Why We Homeschool: Jen’s Story from Chestnut Grove Academy

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Welcome to our Why We Homeschool series—a heartfelt look into the real-life reasons families around the world have embraced home education.

why we chose to homeschool

Today’s story comes from Jen of Chestnut Grove Academy. As a mom of three boys and an early childhood educator, Jen brings both professional insight and personal passion to her homeschooling journey.

Meet Jen

Hi! I’m Jen, a homeschooling mom to three boys—ages 6, 3.5, and 2. We live in beautiful Hawaii (and yes, we absolutely love it here!). While my husband and I are both prior military, our current adventure brought us here through his job.

I hold a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and spent several years teaching and directing in preschool and daycare settings. I started blogging in 2010 and became more active in 2011. Blogging keeps me motivated and connected to the broader homeschool community.

Why I Chose to Homeschool

My homeschooling journey began when my oldest was just two. At the time, we lived in a rural area without easy preschool access, and I realized I could teach him myself. After all, I’d been teaching professionally before I had kids!

As I worked with him, I noticed he was slightly advanced. That pushed me to explore homeschooling long-term. The tipping point came during my student teaching experience while earning my master’s degree. I saw firsthand how difficult it is to meet every child’s needs in a traditional classroom setting—through no fault of the teachers.

Homeschooling, for me, is all about individualizing learning. That’s why I don’t use boxed curriculum sets. I believe curriculum should reflect why you chose to homeschool in the first place.

What We Use: Curriculum Highlights

While I don’t use a boxed set, I do use curriculum! Structure is important to me, and I select resources that support hands-on, boy-friendly learning.

Elementary Favorites:

  • Pandia Press for Science and History

  • Math-U-See

  • Handwriting Without Tears

These programs offer a hands-on approach that’s ideal for early learners, especially active boys.

Preschool Approach: For preschool, I’ve created my own outlines and pull from a variety of sources—often tying them into the elementary science themes we’re studying. This lets the younger kids join in on activities like experiments, crafts, and nature studies.

Advice for New Homeschoolers

  1. Start with a great resource: I highly recommend The Well-Trained Mind and Cathy Duffy’s Top 100 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. These helped me shape my philosophy and select curriculum that matched our goals.

  2. Be flexible: If something’s not working, change it! We adjusted multiple times in our first year.

  3. Don’t mimic public school: You don’t need desks, bells, or an 8-to-4 schedule. Embrace the freedom.

  4. Remember your why: Each child and family is unique. Stay focused on doing what’s best for yours.

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling may not be the easiest path, but it’s been the most rewarding for our family. It allows me to teach my children in a way that honors who they are and how they learn best. I’m grateful every day that we chose this journey.

Connect with me at Chestnut Grove Academy to follow our adventures, ideas, and resources!

SEE MORE HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES:

How to Homeschool In High School: A Comprehensive Guide

 

 

 
 

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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2 Comments

  1. Great post! I too spent a long time researching and experimenting with homeschooling before I finally committed. I haven’t heard of Pandia Press before, I’m excited to check them out, thanks!

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