As a veteran homeschooling mom of 20 years, I can tell you all about the good, the bad, and the ugly of homeschooling. Of course, we wouldn’t do it if the good didn’t outweigh the bad, but that doesn’t mean it is always smooth sailing. There is so much to think about when it comes to homeschooling and this year, many parents are trying it out for the very first time.

So if you are feeling challenged, overwhelmed, or simply just not sure, know that you aren’t the only one! That being said, this is not an exhaustive list by any means, but some points that might resonate with you whether you are just starting out or have been in it for a while.

Here are 5 things we love home school, followed by 5 things we don’t.

We LOVE:

#1: The Flexible Schedule

We wake up when we are rested, eat when we are hungry, play when we need a break, study when we are alert, and sleep when we are tired. We take vacations on the off-season, go on field trips whenever it feels right, take breaks when we are sick, and visit family when we want. It is an amazing feeling to have complete control of our schedule. The clock and calendar do not rule our lives.

#2: That Grades are Optional

When someone asks my kids what grade they are in they answer confidently “We don’t do grades. We are homeschooled.” They study various subjects at various levels and we don’t feel the need to classify them to a certain grade. Furthermore, we don’t even worry about whether they have A’s or B’s or C’s, as we don’t grade papers, either. As I have always told my kids, “You can’t flunk homeschool. You study it until you learn it, however long that takes.”

#3: The Casual Dress Code

Sure, you can get all dressed up, if that’s your thing. But more often than not, pajamas are acceptable attire on most days. If not pj’s, whatever feels comfortable is a go. No need for fancy shoes, name brand clothing, or the latest fads.

#4: The Teacher/Student Ratio

Unless you have a lot of children, most homeschools have a very low teacher/student ratio. This provides our kids with amazing one-on-one time with their teacher and gives them the opportunity to get the attention that they need most.

#5: The Adaptable Curriculum

We have done everything from Unit Studies that we’ve created ourselves to prepared homeschool curriculums to real-life learning (aka Unschooling). The great thing about homeschooling is you can pick what works best for your kids and their personalities. If one way isn’t working, then you can change mid-stream and there is no harm done. Figure out what learning style your child is and you are golden!

We Don’t Love:

#1: The Potential Lack of Discipline

Sometimes it can be hard to motivate when you are on your own. This is truly tricky. It takes a lot of self-motivation to homeschool and you have to be very committed to your mission. This is true both for the kids and the parents. Sometimes we give each other pep talks to help keep us on the path of productivity. But this is a recurring challenge in most homeschool settings.

#2: The Loneliness

Unless if you have easy access to local homeschool groups or a large sibling set, loneliness is a real thing. An active social life helps a lot, so try to establish that to help mitigate this problem. Nevertheless, sometimes just seeing your own family day in and day out can get a little monotonous and lead to feelings of loneliness. Make a point to help your kids make friends in the community.

#3: Feeling Overwhelmed

Whenever you take on a task yourself that others commonly outsource, you are taking the risk of feeling overwhelmed. Homeschooling doesn’t have to be hard, but sometimes it just is. It’s not easy to have a houseful of kids home every day making messes and try to juggle not only their education, but feeding them, cleaning up after them, errands, and everything else that goes into a full day of life.

#4: Parent/Child Tensions

Have you ever noticed that a lot of kids listen to other adults better than they listen to their own parents? Yeah, trying to be a parent and a teacher is not easy. Sometimes your kids just aren’t going to listen to you or want to learn from you. Whereas they might “toe the line” for a teacher, it can be frustrating to get your own kids to do their school work.

#5: The Distractions