Q & A with Homeschool Mom: Teresa

I met Teresa about five years ago.  She was just beginning her journey as a homeschool mom and from the start I admired her dedication to her family. I remember many days stopping by her house and watching in awe as she baked a variety of oven goodness.  Watching her revealed to me that I could also become my own version of a home baker.

Teresa and her husband have been married for 9 years.  They are parents to8 children ranging from 18 years to 4 months. She loves all things food, natural hair and essential oils. In her spare time you can find Teresa studying God's word, crocheting or drawing.

Meet Homeschool Mom, Teresa

How long have you home educated?

4 years

How did your family decide to become a homeschooling family?

I heard about homeschooling many years ago when my oldest son was little, but never pursued it. Years later, I kept meeting different moms who were homeschooling, so I decided to look into it. My best friend encouraged me and made me feel that I could do it and I haven't looked back since.

What is your favorite part about home schooling? What helps you to keep going?

My favorite part of homeschooling is that even though I am the teacher, I also get to be a student again. I love learning new things and by me homeschooling I get learn alongside my children.

Teresa at her oldest son's graduation

What are your struggles with being a home schooling parent?

Sometimes I still doubt myself or I have periods where I feel burned out. I still haven't quite nailed down a schedule for us, which is frustrating. Also, juggling my other duties (i.e. husband, cooking, cleaning, etc...) along with homeschooling is still a struggle.

Share a few words of encouragement with other moms who home school. What is your tip for keeping atmosphere joyous in your home?

One of the things I have to remember is to have fun with it. My boys are young so we're still in the discovery phase where finding out about new things is still awesome to them. I'm very much a planner, but to keep it fun I try to incorporate spontaneous outings into our day like quiet study at the library or learning math while grocery shopping. Being spontaneous doesn't come easy for me so I have to be intentional about it so that my boys won't grow up resenting being homeschooled.