My Child Is Not an Adult in Training
A home educator dares to imagine an education that matters to the child as a child, not just as an adult in training.” — Julie Bogart
This has been on my mind today…
Somewhere along the way, education stopped being about childhood. It became about adulthood. Test scores. GPAs. College readiness. Career prep.
But what about being ready to be a child?
When I started homeschooling, I thought I was just taking on a different method of schooling. What I didn’t expect was how quickly my kids began to reclaim parts of themselves that had been rushed, quieted, or overlooked.
They became more playful. More curious. They asked more questions. They stopped trying to always be “on” or “perfect” or older than they were.
And I realized something. So much of traditional education is focused on preparing kids for a future life that it forgets they are living one right now.
School culture pushes kids to grow up faster than they’re ready to. To give up play for “coolness” or “serious work”.
They are not adults in training. They are kids. With real thoughts. Real emotions. Real learning rhythms that don’t always fit neat timelines.
Homeschooling gives us the chance to slow it all down.
To build a world around them that says “you matter” without needing to add “when you grow up”, let them rest when they’re tired, and let them chase the weird, wild ideas they can’t stop thinking about.
To let them enjoy learning instead of fearing it.
Let them play.
This doesn’t mean we don’t care about their futures. It means we believe that honoring their present is part of preparing them for it.
I want my kids to grow into capable, wise, thoughtful adults. But I also want them to have a childhood they can look back on with joy — not burnout.
That’s the gift homeschooling gave us. And I’ll never regret choosing it.
With love,
Certified Special Ed Educator & Co-Founder, Schoolio