When most people hear “homeschooling,” they picture kitchen tables and worksheets, with parents mimicking traditional classrooms. But for many modern families, that couldn’t be further from reality.

“I think homeschooling is a misnomer for us,” says Maecy, a mother of five who’s homeschooled for over a decade. “The amount of time we’re actually home doing bookwork is maybe three hours. Everything else is out — friends, field trips, co-ops, fun things.”

This shift reflects broader trends. Research from the National Home Education Research Institute shows that 87% of homeschooled students participate in regular social and educational activities outside the home. It’s not school-at-home — it’s a lifestyle.

Beyond the Kitchen Table

For Maecy’s family, academics are only part of the day. “We ski several times a week, go kayaking, visit the salmon run at the lake,” she shares. These immersive experiences are educational by design — science through ecosystems, physics on the slopes, geography in action.

This approach echoes what researchers call “embedded learning,” where education happens naturally through life. As Dr. Peter Gray of Boston College argues, children often learn more through self-directed experiences than through passive instruction.

Prioritizing Emotional Needs

Homeschooling also offers flexibility for families with adopted or special needs children. “Some days just looked like holding people who were crying,” Maecy says. “Other days we’d listen to audiobooks.”

She had to be okay with letting academics wait while her children’s emotional needs took priority — a strategy backed by research in the Journal of Educational Psychology, which links emotional wellbeing to improved academic outcomes.

Personalized Paths

Each of Maecy’s five children has taken a different path:

• One earned an associate’s degree at 17 and now works at the Mayo Clinic
• Another trained at a technical school
• One with learning challenges advanced at his own pace
• Two tried hybrid models, blending homeschooling with traditional coursework

The common thread? Ownership. “If students feel like they have a say in their education, they soar,” Maecy says.

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Yes, They Can Get Jobs and Go to College

Concerned about diplomas or transcripts? Don’t be. When her daughter applied to the Mayo Clinic, they asked for a high school diploma — so Maecy printed one at home. It was accepted.

That story aligns with data from a 2021 study by the Home School Legal Defense Association:

• Homeschooled students average in the 86th percentile on standardized tests
• 78% of colleges have formal admissions policies for homeschoolers
• Their college performance and employment outcomes match or exceed peers

Advice for New Homeschoolers

Maecy’s tips for new homeschooling families:

1. Trust your gut — You know your child best
2. Connect locally — She recommends joining Facebook groups
3. Start simple — “Trying to recreate public school at home was frustrating”
4. Be flexible — “We often switched approaches by month two”
5. Build relationship first — Start with connection, not curriculum

The Joy You Don’t Expect

What surprised Maecy most? “How much I loved it. How much my kids loved it. I thought it would be a burden — but it strengthened our relationships and built confidence for all of us.”

Modern homeschooling offers far more than academic freedom. It gives families space to grow, connect, and thrive in ways the traditional system often can’t.

Connect With Other Families

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Sources:

Freedom to Learn Blog, Dr. Peter Gray, Psychology Today

Fast Facts on Homeschooling, National Home Education Research Institute, February 2025

Journal of Educational Psychology, American Psychological Association

Homeschooling Continues to Grow in 2021, Home School Legal Defense Association, June 2021

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