The Secret Ingredient in Our Homeschool Recipe

Grandparents are the secret ingredient in our homeschool recipe.

We’re a quirky “hybrid” homeschooling family of six—Mom, Dad, and four kids. Our hybrid model blends home-based learning with classes and activities outside the home.

We have kids with Autism and ADHD, which makes life a moment-to-moment adventure. Dad (Trevor) works as a mail carrier, while Mom (Camille) spends two days a week working outside the home. Grandparents—especially Trevor’s parents—are central to our homeschool routine because of these unique schedules. Camille’s parents are also helpful and very involved with educational toys for the kids.

A Hybrid Family of Learners

Not all our children are homeschooled in the same way. Veronica, our oldest, attends a school that specializes in Autism. Thomas and Justine, our second and third, are homeschooled in 2nd grade and Kindergarten. Our youngest, Elinor (3), learns right alongside her siblings and will start Seton’s preschool program next year.

We love having grandparents involved, as they play a central role in our children’s lives. We also belong to a local science co-op that meets weekly for experiments and social activities.

Why We Chose to Homeschool

For our family, homeschooling just felt natural. Our children learn quickly but can become easily distracted, making one-on-one teaching an ideal approach for them. Whenever a skill is mastered, we move forward—no waiting, just steady progress.

But more than academics, we wanted to be the main character formers of our kids. True socialization happens across ages and situations, not just among peers. Homeschooling naturally teaches that, as our children learn alongside siblings of different ages—and, of course, grandparents! They still see friends through co-ops and activities, but we can guide those interactions and model healthy conflict management in a safe setting.

Why We Chose Seton

When we began homeschooling, we wanted structure and accountability rooted in our faith. After exploring options, Seton Home Study School stood out as the best fit.

We’d heard wonderful things about Seton, and it truly gives us the best of both worlds: an accredited education with us as the teachers. The curriculum is clear and faith-filled, letting our kids see the beauty of Catholicism woven through every subject.

A Day in the Life

While no day is exactly the same, a natural rhythm has formed. Mornings begin with taking Veronica to school. On the way home, we listen to a classic literary novel.

Back home, Camille sorts the day’s lessons into folders for Thomas and Justine, placing them in their bookbags. This way, only that day’s tasks are visible. Master a concept, and we move on. With flexible lessons and frequent breaks, we’re usually done with “bookwork” before lunch. The afternoons shift to free play or hands-on learning, which lasts until it’s time to pick up Veronica again.

On the days Camille works, the kids take their bookbags to their grandparents’ house, where Grandma and Grandpa continue the lessons. That partnership between generations has become one of the richest blessings of our homeschool life.

Flexibility and Family Life

One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers. Learning can happen anywhere—at the doctor’s office, in the car, or at Grandma’s kitchen table. If plans change, the books come with us.

Our biggest challenge is coordinating time with other homeschool families, but we’re making that a priority this year as the kids grow and their social circles widen.

Learning Where Our Food Comes From

Beyond academics, we want our children to understand where their food comes from and how their work matters to the family. Out back, we’ve planted fruit trees, berry bushes, and vegetables. When berries and peaches are ripe, the kids pick them and help make jam at their grandparents’ house for the year ahead.

We buy honey from a local beekeeper, and two of the kids have visited his hives. On Trevor’s days off, we might go foraging for pawpaws or build a small fire pit in the yard to cook lunch. Washing dishes by hand becomes a shared family activity—one that the kids eventually take over, much to our delight!

These experiences build confidence and a sense of belonging. Our kids can look at the dinner table knowing not just where the food came from, but that they helped bring it there. We’re raising men and women with the life skills they need to serve and contribute. Veronica sleeps on a loft bed whose frame is homemade, and Thomas recently helped build two floating shelves—next up, drywall repair!

Faith at the Heart

Being Catholic is simply who we are. We pray together, work together, and grow in virtue together. We also root out vice together, and the Sacraments help us with this! Faith isn’t a checklist—it’s a relationship with God that we’re helping our children discover personally.

Each child’s relationship with the Lord is unique. They learn the truths of the Faith, take them to prayer, and make them their own. It’s beautiful to see their individuality shine through the questions they ask.

A Journey of Flexibility and Formation

Homeschooling isn’t one-size-fits-all. We discern what’s best for each child, season by season. Veronica has begun asking to be homeschooled, and we’re prayerfully considering it, though her current school provides support we can’t replicate at home.

Flexibility remains key. If a lesson isn’t clicking, we take a break and return later. We also let the kids choose the order of their work—it makes the day smoother and keeps
everyone motivated.

Ultimately, homeschooling for us is about forming character and fostering virtue. Our children are thriving academically and learning responsibility through daily family life. They get to be their full, quirky selves, learning patience and charity through one another.

Our homeschool is where faith, family, and formation come together—one day, one lesson, and one jar of jam at a time.