Why I Homeschool (And Why You Might Consider It)

I've gone deep down the rabbit hole on homeschooling. When people ask me why I do it, the honest answer is:

Pick a reason — you're probably right.

1. I Actually Like My Kids

I enjoy being around my kids.

Yes, I need time away too — but a job doesn't reset me. A weekend with the guys does.

Homeschooling gives me more time with them while they're young, and I don't apologize for that.

2. Real Flexibility

We're not locked into a system:

No strict attendance limits
No guilt for taking trips during off-peak (and more affordable) times
No stress about “saving sick days”

We build our schedule around our life — not the other way around.

3. Faith Comes First

For us, this is foundational. Homeschooling allows us to:

Teach the Bible consistently
Talk about who God is
Help our kids understand and defend their faith

That's not something I want outsourced.

4. Real-Life Skills Matter More

This might be the biggest one. School rarely teaches what adults actually use:

Budgeting and saving
Investing
Understanding credit (or how to avoid debt)
Basic home and car maintenance
Nutrition
How to apply for a job
How to run a business or learn a trade

That's real education.

Kids are capable of more than worksheets and screens.

5. Environment and Influence

When your kids are in school all day, you give up a lot of control:

Who influences them
What becomes “normal”
What they're exposed to (including screens and devices)

Kids tend to rise — or fall — to the level of what's around them.

6. How Subjects Are Taught

It's not just what is taught — it's how:

Math: Often taught in ways that are longer and less efficient than traditional methods for both quick hand and as it translates to advanced mathematics (many call this “new math” required for state tests).
Reading: For years, many schools relied on a “three-cueing” approach — teaching kids to guess words from pictures and context instead of sounding them out. The podcast Sold a Story walked through how this hurt a generation of readers before states started pulling it out.
History: Not always taught in a clear, chronological way.
Science: Often limited to textbooks instead of real-world exploration.

7. The Decline in Educational Standards

This is the one that surprised me most when I started digging. The numbers are not subtle.

Nationally — NAEP, “The Nation's Report Card”:

Only 31% of 4th graders scored at or above “proficient” in reading in 2024 — down from 2022, which was already a pandemic low.¹
40% of 4th graders now score below the “basic” level — the worst share in decades, and still climbing.¹

In Michigan:

38.9% of third graders were proficient in English language arts on the 2025 M-STEP — the lowest mark in the test's 10-year history.²
Michigan ranks somewhere between 39th (U.S. News) and 44th (Annie E. Casey KIDS COUNT) for K-12 education, and the trend is down, not up.^3 4
The state has spent roughly $1 billion on literacy programs in recent years — and fourth-grade reading proficiency still slipped.⁵

The old state test (MEAP) used to show 80%+ of Michigan kids “proficient” in reading. That wasn't a different reality — that was a different bar. When the bar got honest, the numbers got ugly.

At the very least, that should make people stop and think.

Final Thought

This isn't about saying everyone must homeschool. But it is about asking:

Is the default path actually giving your kids what they need?

For our family, the answer was no.

So we chose something different.

Sources

The Nation's Report Card — 2024 NAEP Reading Results, National Assessment Governing Board.
Chalkbeat Detroit — Michigan third-grade proficiency on M-STEP reaches a new low, Aug 27, 2025.
U.S. News & World Report — Best States: Pre-K-12 Education, 2025.
Annie E. Casey Foundation — 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book (Michigan education ranking).
The Detroit News — Michigan falls short of reading goal despite $1 billion in spending, Feb 2026.