Homeschooling During COVID-19 and Beyond

If this feels like the most dreaded Back to School season for you as a parent, you’re not alone. Between the risks of COVID-19 and the stresses of choosing between remote learning and hybrid, many parents are looking for temporary or permanent alternatives to traditional schooling. With many parents working from home or becoming stay-at-home parents to deal with these changing times, homeschooling during COVID-19 has become more than just a passing thought. Today we’re joined by our own Matt Morizio, Financial Planner and homeschooler from day one of his five children.

Homeschooling is Hard Work and Worth It

Like when talking to his clients on what to expect with wealth management, Matt is quick to layout expectations. To really get into homeschool requires a lot of hard work: you’ve got to pick out curriculums, you have to always be aware of teaching moments, and you’ve got to establish a new connection with your children.

While Matt’s been homeschooling his kids since the start (ages 8, 6, 5, 5, and 2 as of this blog), those parents starting later are going to have to build up that rapport and respect needed to teach. The payoff, he says, is worth it: you have the opportunity to be truly present in your child’s life, to understand their passions and to share your own in ways simply not available otherwise.

Common Questions and Tips About Homeschooling

We had the opportunity to sit down with Matt to answer some of the common questions he’s heard in the past and advice he has to offer. Here are some highlights:

• What’s the biggest benefit of homeschooling children? Besides the aforementioned connection, you get to help your children be more ready for the real world. The regimental approach to schedule and schooling isn’t preparing children for the real world.
• What’s the biggest drawback to homeschooling? You need time. Between Matt’s flexible hours and his wife staying at home, they have this benefit. As your work turns remote, you might have this same opportunity: talk to your employer or look for one who provides this option.
• Homeschooling isn’t a 7 to 8 hour day. Focused and 1:1 time means you can spread out homeschooling over the day and have the flexibility to wait for teachable moments – or even an education vacation.
• Find your homeschooling community. Chances are, there’s one nearby. These communities can help you get started, work together, and help with the vital socialization of children. For older students, they can also be a resource for group projects and online learning.

Temporary Homeschooling During COVID-19

Right now, with electronic schooling, parents may already feel like they are acting as an “electronic substitute teacher” as they are required to help children get set up, stay on task, and make sure they’ve done their homework and check their results. Why not take it one step further?

If you’re looking at making homeschooling a temporary part of your children’s education, know that you’ll have some hurdles to jump. Connecting with your child will be hard. As Matt says (quoting Theodore Roosevelt): “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” If you’re not ready to fully commit, think about augmenting your children’s education with real-world examples and projects around the house and neighborhood.

Speaking of the real world, financial literacy and education is a vital part of anyone’s education and one that is chronically underserved for people of all ages and all walks of life. At Beck Bode, Matt and our other financial planners and advisors work with our clients to explain every step of the plan or investment we make during wealth management. It’s a core part of our philosophy that makes us unique. If you’d like to learn more, from helping plan out parenting options to this to finding financial empowerment, reach out to us. We’d love to talk.

A big thanks to Matt Morizio for helping to write this article. You can learn more about him here, and make sure to check out his podcasts with Ben Beck here.