The COVID-19 pandemic caused Jennifer Moreno to homeschool her son, then in fourth grade. Today she’s one of homeschooling’s greatest advocates!
In a recent “Homeschool Hints” podcast episode, Jennifer shares how she learned all about home education from the ground up: curriculum, community, working in addition to homeschool, and more!
Some of the highlights:
The ‘disarray’ in public schools during 2020
“We kind of saw what was happening in the public school, and how everything was in disarray.
Nobody knew what was going on. The end of that year, I mean, school was just crazy, like the kids were not learning. There was no order. They were doing some kind of Skypes with their teacher, but it wasn’t very structured. It was kind of like a free-for-all, so looking back, I mean I feel bad for probably high school graduates that year. I know a lot of them kind of got, you know, it was a little crazy for them, but, I mean, my son was in fourth grade.
“And so I never knew much about homeschooling. The homeschooling thing really started to come more in the mainstream when COVID happened, and I started to hear people talk about it more in the mainstream.
“But I grew up public school educated, and my husband was public school educated, so this was all new to us. We had no idea what to do, and I just started researching it, looking into it, and I just had such peace to homeschool. And so I know it was from the Lord, and it wasn’t anxiety, it wasn’t pressure, it wasn’t stress.
“So that’s why I knew like, it was literally a calling, that God said, you’re going to homeschool now. And so I was like, OK, let’s do it. We started to do that.”
Teachers in the public school vs. the system
“The teachers were phenomenal, so I have nothing bad to say about the teachers in the public school. I love a lot of teachers, and I have a lot of teachers that are good friends, but it was just kind of the system, you know, just all of that, the administration, just the rules and everything that was coming down the pipeline that we didn’t agree with.
“But yeah, I think that was mostly other parents that I saw, like, hey, let’s try homeschooling. I’m like. What’s that? <laughs> So I’m like, OK.
… And you’re right, they just love the kids, and they can see the frustration. And we personally have teachers in our family that were great teachers and love the kids. And unfortunately, they were just unhappy in the school district, and they ended up retiring or quitting, and just like, no, I just want to be here for the kids, and it’s just not working out.
“So, we did see that just even within our family members, extended family members too.
“And it’s a shame because they need those good teachers.
“So I have met a lot of teachers that have gone to homeschooling now or recommend it, so it is great.
“It’s not necessarily them against us, you know, and that’s what I’ve learned too. It’s for the kids, whatever better suits the kids. I mean, I know sometimes, like, I’ll get on social media, and I’ll get a little bit on my, you know, soapbox about homeschooling. And I have to be careful sometimes because it’s completely foreign to a lot of parents, and all they’ve ever known is a certain way, and I think some homeschoolers can kind of relate and understand that.
“But it’s just showing them in love, like, hey, this has worked for us and you have to be open to it. I was open to trying something different. That was the big thing. A lot of parents just completely shut it down and think like, well. I can’t do that, you know. And I’m like, well, the Lord gave you your children. I mean, you’re to shepherd them and teach them and raise them up in the ways of the Lord. You know, there’s tough days. Everybody has tough days, but I keep going back to what, you know, the Lord has put on my heart.
“And so, I mean, I think of the one Bible verse, Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I keep just saying that to me, you know, I can’t do this in my own strength, but the Lord, I know I can do it through him. So he gives me the strength.
“And then on those tough days, I mean, you know, sometimes we all have them, you know, every day is new, and we can start fresh and have a better day today, if it was a tough day yesterday. So I do love that.”
Working part time (even full time) while still homeschooling
“I’ve worked part time, I’ve worked full time, and you know, and it kind of depends on your family needs and stuff like that. We had a car payment, a couple of little expenses, so I did, I worked part time, and that worked out good.
“But definitely like for other moms that are looking to, that have to work because I get it. You have to work, or some families just have no choice. But that support system is so vital.
“We don’t have grandparents and things like extended family members. But my husband was a great support system. If I was working, he could work from home and help out with homeschooling our son, or I’d reach out to other friends and have other friends in the homeschool community. And I’m like, hey, I have to work today. Can my son be over there with your kids?
“And so I’m so thankful for the community. I’ve met so many great homeschool families that have welcomed us in that. But just my take on it. When I did, I started working part time and I was doing really well, and they promoted me to full time, and we talked about as a family, and my husband’s like, OK, well, let’s try it. Let’s see how we can do it.
“And it didn’t work for us because it was really difficult to really get my son’s school work done and things like that and my husband was trying to work, but then still trying to do his stuff.
“And so I just decided to go back down to part time ,and I actually worked for a great company, and they actually let me go back down to part time. So I only worked like full time for like about nine months.
“But that was kind of hard. I mean, it wasn’t majorly stressful, but when I looked back, it just wasn’t the right fit for us.
“But I’ve talked to families that do homeschool at night. You know, if Mom has to work, there’s a lot of single-parent families out there. And I know you can make it work. And that’s like, where there’s a will, there’s a way, I feel.
“And I was fortunate that my husband made enough money that I didn’t need to keep working. It was more just, kind of more of a supplemental-income type of thing.
“And I’ve talked to other friends and sometimes, you know, if you really want to homeschool, you really have to sometimes look at those hard things of, OK, well, maybe we can’t have like 3 cars in the home.
“Maybe we can’t have the 4000-square-foot home if mom and Dad are working.
“I know it’s really hard in this day and age to look at that, but I feel those stories that are, you know, they scale back their expenses so Mom can stay home and homeschool.
“I just think those are such inspirational stories for me. I just think like, God is gonna bless that family. And it’s foreign to like, most of people that live in America, like, what do you mean? Like you have to sell your house and go down to like, you know, a smaller home? Like, oh my gosh. But I’m like, yeah, because that’s what they want to do.”
FAQ: How to choose homeschool curriculum
“I didn’t want to do so much computer stuff. My son, you know, he’s a boy. He likes to play video games and things like that. So, I was very aware of that. I didn’t want to do so much online, so I think he did one subject online, but I was a bit overwhelmed at first. I looked at all the stuff, but we mostly did, like, book work and I found some curriculums that we liked. We did Masterbooks and Easy Peasy and Math-U-See and things like that. I mean, I feel like even like now, I’m looking at 10th grade curriculum. And I guess there’s no magic thing, right? You know that is the one question I get from people all the time, like, how do you pick curriculum? I’m like, yeah, exactly.
“I mean, I watch all this stuff, and I download all the things and everything like that, but we’re still trying to figure out – I mean, when I look back, and that’s what I love about homeschool is, we try something, you know, we’ll try something for six weeks. If it doesn’t work, if it’s not working OK, we’ll switch it up.
“I was actually thinking about this and looking back the other day and reading my notes and things because I’m a note taker.
“And I look back on all of that, and the one thing my son had said about, he had to do some project for like, strengths and weaknesses. And he said one of his strengths, he feels, is adaptability.
“And I said, Oh, OK, because we are kind of changing things a lot. So I was like, wow. So that was that made me feel so great, that even though sometimes I feel like I’m failing because I might have switched curriculums, you know, a few times, he’s like, I can adapt and I can make it work.
“But it was overwhelming. It was at first, you know, but we navigated it.
“We found some great curriculums that worked, but I don’t kind of stick with the same thing. I do kind of switch things up every year. I’ve done different curriculums like every year, kind of like that.
“I mean, that’s why I love going to the conventions that you guys have. Those are so helpful. They’re great. I went to the, you know, the one you guys just had a few months ago, and that was just – looking at all the curriculum, getting to ask the questions and talk to the people. And oh, it’s so helpful. So, I would encourage people to go to those conventions every year.
“I went my first year, and then I went again, and then I went just this last year, and they’re so great, even for seasoned people, because there’s just so much curriculum and it can get overwhelming, and you just have to kind of pick through it and look, OK, well, let’s try this. This looks like it’ll fit, so let’s try it. And it is kind of like sometimes, stepping out and taking a leap of faith. I try to stick to something, but if my son is completely miserable, then I’m like, OK, this isn’t working.
“And that’s what I love about homeschool, like, we can switch it up, and I don’t want to be miserable. And unfortunately with public school too, you know, you just couldn’t do that. You were just stuck in certain things, and the kid would be miserable in a certain curriculum and wasn’t learning. And it creates just so many other issues and stuff. So.
“But yeah, I mean, we still go through the whole curriculum things. I mean, I’m trying to plan our 10th grade year and I’m like, OK! (laughs) But we’ll get there.”
Homeschool community
“I’ve never felt more connected to a community. I told you, I was in the PTA. I had other moms and stuff. But the community of the homeschool (mom) is just amazing. I’ve met just the most fabulous people like you, MPE, the Women’s Encouragement Day you guys did, was so fabulous. It was so great. I’m so happy.
“And like I tell other moms like, there’s a great support system out there for us. You don’t have to do it alone. So that’s another one that I’ve really, really loved. …
“I was listening to the speakers at your guys’s Women’s Encouragement Day, and you know, they’re all homeschool moms and grandmas now, and they’re like, you’re gonna be OK.
Like, my kid didn’t read till they were 7 or 8. And guess what? Like, they’re doing this now. And I’m like, OK, great. So yeah, it is. It gives such perspective, and that’s one thing that I’ve really learned, is just to have perspective because when you are in the trenches of it every day, you’re like, am I making any headway?
Because like with us, we struggle with math, and that’s just been one of our struggles.
And I’m like, but he’s so good in another subject. So, but I’m like, are we ever going to get there? And it’s like, then I hear great stories of people like, hey, my son – it took him a while to catch up to math. And now he, once he got to a certain age, his brain just matured and got it.
But yeah, it’s very hopeful, and I think we do need that hopefulness. And now yeah, like we’re not in this alone.”
