Before I started homeschooling, I believed many of the myths surrounding it. To be honest, they’re pretty common! Today, we are going to dig into these homeschool myths and see how my family has busted them, one by one.
Homeschool Myths Busted!
Myth #1: You Need Teaching Experience to Homeschool
One of the biggest myths about homeschooling is that you need a teaching degree or some kind of educational experience to homeschool effectively. Sure, experience can help in certain areas. For example, I’ve worked in education for years, and I find it easy to tweak a curriculum to fit my kids’ needs. But is teaching experience required? Absolutely not.
Take my husband, for example. He’s an incredible homeschool teacher, and he has zero traditional teaching experience. Yet, he’s deeply involved in our kids’ education and thrives in this role. The truth is, you don’t need formal training to homeschool. You just need dedication and a willingness to learn alongside your children.
Myth #2: Only Stay-at-Home Parents Can Homeschool
Here’s another homeschool myth that needs busting: the idea that you must be a stay-at-home parent to homeschool successfully. In our house, both my husband and I work full-time jobs. While I do get summers off because I’m a teacher, I’m still working most of the year. We’ve made it work as a team, and homeschooling happens even with our busy schedules.
Does being a stay-at-home parent make homeschooling easier? Of course! But it’s not a requirement. Plenty of homeschooling parents, like us, juggle full-time jobs while educating their children, proving that this myth is definitely busted.
Myth #3: Homeschoolers Have Lots of Children
Some people think homeschooling is reserved for large families with many kids. The reality? You can homeschool with any number of children. I homeschool my two kids, and I know families who homeschool just one child.
The idea that homeschooling is only for families with many children is simply false. Whether you have one child or a dozen, homeschooling can work for you.
Myth #4: You Need a Dedicated Homeschool Room
This one hit close to home for me—literally! Before we started, I thought I needed an entire room, complete with desks, a chalkboard, and perfectly organized bookshelves, to homeschool. Spoiler alert: we don’t have any of that.
Our homeschooling space is our living room and dining room. We have a small desk, a cubby for supplies, and a wall where we hang a few visual aids like our cursive alphabet and Bible verses. Homeschooling doesn’t require a Pinterest-perfect classroom setup. We make it work with the space we have, and you can too!
Myth #5: Homeschool Kids Turn Out “Weird”
This myth is one I used to believe myself. I worried that homeschooling might make my kids socially awkward or isolated. But guess what? Homeschooled kids aren’t “weird”—they’re just as socially capable as anyone else.
In fact, my husband (who was homeschooled) can strike up a conversation and work with anyone, from toddlers to seniors. His homeschooling experience allowed him to interact with people of all ages, not just kids his own age. So, if you’re concerned about your kids turning out “weird,” rest assured that’s just another myth waiting to be busted.
Myth #6: You Need a Farm and Tons of Land
Contrary to this belief, you don’t need acres of land or a farm to homeschool. We live smack in the middle of the city with a tiny bit of yard space. And guess what? Homeschooling works just fine here!
While having lots of land sounds amazing, especially for those interested in homesteading, it’s not a requirement for homeschooling. Whether you live in a city apartment or on a farm, you can homeschool successfully.
Myth #7: Homeschool Days Always Go as Planned
If you’ve ever been in a traditional classroom, you know that plans rarely go perfectly—and it’s the same with homeschooling.
Some days, your kids might wake up cranky, or life throws you a curveball. Flexibility is key in homeschooling, and those perfect, planned-out days are few and far between. The unpredictability of life doesn’t stop homeschooling; it’s just part of the journey.
Myth #8: Homeschoolers Have Craft Closets Overflowing with Supplies
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a closet brimming with craft supplies. We have a small tote with construction paper and a few art supplies, and that’s it. If we need something special for a project, we buy it as needed. You don’t have to be a Pinterest-perfect craft expert to homeschool.
Myth #9: Homeschoolers Own Every Book Under the Sun
There’s also a belief that homeschooling families have massive home libraries filled with every book imaginable. In our home, we have one bookshelf in my daughter’s room with a collection of picture books. For everything else, we rely on the library.
We borrow books, read them, and return them. This works for our family and keeps our space uncluttered. So, even though we love literature, we don’t need to own every book ever written to homeschool.
Have you busted any homeschool myths lately?
How about you? Have you busted any homeschooling myths yourself? Did you believe some of these before diving into homeschooling? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s keep busting these myths together!
Thank you so much for reading! If you found this helpful, feel free to share it with others who might still be on the fence about homeschooling.
💖 Yessi
