Who is on your list of successful homeschoolers?

Rethink what defines successful homeschoolers. If it’s not the famous ones or the ones with the most awards, what is it?

Abraham Lincoln & John Adams. Florence Nightingale & Alexander Graham Bell. Thomas Edison & George Washington.

What do all of these people have in common?  

If you Google ‘successful homeschoolers,’ they’ll appear on all the lists.

But here’s the thing. None of them were homeschooled in the way we think of homeschooling today.

Helen Keller didn’t have access to traditional schools because of her disabilities & lack of accommodation. An integral part of her story — and why we still know of her — is that her parents were able to hire Anne Sullivan to teach her, and she did incredible things. Keller was taught at home because there was no other choice, not because her parents chose learning at home as the ideal choice. 

And when you read lists of famous homeschoolers, you’ll find actors, elite athletes, and singers like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. But, again, these people aren’t homeschooled in the way you and I homeschool. Many of them use private tutors or on-set teachers.  And their reasons for ‘homeschooling’ are quite different as well.  

I say none of that to invalidate those homeschool paths.

Rather…I’m saying it because I think we need a better definition of what a “successful homeschooler” actually is. All of these famous people have made their mark on history. They worked hard & they studied. But is having a name that people know really the mark of a successful homeschooler?

What if the success stories really look like…

The parents who know that their child needs extra time to think, formulate ideas, or complete their work — and give it to them. 

The new homeschool mom who reaches out when things aren’t going as she expected.

Successful homeschoolers know that public schools and private schools have their place for some kids—whether their own or others—and don’t discourage that. 

Or the parents who let go of their own dreams for their teens in favor of the dreams their teens have.

The mom who improves her own math skills so she can help her kids.

The parents who figure out how to help their child with special needs & keep plugging away, even when their first solutions don’t work.

Maybe it’s the dad who wants to be involved, so he teaches a subject on the weekend or grades papers in the evening.

The parents who — after bringing home their kid who has been bullied — give their child the time and resources to focus on mental health.

It’s the homeschool parent who hits burnout, takes a step back, and finds a way to reset their homeschool.

The mom who knows outside play is important — for little kids, teens, and even her — and makes an effort to get everyone outside.

Successful homeschooling looks like recognizing their unique goals & desires for each of our children and honoring that by choosing extracurriculars & curricula just for them.

The child who wants to work with his hands — maybe as a barber or construction worker — and has parents who don’t push a 4-year college.

The mom who throws math time tests <insert random piece of curriculum> out the metaphorical window because, as much as she loved it, her kids emphatically did not.

Sometimes it’s the parent who notices the little things, listens to what their child isn’t saying, and makes adjustments.

The parent who understands that there is no single perfect curriculum for their entire family.

The dad who does his part around the home in the evenings so that mom can teach from a place of rest tomorrow.

Success is built on a thousand small choices.

Success has no single definition.

Ask 100 homeschool moms, and you’ll get 100 different answers. Press them a little more, and some of those answers will probably change.

Because sometimes success looks like long conversations and finished lessons.

And sometimes it looks like just making it to the end of the day.

Successful homeschoolers — and the homeschool parents guiding them — aren’t defined by fame, test scores, or perfectly followed schedules.

They’re defined by consistency, flexibility, and a willingness to keep showing up.

Even on the hard days.

Especially on the hard days.