The whole point of homeschooling is that you can swim against the tide if you want to. Still, I know it can be difficult to do things your own way.

For many years, we did school over the summer when the weather was miserable, then took off in September when things finally cooled down and activities made us busier with friends and extracurriculars. It was the perfect schedule! However, being so out of sync with everyone else wasn’t always easy. Even other homeschoolers often chided us for turning down a morning activity in the summer in favor of a little school.

The pressure to swim along with everyone else is always there, no matter what. If you’re in an area with tons of unschoolers and you’re more academic, it can be tough! If you’re more relaxed and unschool influenced and everyone around you is ordering big box curricula, you can feel out of step.

However, you really don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. I especially see this in states where charter school money or part time public school programs are extremely popular among homeshoolers. However, you don’t have to use those programs. You can strike out on your own. Just because others have chosen to go that route doesn’t mean you have to.

Many homeschoolers now use dual enrollment or tons of online classes for high school. However, if that’s not the right path for your student, don’t feel like it’s the only way to homeschool. Lots of families still do the vast majority of high school subjects at home. You can too if you want to.

In general, don’t buy into it if anyone tells you that there’s only one way. There are so many paths. The whole point of homeschooling is that you can do what’s right for you and your kids. Don’t get caught up in whatever trend is sweeping your community at this moment, whether it’s an instant pot or a new math program. You’re following the path that’s right for you. Swim upstream and enjoy it.