddy. We love being outside, camping, swimming, and reading. I am the founder of The Homeschool Hustle, where we aim to help tackle misconceptions about this lifestyle, encourage parents to educate their children in a way that works for them, and empower them to joyfully serve their families. You can find me on IG at @the_homeschoolhustle as well as our new website (run by me and my bestie, Shelby!)

Challenging the Many Misconceptions of Homeschooling: Interview With Brandi

What attracted you to homeschooling?

I honestly was not attracted to homeschool. I actually avoided it like the plague! My story may be different than moms who KNEW they wanted to homeschool before having children, or even were homeschooled themselves and knew what it would look like.

There is no other way to see my homeschool journey than a supernatural change of heart and desire. My oldest started kindergarten at our local elementary school (it’s within walking distance, which is why we purchased our house!) I became weary of what was happening inside the public school system after playing at the park behind the school one day. Young children, as young as 8, were using language I had not heard even from adults. I noticed bullying and anger and I thought – what is happening to today’s children?

Looking For Options

I talked with my dad, who is currently a public school teacher. He echoed my concerns for what is happening, and how not only are children a lot less innocent, they are not learning. Testing scores are abysmal. “What are they even doing at school all day, if not learning?” I asked myself. Beyond that, I became more aware of what curriculum was being introduced to my child and I felt like I was not in control of what my child was exposed to and when. The public system seemed to support material that contradicted our family values.

Every morning, I woke up and felt like a hypocrite. So, I decided I would look into a classical-based school that would alleviate some of my concerns. I pulled my child out of school and homeschooled on a whim, waiting to bump up on the waitlist and ultimately get into the school we were praying for. Homeschooling was not something I wanted to do, it was something I felt forced to do. And guess what? I hated it! It was so hard. I made my home into a school and I became Ms. Trunchable from Matilda. My relationship suffered with my daughter, who felt like our relationship went from mom-to-daughter to teacher-to-daughter overnight. It was difficult. The year ended and we were still praying hard to get into a new school so I would never have to homeschool again!

Choosing Homeschool

The week I got the acceptance letter was right before school was starting in the fall. But why wasn’t I elated? Why was I so torn? I remember one night, making dinner, and a podcast a friend had sent me popped up on my phone. It was titled “Homeschool – God’s plan for you?” I listened, and it seemed every single word was meant for me. Wendy Cunningham attacked every excuse I had of why I needed to put my daughter in a school, 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. I felt like God Himself was tapping my shoulder and saying “I know. It’s going to be hard. But I am going to walk with you, and this is going to work.” I remember crying and telling my husband that I felt God was calling me to try again.

I declined the spot at our dream school and immediately had a paradigm shift. Homeschool immediately became MY choice, and I was doing it to serve my family, my community, and most importantly, my God. Homeschool became a blessing instead of a burden. The “why” of my homeschool story changed, and so did my heart.

Does homeschooling mean teaching your child in a structured setting 7 hours a day, 5 days a week?

No. Homeschool should be a lot less SCHOOL and a lot more HOME. It takes a lot less time to get work done than you think! It took me a while to figure out our family rhythm; we do a “scattered schedule”, where we space things out – math in the morning, reading/writing in the afternoon, and more reading before bed. My children can’t hang for multiple hours at a time. Collectively we spend about 2 hours per day and each of my children are testing a grade level ahead!

Does homeschooling make your kids weird/loners?

No. Socialization is a huge concern for parents, and one that I also had. Homeschool offers so many wonderful opportunities to meet people of ALL ages and in many different circumstances. We use our homeschool funds for enrichment programs, from writing and science classes outside the home, to swim and gymnastic lessons. If anything I am trying to simplify our schedule! With so many opportunities afforded to homeschoolers, my desire to slow things down has led me to be more selective with what we enroll in. Instead of my child seeing the same 20 kids every day in the same classroom, my children are meeting more people than I ever did growing up in public school! Homeschool also allows me the ability to pick the QUALITY of my children’s social circles, instead of worrying about the QUANTITY of social time stressed so much these days!

Are homeschoolers prepared for the real world?

Yes. Homeschoolers are prepared for college and beyond! If anything, homeschooling may just give your child the upper-hand with respect to their occupational/formal aspirations, as it allows them to really dive deep into the subjects they love and wish to excel in. Homeschoolers have better time management skills, are more self-directed (which is necessary in college and life in general) and have civic involvement when compared to their public school peers. Lastly, if we want to prepare our children for the real world, why not invite them into it, instead of shielding them from it by containing them in a classroom for the majority of the day? My children wake up and make breakfast with me, do chores with me, read with me, go to the gym with me, shop with me, and know more about what adulthood will entail than those who are “doing school” all day!

Do you have to be a stay-at-home mom to homeschool?

No. I have met and even featured several moms who work part-time/full-time out of the home and make homeschool work. It takes a lot of time management and structure, but if it’s important to you, you will make it work. For example, I know a mom who works outside the home as a public school high school teacher and comes home and homeschools in the evening! You can homeschool over the weekends or on the days that work for you. Who said it has to be in the morning on traditional “school days”? Homeschooling is freedom. It can be whatever you want it to be.

Brandi’s Favorite Resources

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no cost to you.

Brave Books These books are written by authors who want to help parents teach their kids to love God and their country. Brave Books is a compilation of children’s books that are a great “alternative to the current progressive agenda dominating children’s literature.”