I spent the last three years working as the social media specialist for a prominent homeschool curriculum publisher.  I expected to have rewarding work.  I expected to do well at the job.  What I didn’t expect, was the immense amount of respect I would gain toward homeschool families and the immense amount of encouragement I would receive from them.

Let me tell you what homeschoolers aren’t:

• Unsocialized – Kill this stereotype immediately.  The majority of homeschoolers I interacted with were easy to talk to, easy to work with, and had kids that could hold intelligent conversations with adults while still being able to play with infants and toddlers.
• Behind the times – There are some incredibly tech and web-savvy people homeschooling their children.  To be honest, many were utilizing way more technology than the average family does.
• Boring – In a word….no.  Many of these families do more in one year than many families do in an entire lifetime.
• Lazy – Many people think that homeschoolers don’t work hard and just want to let their kids slide through education.  That is SO far from the case.  You would not believe the organizational skills everyone has and the immense concern for making sure their children are properly educated.

Let me tell you what homeschoolers are:

• Smart, educated, and well-rounded.
• No-holds-barred passionate about their family’s core values.
• Hilarious
• Resourceful
• Pioneers
• Loyal

I am so thankful that my eyes were opened to the benefits, values, and highlights of homeschooling.  If it’s something you’re considering, while it might be a fearful leap, you will not be disappointed and there is a vast support community available to you.

And, since I’m no longer with the company and I can say with integrity that this is a true shout-out to these people I’ve met and not a tactic to drive business, I wanted to thank some specific people for some specific things that they did for me while in the homeschool community:

• Kris – Thank you for being brave and asking me to support you from the very beginning.  You paved the way for many good things to happen.
• Amber – Thank you for showing me just how important real relationships with people, not customers, are.
• Jenn – Thank you for your friendship, your support, your vision, your innovation, and your confidence.  Your friendship means more than you know.
• Stef – Thank you for your no-nonsense approach to everything.  Don’t back down.  Ever.  (And thanks for constantly making me laugh!)
• Jolanthe – Thank you for being a pioneer in the homeschool world and showing people what is possible for one single mom to do.
• Erin – Thank you for your constant inspiration to raise your boys with godly values in a mostly God-less world.
• Cheryl – Thank you for your patience and the stress you endured because of trying to get the 2:1 conference off the ground.  I truly hope you succeed beyond your imagination.
• Linda – Thank you for your friendship, advice, joy, and being one of the best co-workers I’ve ever had (even though we were hours away!)
• Ashley – Thank you for showing me what investing into a relationship can do.
• Jamie – Thanks for your quiet, encouraging spirit and incredibly inspiring photography!
• Meghan – Thank you for your confidence and trust in me during the early Hip Homeschool Moms days.  I’m so glad your efforts and reaping such immense benefits!
• Samantha – Thank you for being so patient with me during technical glitches and vague communication during a homeschool contest!

Truly, homeschool moms and dads (and there are MANY more of you), thank you for teaching me.  You’ll never fully know the difference you made in my life.