As a Catholic, mother of eight and 24-year veteran of homeschooling, I have answered thousands of questions about homeschooling. I am happy to share my experience and the enormous benefits of this alternative method of educating our children.

As a preschool teacher in my former life — the life before marriage and children — I loved my job. So, when we fast forward to three children of my own under age 4, preschool seemed to be the next natural step. I enrolled the two oldest in a half-day program three days a week at the local Catholic school. 

About six months in, their teacher pulled me aside and said, “You may want to consider homeschooling for your girls. They are very bright, and I think they would thrive in a homeschool environment.”

A homeschool environment? I didn’t even know homeschooling was a thing. In fact, 28 years ago, it was just coming up from underground as a movement in Catholic circles. After much research, prayer and consideration, my husband and I made the decision that changed the course of our lives forever: We became a homeschool family.

Here are some of the reasons homeschooling has been such a blessing for us: Our family grew to a family of 10 — or 11 if you count the years my mother lived with us so we could care for her. Homeschooling lends itself nicely to the ebb and flow of family life. Rather than the rush of getting out the door every morning, our days could be shaped organically for our family; nursing babies, elderly parents and all. We could take breaks when illness crept through the house — although everyone knows that math and spelling can be done from the couch — and catch up when everyone was well again. Our schooling worked with our family schedule, and not the other way around.

Our school was and is Christ-centered, allowing us the freedom to live our faith seamlessly in our studies and daily lives. Our faith became something we lived every day, not just something we studied in religion class. We were available to help our neighbors or participate in a weekday Mass without an excuse for absence.

Our children do well — really well — academically. The ones who have gone on to college have graduated with honors (5 so far!) because they are self-motivated learners.

Most importantly, and the reason I am most thankful for our decision to homeschool, is the fact that our children truly have grown up together rather than apart each day. Their relationships are so much broader than they would have been if they had been only around people the same age and grade.

This is a big one. Children involved in a homeschool community are never segregated by age or grade level for long periods of time, if ever. They learn to interact with people of all ages, which is so beneficial in the real world, whether it be in college or the work force.

Is it hard? Absolutely. “Nothing worthwhile comes easy,” as my father used to say, but I wouldn’t go back and change a thing. God is so good!

Laura Boronski is a speaker, singer, songwriter, certified functional nutrition counselor and outspoken defender of life who lives with her husband, Jeff, and five of their eight children in Conway. Visit lauraboronski.com.