Homeschooling Solo—But Not Alone

Leah always knew she’d homeschool her children.

It was always part of her plan. She’d been homeschooled herself, and remembered the beauty of learning alongside her siblings. Their parents’ patient voices guided them through math lessons at the kitchen table, and science discoveries were the natural result of family walks to the river that ran through their land. In those carefree days, Leah and her siblings loved boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. Their education was full of experiences that taught valuable life lessons and created deeper family bonds.

Today, her siblings homeschool their children. Leah never doubted she’d do the same. But what she didn’t expect was to find herself homeschooling alone.

As her first child prepared to enter kindergarten, an unwelcome event walked into her home. Divorce. No one ever believes that at the altar of “I do,” someone will eventually say “I don’t” and leave.

Leah was suddenly and unexpectedly single, parenting a newborn, a toddler, and a 5-year-old. She knew it would not be easy, but she was committed to her dream of teaching her kids at home. So, on that first day of kindergarten, Leah and her son began their homeschool journey.

To support her family, she launched an Amazon business and delivers for Instacart and Uber Eats. “Some years, the bills just pile up and there’s more of them than there is income,” she said. “But God has continued to provide. He has been faithful every step of the way.”

One of the ways that Leah and her children have found that provision is through the generosity of donors who give to HSLDA’s grant program. In a time when finances were tight and Leah wasn’t sure how to pay for the next year’s curriculum, she knew where to turn for help.

“It’s not just the materials,” Leah told us. “It’s encouragement. It’s feeling like I am part of a community who support one another in our homeschooling journeys.”

Leah and her three sons, age 17, 15, and 12

Homeschooling has changed since Leah was a child—in her view, for the better. When asked how homeschooling today compares to the ‘80s and ‘90s, she told us how her boys have been able to build lasting and meaningful relationships through tutorials and co-ops. In decades past, sports and extracurriculars were difficult to come by for homeschooled children, but between recreation teams, private schools, and homeschool teams, her children have been afforded the chance to learn every sport they’ve ever wanted to play.

More than anything, Leah says, homeschooling has given her the chance to nurture her sons’ hearts. “I attribute their character and service-oriented goals to their home education, where seeking God’s will for their lives has been front and center,” she said. “It’s shaping the trajectory of their career interests.”

Her oldest son, 17, is dual enrolled at their local community college, where he is pursuing training to become a marriage and family therapist. Her 15-year-old middle child is following his dream of becoming a real estate investor with the goal of providing affordable housing for single mothers and their children. Meanwhile, her youngest, age 12, aspires to serve his country as a naval aviator.