• Home
    • Praise and Press
    • About
  • TLB Classes
    • Class Descriptions
    • Online Parent Education Classes
  • Blog
    • Homeschooling
    • Charlotte Mason
    • Booklist
    • Reading and Storytelling
    • Cultivating Love of Learning
    • Parenting Thoughts
      • Memory-Making
    • Five in a Row
      • Before Five in a Row
  • Shop
    • Request/Pre-Order Books Here
    • TLB Gift Card
    • My Account
    • View Cart
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Lost password
  • Book lists
    • Living Books Planning Tool
    • Filipino Living Books Book List
    • Philippine History: A Booklist
    • Catholic Homeschooling Booklist
  • Search the TLB Book Shop
    • Picture Books By Age
      • Board Books
      • Ages 0-2
      • Ages 2-4
      • Ages 4-6
      • Ages 6-8
    • Chapter Books
      • Ages 8-10
      • Ages 10 up
    • Homeschooling
      • CM Homeschooling/Living Books
      • Five in a Row
      • Before Five in a Row
      • Math Books
      • Catholic Books
    • Philippine Published Books
      • Free Downloads
      • Ages 0 to 2
      • Ages 2 to 4
      • Ages 4 to 6
      • Ages 6 to 8
      • Ages 8 to 10
      • Ages 10 and up
      • Chapter Books
      • Board Books
    • Classics
    • Award-Winning Books
    • Recommended Reads for Parents
    • Educational Toys and Materials

The Learning Basket

You Are Your Child's First and Best Teacher

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Heart of Homeschooling: The "Now"

February 21, 2013 by The Learning Basket 2 Comments

  • Total0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
This February, I’m featuring several homeschooling mamas as they share their “heart of homeschooling.” Today, I have Alex Hao, mother of four, and “unschooling” her brood for about eight years.
 
To read the rest of the series, click here. Make sure to check back once in a while during the whole month for more. I hope this glimpse of our hearts inspires you to at least look into the beauty of homeschooling.

 
 

If you have an activity now or a way of doing things and you can see, feel, realize that it is:

  • Effective
  • Fun
  • Allows you to be with your children, think quality and quantity time
  • Unhurried and respectful
  • Cultivates responsibility and kindness
  • Real
  • Creative
  • Exciting
  • Safe
  • Affordable
 

Would you not do it and carry on?

These are the qualities of homeschooling that validates the decision my husband and I made for our family about eight years ago. Our eldest child was eight and in Grade 2 back then, our second was five and our youngest then was about two years old.


How do we go about with our homeschooling?
 
We discuss our week every Sunday. We have a bit of structure of things that we do every day. This is especially important for my 2 younger children (ages 4 and 9). A little play time in the garden after cleaning up the breakfast table. And then we go upstairs. My 4 year old either plays with puzzles or his Lego bricks. This is an activity he chooses. My girls sit down and do their academics, usually it’s Math. So far it’s my 9 year old who has a lot of questions about her Math work. The two older ones, ages 12 and 15 can answer and check their own work. They have a concept of what a test demands because most homeschool packages have tests in them. They do the tests and I encourage them to try it out. They value their score. I just listen.

We do not give gifts to encourage excellence or reward high scores. As my husband says, your high score is the reward itself. It’s very much like learning how to bake a cake.I think it’s absurd to tell my children, I will not buy them whatever or extend privileges if they are able to bake a cake perfectly. The cake itself is the reward for the work done. And we can all enjoy the cake as a family.
 
There are some areas of discipline and/ or skill that I simply cannot do, more so teach my children, like:
  • play the violin, piano or flute, etc.
  • dance: ballet, jazz, hiphop, disco, zumba, etc.
  • and sing in tune: karaoke, pop, opera, rap etc.
For these things we have to look for a qualified teacher. 

I was clear from the start that I was not going to bring school home.
At one point we did try a bit and I abandoned it. I do not want to grade my children’s works, it seems to go against the grain of my heart muscles. So I settled that my children will have the label out of school youth. My eldest have accepted this without any stigma attached to it. In a literal sense, they are indeed out of school youths. 


I also think it is important that my children meet other children their age and make friends that they can keep.
For this, I found a group called Buds Girls Club. My eldest daughter started joining this when she was about 5 years old. They meet up twice every month on Saturday mornings and work on some project or activity. Some of the girls, like my eldest daughter, have moved up to Blossoms Teens Club.

When some friend or acquaintances ask me, “What’s going to happen to your children?” My honest answer is, I do not know. I cannot even tell exactly what will happen tomorrow how much more what will happen 5, 10 or 20 years from now. I can plan and work on it but I cannot tell the future. I choose to be excited with possibilities that can come our way as individuals and as a family, rather than be afraid of what might happen in the distant future. I know and accept that I am not a fortune teller and I am more than a teacher, I am a parent. And what I have is NOW. Just, now. I might as well make the most of it.
 

Alex Hao teaches childbirth classes and pre-natal yoga in her tranquil space called The POD in Davao City. Read more about their “unschooling” adventures at Between Now and Later.

Read the rest of the series:
  • Racquel of Guevara Homeschool Academy – Looking Into Our Hearts
  • Chris of The Mommy Journey – Heart Formation
  • Blessie of The Nanay Notebook – A Pure, Clean Heart
  • Mariel of The Learning Basket – The Way to My Children’s Hearts

 

 

Related Posts

  • Heart of Homeschooling: Looking Into Our HeartsHeart of Homeschooling: Looking Into Our Hearts
  • Making Philippine History More Interesting: American Era to World War II (A Booklist)Making Philippine History More Interesting: American Era to World War II (A Booklist)
  • 10 Things I Love About Preschool Homeschool10 Things I Love About Preschool Homeschool
  • One Homeschool Day With a 6- and a 3-Year OldOne Homeschool Day With a 6- and a 3-Year Old
  • Heart of Homeschooling: Heart FormationHeart of Homeschooling: Heart Formation
  • Heart of Homeschooling: A Pure, Clean HeartHeart of Homeschooling: A Pure, Clean Heart
  • The Way To My Children’s HeartsThe Way To My Children’s Hearts
  • Homeschool Planning For My Almost-KindergartnerHomeschool Planning For My Almost-Kindergartner
  • Total0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
«
»

About The Learning Basket

TLB is composed of two moms who love to read and are homeschoolers.

Welcome


Hi there!

Whether you are a busy working mom, a work-at-home mom, or a stay-at-home mom, you are sure to find parenting and learning inspiration on our pages and parent education workshops to empower you to be your child’s first and best teacher.

Make magic with your child!

Search for Blog Posts

Search Learning Ideas

  • Before Five in a Row
  • Booklist
  • Charlotte Mason
  • Cultivating Love of Learning
  • Educational Materials
  • Five in a Row
  • Fun Friday Ideas
  • Homeschooling
  • Memory-Making
  • Parent Education
  • Parenting Thoughts
  • Past Parent Education Classes
  • Reading and Storytelling
  • Uncategorized

Upcoming Events

preschool homeschool

NOW OPEN — Everything you need to start homeschooling your preschooler is right here (Feb 11 to March 4 2023)

In these uncertain times, we can still enjoy our children while helping them to love learning. Learn everything you need to know to start homeschooling your preschooler in this comprehensive online parent education program.

Subscribe

Get updates on learning ideas, parenting events & shop offers!

Copyright © 2023 · Web Design by Fancy Girl Design Studio · Shop Set Up by Marge Aberásturi

Copyright © 2023 · Learning Basket Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in