How We Homeschool Our Large Family With An Age Spread … On A Dairy Farm
Growing up, I always wanted to get married and be a mom. But when my husband and I got married, homeschooling was not on my radar at all. Neither one of us was homeschooled, and I only casually knew of a couple of random homeschooling families back then. Once our first child was born, I felt a deep calling to the homeschool life. When I first broached the subject with my husband, he wasn’t quite as excited at the thought. As a matter of fact, his initial response was ‘no way.’ But the more we talked through the idea, the more in sync we became. So, when our oldest turned 4, we began our family homeschooling adventure. And if you’re thinking of homeschooling, be sure to check out these 10 tips for new homeschool parents.
A Large Family?
Of course, we weren’t always a large family. When I started homeschooling, we had just two children. Our first was preschool aged and our second was just two. Starting when the kids were young made it easier for me. I felt less pressure at having to succeed as I went into this journey with the thought that ‘we can always put her in kindergarten next year’ if it doesn’t work. Had I been thrown into homeschooling with all six children at once, the adjustment would have been much harder (although not impossible, so don’t let that discourage you if your family is contemplating a jump!) As we eased into this lifestyle, being home on our family dairy farm absolutely helped. Every couple of years, I’d have another new homeschooler around the table and out in the barn as another kiddo aged up.
Homeschooling With An Age Spread
From big to little, we currently have quite the age spread…almost 17 years to be exact! Our oldest is now a homeschooled senior who is dually enrolled in college, and our youngest just turned two. That means we’re technically homeschooling five kids, but to be honest, homeschooling is also life. So, while our littlest, at age 2, isn’t officially being homeschooled, I find every day is a new opportunity to introduce, encourage, and teach. Kids are always learning, and the opportunities are endless, no matter what their age.
I find our oldest kids are quite self-sufficient, and each of them tends to come to me when they need help. By this stage in our homeschooling journey, they are very driven to be self-learners. For example, a couple of years ago, our oldest chose to read through a couple of Encyclopedias as part of her homeschooling that year! She learned some pretty neat things through that experience, and we were happy to allow her the freedom to do it. Our younger kids need more one-on-one time when it comes to bookwork learning but can also be very motivated when they find things of interest to them.
The biggest thing I’ve learned over the years when teaching a large age spread of children is that I need to allow them to shine individually as well as a group! If a child shows interest in a specific topic, I give them the space and freedom to research it. I love the freedom homeschooling offers us to go off script and ditch the lesson plan for the day if a unique learning opportunity arises. Whether it be an impromptu field trip or discovering something cool in the yard, my husband and I strive to create learning moments as often as we can. Nothing can beat real-life, hands-on experiences! Check out this article about homeschooling, where you can learn tips, tricks, and the different types of homeschool options, as well as bust some common homeschool myths.
Which Brings Us to Homeschooling on Our Family Dairy Farm
Not only does our family dairy farm help teach our kids an overall good work ethic, it has also offered many hands-on learning experiences. From little on, our kids are immersed in farm life. Whether it’s riding in the skid loader or tractor with Dad or exploring the barns with me, we make sure to enjoy country living from the get-go. (As a matter of fact, our oldest daughter was just 2 weeks old when she took her first truck ride with Daddy to haul some cows to the sales barn so Mama could shower!). As they get a little bigger, the kids get to help with chores and daily farm tasks. While the toddler’s main job is to play with the kitties, the older kids take on some of the ‘bigger’ jobs. From helping milk cows in our parlor to driving a tractor, there’s always something to be done, and we love doing as much as possible as a family.
Another unique thing the kids have gotten to experience as part of farm and homeschool life is getting up close with the animals. They also get to see things most people never have the chance to, such as watching our veterinarian perform surgeries. And not only have they experienced watching calves being born, but they have sometimes even helped with the delivery! The many animals that we have taken care of over the years include cows, chickens, horses, ponies, cats (including abandoned litters), and the occasional bird.
Homeschooling our large family on our dairy farm is an amazing life.
There are endless opportunities and our family loves and benefits from all the time we get to spend together…. always growing, always learning, always having adventures together. Never in my wildest childhood dreams did I ever think this wonderful life was possible!
