This was originally published at UniversalPreschool.com’s blog in 2012, shortly before we dropped our son off at UC Berkeley and all too quickly said good-by. He was on his own, and our days of homeschooling him were over. Two years later, we watched him graduate with a degree in molecular and cell biology. It was one of the most exciting days in this homeschool mom’s life!
Updated September 2023. My son received a PhD in neuroscience from UCSF!
It seems like just yesterday that I was explaining to disapproving people that no, my son was not in preschool. They were pretty convinced that he wouldn’t be “ready,” whatever that meant.
Although he never went to pre-school (or K-12 either), he is about to graduate from community college and is preparing to transfer to a university. He’ll soon be moving out, and the last few months have been a time for me to reflect on his life and mine. Here are some of the things I’ve been thinking about:
- I’m glad that I homeschooled him from birth until college. No regrets at all!
- I’m glad I didn’t do formal preschool at home, but just let him learn through play. It gave him a solid foundation for the learning that came later.
- I’m really glad I read to him, especially when I was tired of reading.
- I’m glad I took him to the park to play with other children because no matter what the weather was or how busy I thought we were, he loved weekly homeschool park days and counted on being there.
- I’m glad we went for walks in the rain and splashed in puddles.
- I’m glad he had a messy sandbox, homemade playdough, paint, and lots of little pieces all over the house.
- I’m glad there were tents built inside and holes dug outside. I’m glad I said yes more than no.
- I’m glad I tried to listen carefully and treat him with respect; he’s now treating me that way. It’s a wonderful reward for those long years of mothering and homeschooling!
Do I have regrets? Sure! There are things I never got around to doing, and I wish I’d found the time. We’re all going to feel that way when our babies are ready to leave home! I didn’t wake up thinking, “Oh goodie, another glorious day with my three-year-old.” No, I’ll confess that I’d wake up early and tiptoe down the hall, in the hope of just a bit of time alone. He’d hear me and joyfully begin his day before I was ready!
At times he cried, got mad, and generally tried my patience. Some days seemed so long! Now I look back and think it was a good time in our lives, and so worth it.
The preschool years are challenging, but it gets easier, and the reward that comes from helping our children flourish is priceless. Take plenty of pictures, save a few treasures, and jot down some cute things they say so you can remember!
Someday I hope that you too will look back and say “No regrets. It was time well spent and worth the trouble.”
Karen Taylor’s always homeschooled son attended a local community college after graduating from homeschooling. He transferred to UC Berkeley as a junior, and received a PhD in neuroscience from UCSF in 2023. She shares homeschooling comments and links on Facebook, Pinterest, and this blog.
