5 Benefits to Homeschooling Your Children Through Blogging by Wendy Woerner

When I began blogging over 6 years ago, I had no idea where it would take me! I wanted to keep family up-to-date on our goings-on and share photos from time-to-time, and a blog seemed like a really fun and effective way to meet my goals.

Fast forward to last January when an online friend recommended that I get involved with a blogger networking group of which she is a member. As far as blogging goes, joining this network has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. There are so many things that I have learned in just one year that I did not know and had never heard about for the entire 5 years of my previous blogging career. I am not ‘there’ yet, and I am by no means an expert, but I feel great about how far I have come in the last year with my writing. My ‘success’ is due to this network and, more importantly, the work God has done in me.

One fun thing about being so involved in the blogging world is that my two eldest children have also taken an interest in blogging and various forms of social media. Over the last couple of years, we have used this interest to begin teaching them about several things regarding the Internet and blogging, and we have been able to ‘count’ it all as part of our homeschooling lessons. That is what I would like to share with you today.

5 Benefits to Homeschooling Your Children Through Blogging

• Covers multiple subjects Blogging in your homeschool can ‘count’ as several different subjects all at once. You have spelling, grammar, proofreading, creative writing, research, keyboarding, Internet safety, graphic design, and copyright etiquette, to name just few. I’m sure there are many more ‘subjects’ that could be and are covered via blogging.

• Showcases talents and bents Since my two eldest children have showed particular interest and talent in specific areas, blogging and social media outlets have provided ways for them to share their talent, receive feedback, and hone their skills in those areas. My eldest daughter is very into photography, animals, and plantlife. She combines her interests via her blog, found at darkroomdiva.wordpress.com. She is also very talented and shows great interest in drawing, and on occasion will share her drawings via her blog, as well. She even used her skills in drawing to teach younger children in our homeschool community for several months. Teaching helped her to give back to the community, learn how to manage people (another valuable life skill), and to earn a bit of money for an upcoming summer trip. My eldest son has a great interest in writing. He has always loved letters and words, so it seems only natural to me that he writes. He found a sit online several years ago that allows him to combine his love for lego products with his love for writing, by writing fan fiction about the product. I may be biased, but I think he writes very well. You may take a peek at this link to his latest project, “On” .

• Allows for passing on my know-how Though I am not an expert, allowing my children to blog and be involved with various social media outlets provides me with the opportunity to teach what I know. I can show them how to do certain things in the bloggy world, teach them about Internet safety and why it’s important, and we can continue to learn and grow in this ‘subject’ together.

• Creates opportunities for the whole family My blog provides opportunities for me to write reviews for books and homeschool products. I have received many wonderful products in exchange for a review, and we have enjoyed using those products. Even if we only used a book for a short period of time, I consider it something that has added value to our homeschool. As a part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew this year, I continue to receive wonderful products for review, and I am excited to use those products with my children, sharing our experiences using them with my readers, and helping to promote each company’s fantastic products. That’s a win-win in my book!

• Enhances relationships Blogging has enhanced my relationship with my children in some ways. Though, as a parent, I do need to be careful with and mindful of my time online, to practice balance, we have enjoyed many wonderful conversations that were initiated by a blog topic or a review product. I am also thankful for the added connection that I have with my eldest son due to his social media activity. We have allowed him to have a Twitter and a Facebook account since last summer. Many times he will mention something on his Facebook page that just hasn’t happened to come up in conversation here in our home. I can then comment on his status with encouraging words, and we are also able to come together later and have a real-life conversation about that topic.

Have you used blogging or other social media in your homeschool? Please share, I would love to learn how you’ve done it!

Wendy is a homeschooling mama to five who loves to encourage others along the homeschooling journey. She also considers herself a ‘foodie’ and is always ready to try a new recipe in the kitchen. You will find Wendy writing about homeschooling, faith, fiction, and family over on her blog, Striving to Follow Him. Wendy also shares recipes over at Southern Test Kitchen, and is founder of Your One Tree. Be sure to visit and connect with Wendy on Facebook and Twitter, too!