Homeschooling: You're Doing It Right Just by Doing It

by Ginny Yurich

During the past five years, homeschooling rates have been on the rise and show no signs of slowing. But many parents lack confidence, questioning whether they are doing it right (or whether they should take the plunge at all). With so many voices offering conflicting advice, it's hard to know where to start and where to go from there.

A homeschooling mother of five and founder of 1000 Hours Outside, Ginny Yurich draws from her years of experience and research, as well as her master's degree in education from the University of Michigan, to encourage and equip parents who want to give homeschooling a try or want to improve their experience. Starting from the standpoint of "you're doing it right" instead of "you're doing it wrong," Ginny helps parents understand that just by choosing to homeschool they are
· learning through living
· allowing for individual timelines
· leaving space for boredom
· providing multiage experiences
· teaching self-reliance
· offering freedom
· slowing down
· and more

If you've been on the fence about homeschooling or wondering if you're doing it all wrong, let Ginny encourage you in all you've already accomplished and equip you for even greater things ahead.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education, Audiobook, Personal Development, Outdoors, Christian Non Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2025

About the author

Ginny Yurich is a Michigan-based, homeschooling mama of five kids, and she is the founder of 1000 Hours Outside, a global movement to help families match the average amount of time kids spend on screens each year with time spent outdoors. Ginny is a thought-leader in the world of nature-based play and its benefits. Ginny has a BS in Mathematics and a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan. Find her online at 1000HoursOutside.com and join the movement on Instagram: @1000hoursoutside, Facebook: 1000 Hours Outside, and Twitter: @1000HoursOutsid

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawn by my love of the 1000 hours outside movement, I recently had the amazing opportunity to hear Ginny speak in person. It was a comedy tour and I really didn’t know what to expect. I have never laughed or cried so much during one presentation. Honestly, I was rapidly trying to take pictures of all the quotes and authors that have inspired her. I wanted to save all her wisdom and carry it with me.

This book… captures everything she shared in that presentation and more. Repeatedly, she encourages the reader to learn more about the people who influenced the people you admire, and Ginny does just that. I have so many more books I want to dig into because of how much they changed her life and their homeschooling journey. As a fellow box checker, who has gone through so many years of formal schooling to find myself homeschooling my own kids, I am so inspired by Ginny’s path of homeschooling. My kids are excited to deep dive into their own interests. I love how she said the generation growing up will probably make several career “pivots” throughout their lifetime. That’s exactly how I have been describing my own career path- several pivots. And what a cool and amazing journey it all is.

If you ever get a chance to listen to Ginny talk in person, do it. You will leave feeling refreshed, energized, and whole heartedly encouraged. She is refreshingly honest and so humble about her own journey, it’s inspiring to learn from. This book is a great pep talk, summary of her journey, and source of wisdom to come back to year after year when we all need a reminder of why we do what we do.

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, she's preaching to the choir. It's nice to find a book that supports all the arguments you aren't taking the time to make, but you think inside your head. Helpful. ;)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE book I wish I had at the very beginning of our homeschooling journey. It’s incredibly validating and reassuring—exactly what every homeschooling parent needs in their corner. I no longer feel alone in my concerns or fears of “not doing enough.” Simply put: “You’re doing it right just by doing it.”

Ginny Yurich is so down-to-earth and relatable. Her writing feels like a conversation with a wise, supportive friend. I felt seen, understood, and encouraged on every page.

I highly recommend this book to anyone currently homeschooling or even just considering it. It’s a must-read!

[Jennifer Maxam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a crucial resource and a MUST-READ for any family who is homeschooling or considering homeschooling. Ginny beautifully pulls from her years of personal experience as well as research and knowledge from hundreds of other experts and authors. (Seriously, you should see the notes list at the end of this book listing all of the research.)

Ginny encourages families to choose a pathway of education that will allow the entire family to thrive. This is the book to turn to if you need encouragement that the way you’re choosing to homeschool is perfect for you. Everyone will ‘do homeschooling’ differently, and that is okay.

This book will give you the confidence that you need to go against the grain in giving your children the vital space they need to grow and develop.


“Homeschooling is more than an educational choice; it’s a commitment to nurturing, guiding, and loving your children as they grow into well-rounded individuals. Trust in your abilities, embrace the journey, and remember that your unique perspective and deep understanding of your child make you the ideal person to lead them through their educational adventure. Homeschooling is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about inspiring a love for learning, nurturing a strong sense of self, and building a foundation for a successful, fulfilling life.” - Ginny Yurich (Chapter 10, Homeschooling)

[Shannon Evanko · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I admit I’m new to the subject and have only read a few other books on the matter, I found this one to be unhelpful.

It felt like she took quotes from 50 different books and strung them together with personal anecdotes about why this is the best option.

It didn’t feel very genuine or generous to other opinions and situations— mostly just incohesive. I’m sure it all came from a good place, but I wouldn’t recommend to someone trying to get their start in this realm, like I am.

[Michele Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was definitely one of those "atta girl" books that made me feel encouraged and empowered by arguing that many of the things we wonder if we are doing right or worry are a hindrance are actually good things and to keep on keepin' on! The author is clearly so well read that it felt like she did all the deep dives into all the literature and pulled out the top points for us. It felt like a cheat sheet!

Matthew learned how to play chess with his grandfather this week. He came home jonesing to play. I invited our 10 and 14 year old boy neighbors over to play. I saw so many things that couldn't be put on a test happening right before my eyes. I prided myself in running with his latest passion and knowing I had found something for the big boys to do other than be on a screen. I'm on a mission to get our neighborhood back outside again. I heard so many things happening that couldn't be put on a standardized test. Games. Simple.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite homeschool book. I mostly agreed with what she said, but there was nothing new. Half of the book is made up of quotes from other people. It was also wildly not relatable for the average family. She talks about hearing the importance of kids watching us learn something new, and she responds with “great! I was just asked to write and photograph a book! They can watch me get published.” Ok…congrats? That’s not your average homeschool mom. She took a lot of opportunities to brag on herself. I agree with her takes, but I’ve read much better books on the topic.

[Ashley Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - It was definitely an encouragement. Who doesn’t want to hear over and over again that they’re doing a good job? A lot of the chapters focused on reasons for homeschooling that most of us currently homeschooling already understand—that’s why we’re doing it. Still, it was a good reminder and affirmation.

[Libby Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for me. I’m very familiar with Ginny’s work and this felt like a rushed culmination of her curated podcast material. She shares a lot of great resources (I added many books to my homeschool mom TBR pile) but she didn’t hit a home run with the organization and format of this book. It felt like a jumbled collection of her podcast and reading notes along with her very impressive (but not always relatable) homeschool wins and exuberant personality with more self drive than most moms could ever dream of.

I would recommend listening to her podcast and reading her other book “Until the Streetlights Come On” over this any day.

[Annie Calcagno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so encouraging and just what I needed as I start our homeschooling journey. “Homeschooling, far from being merely an educational choice, is a profound act of faith in the natural capabilities of our children and ourselves.”

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very encouraging read as a homeschooling mom.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Preaching to the choir with this one but this is a great introductory book for new homeschoolers or an encouraging reminder for veteran homeschoolers. Ginny is so fun, you can’t not love her - all of her books are great.

[JeLy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate to say anything negative because I really like Ginny Yurich, but the evidence supports systematic phonetic instruction for learning how to read. Please listen to the podcast, "Sold a Story" before using a "they can teach themselves" to read approach. Can some kids learn how to read themselves? Yes, but for the majority this can be very detrimental to their progress.

Ginny has very different philosophy on homeschooling then myself; hers is much more unschooling with a child-led bent, BUT she makes very many good points about how it's good to slow down and how the family benefits from being together more, the lack of bullying etc.

[Bethany Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Along with underlining another 101 book titles I want to read someday, below are a few tidbit’s that stood out to me:

We depended on our kids to satisfy their own learning. In fact, we even believed we weren't responsible for their knowledge; they were. Our responsibility was to incorporate them into our lives; live a life full of purpose, enthusiasm, and discovery; and immerse them in it.

If our children are to thrive in a world that is rapidly evolving and full of uncertainty, they need less structure and more play.
Dr. Madeline Levine

Living is learning and when kids are living fully and energetically and happily they are learning a lot, even if we don't always know what it is.
—John Holt, A Life Worth Living

John Holt said, "We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way."

on average, kids today spend less time outside than people in jail do.

We can look at our very own lives, reflect on where we've left the comfort of known skills for whatever reason, and see how we grew by doing. We grew by experiencing. We grew by trying. We grew by failing.

all this learning for thirteen years straight is out of context and doesn't come from living, classroom learning is fragmented.

Gatto writes, "Good students wait for a teacher to tell them what to do. This is the most important lesson of all: we must wait for other people, better trained than ourselves, to make the meanings of our lives."
I was convicted. I was doing this in my home. It was well-intentioned. But every bit of planning for our homeschool stemmed from me. I was deciding everything.

This is an education.
It is an education that cannot be confined to four walls. It must be lived. It must seep into your being, into your pores, into your soul. It is created both in community and in solitude.
It frames how you view the rest of your life, the rest of the world. It happens when you live your life in real places, with real people, learning the things that are outside of a textbook.

homeschooling is not just about education; it's about preparing for a life of continuous learning and adaptation. In embracing homeschooling, we embrace a more natural, integrated form of learning that prepares our children not just for tests but for life.

Let children experience boredom; there is nothing healthier for a child than to learn how to use their own interior resources to work through the challenges of being bored.
—Nicholas Kardaras, Glow Kids

We often structure childhood without considering the individual needs of each child.


Kim John Payne, Luis Fernando Llosa, and Scott Lancaster in their book Beyond Winning. They state it plainly. "When our children are bored, we have not failed them."

Balanced and Barefoot by Angela Hanscom says it best:
As adults, we may always feel that we know what is best for our children. A child's neurological system begs to differ. Children with healthy neurological systems naturally seek out the input they need on their own. They determine how much, how fast, and how high works for them at any given time. They do this without even thinking about it. If they are spinning in circles, it's because they need to. If they are jumping off a rock over and over, it is because they are craving that sensory input. They are organizing their senses through practice and repetition.

Without open spaces in the day, a child will have no chance to act upon their inner drive.

Glennon Doyle succinctly captures the dilemma we face in this digital age when she says, "I find myself worrying most that when we hand our children phones, we steal their boredom from them. As a result, we are raising a generation of writers who will never start writing, artists who will never start doodling, chefs who will never make a mess of the kitchen, athletes who will never kick a ball against the wall, musicians who will never pick up their aunt's guitar and start strumming."

That span of time offered so much. To everyone.

A child who can handle boredom benefits everyone in their surroundings as well as themselves. Creative kids are fun to play with, benefiting siblings, cousins, and neighbor kids.

Michaeleen Douceff puts it this way in Hunt, Gather, Parent: "It's a lifelong skill to understand the situation around you and then know what to do.”

Calmly and empathetically, I would say things like, "It's okay to be bored," "I trust you'll find something to do," or simply, "That's a bummer." And I really did care. It can be hard to muddle through not knowing what to do. I'd just put my little playlist of sayings on shuffle (or even repeat), and eventually the child would get sick of hearing the same thing over and over again... and go find something to do.

By exposing our children to various hobbies and all sorts of different ideas of things to do, we give them a lifetime of strategies to turn to during hard seasons.

Glow Kids | There is nothing healthier for a child than to learn how to use their own interior resources to work through the challenges of being bored."

Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places.
—John Holt, Learning All the Time

John Taylor Gatto puts it. He pulls no punches when he writes, “It is absurd and anti-life to be part of a system that compels you to sit in confinement with people of exactly the same age and social class. That system effectively cuts you off from the immense diversity of life and the synergy of variety; indeed, it cuts you off from your own past and future, sealing you in a continuous present much the same way television does."

When we choose to do something out of convenience, such as grouping children together by age to move them through the same set of curricula, it is important to peel back the onion a little bit. Is this approach also beneficial for the child, or is it a choice solely based on practicalities?

When we siphon kids off with these arbitrary grade cut-offs, the question is not only what they are missing out on but who they are missing out on. There may be that special friend who just gets them, makes them laugh, and gives their world so much more meaning, but if that friend is a grade away, it might as well be a different planet. There isn't a path for connection.

This matters because "kids who are able to read nonverbal cues are better adjusted emotionally, more popular, more outgoing, and more sensitive in general."

Dan Buettner, a top researcher on centenarians, echoed Katy when he told me, "Physical activity is absolutely necessary for healthy aging. Fewer than 25% of Americans get the absolute minimum."

Dr. Victoria Dunckley summarized it well in her book Reset Your Child's Brain: "What do children require to develop optimally? Kids need several hours of unstructured physical play daily to adequately stimulate and integrate sensory pathways; they need secure attachment to caregivers, plenty of touch, and varying levels of environmental stimulation that support calm alertness during the day and restful sleep at night. They also need conversation with adults, contact with nature, and creative outlets, such as music, art or dance. "

Jonathan Haidt | advice. "TV is not particularly harmful," he said, but "it blocks out other activities.”

Adults must use the skills they have where children can see them. ... Children need to get some sense of the processes by which good work is done.
—John Holt, Learning All the Time

Homeschooling involves not just directing the learning but living out the learning process in a way I hadn't anticipated.

Adults must use the skills they have where children can see them. In the unlikely event that they have no skills to speak of, they should learn some, and let the children see them learning, even if only as simple a thing as touch typing. They should invite children to join them in using these skills. In this way children can be slowly drawn, at higher and higher levels of energy, commitment, and skill, into more and more serious and worthwhile adult activities. John Holt

What I've learned over the years is that we are modeling simply by choosing to have our children around us. It doesn't take writing a book or having a side hustle to give our kids a deeper glimpse into the adult world. Children who are around a nurturing family for the majority of their childhood begin to learn how to craft a life.

Austin Kleon promotes a fascinating kind of learning that could be adapted for anyone: "Find the influences that influenced the person that's influencing you."

The impetus is on our shoulders to find ways to create spaces in childhood that are vibrant hubs of activity.

The classroom is not a playground. I heard this over and over again as a child. Neither are so many of the indoor spaces we often take children to, like church, the library, the grocery store, and doctors' appointments. If we begin to view our neighborhoods as places to restore children's agency in their own leisure, we can set a foundation for healthier and more fulfilling lives. Because we homeschool, this outlook can begin right in our very homes.”

Katy Bowman | “The biggest piece of exercise equipment we are ignoring is our floor."

I recently spoke to a mom who requires her older teens to talk with twelve to fifteen adults who are in different walks of life and ask them, "What advice would you give to an eighteen-year-old? Would it be okay to meet and learn from you?"

John Holt wrote in Learning All the Time, "Real learning is a process of dis-covery, and if we want it to happen, we must create the kind of conditions in which discoveries are made. We know what these are. They include time, leisure, freedom and lack of pressure."

“it can take up to forty-five minutes for children to develop a play scheme, and longer if they aren't used to playing.”

Joy Prouty explains it like this: "The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones." She explains some of the research behind negativity bias: "A negative experience takes only one second to imprint the memory upon the brain, while a positive experience takes twenty to thirty seconds to imprint."

I love the simple question "What is something you would like to learn about today?"

Alastair | "some adventure is better than none at all."

homeschool parents can introduce their children to diverse situations and challenges at a pace they deem appropriate, thus gradually equipping them with the skills to navigate the broader world effectively.

Homeschooling allows parents to control the role technology plays in education, emphasizing its use as a deliberate choice for specific learning outcomes rather than as a constant presence.

By focusing on hands-on, real-world experiences and interactions, homeschooling can foster deeper learning and critical-thinking skills, free from the commercial and distracting influences that tech in schools often brings.

Susan writes, "You're dealing with a culture dominated by multinational corporations spending billions of dollars and using seductive technologies to bypass parents and target children directly with messages designed sometimes ingeniously—to capture their hearts and minds. And their primary purpose is not to help kids lead healthy lives or to promote positive values or even to make their lives better.
It's to generate profit.”

Here, in the warm embrace of home, our children are not shielded from the world but are given the strength to meet it on their own terms, ready to turn life's adversities into stepping stones for success.

Homeschooling is not just about imparting knowledge; it's about inspiring a love for learning, nurturing a strong sense of self, and building a foundation for a successful, fulfilling life.

You are doing homeschooling right because you have chosen the best teacher for your children. It's you. Hands down.
No one else even comes close. Your dedication and love are the greatest gifts you can give your children.

[Vaideki Thayumanavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been curious about how the concept of homeschooling works since no one in my circle homeschools their children. Before reading this book, my biggest concern was how homeschooled children who had not been raised by traditional school environment would interact with others and how they integrate into society when they become adults. Ginny Yurich, the author of this book, addressed my concern. Furthermore, she provides the parents with innovative ideas to help their children become better people in the future, which is the world that is changing at an unprecedented rate due to technology.

Well, I don't think all of her ideas are realistically achievable for all parents from different backgrounds. Though, I have to acknowledge that some of her ideas are practically possible to all parents. For example: indulging the children in nature, involving them in creating the weekly menu, making the shopping list, creating the travel itinerary, and fostering their unique interests through family-friendly activities.

Ginny Yurich worked as a kindergarten teacher in the United States. She already possesses the educational qualifications and exposure to homeschool her five children, and her partner is in favour of her decision to do so. I am so glad that Yurich has got all the privileges to homeschool their children. But all of these are regarded as luxuries for parents who lack the necessary education, parents who must work till they retire, and parents without partners who are encouraging.

Still, I loved this book..Ginny Yurich's writing was so joyful, and some of her suggestions would really help even us adults for our betterment.

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a homeschool how to. This is a affirmation in your decision to homeschool or an encouragement to homeschool your children/reasons why homeschooling is really a superb option.

I think she hit the nail on the head most of the time, but I don't agree that by virtue of choosing to homeschool, you're already "doing it right". There are homeschooling horror stories (and I've been privy to a few from people I've met, though my own personal homeschool upbringing was a good one). But I also don't think the people who choose to homeschool to essentially do nothing to educate their children in any way would be picking up a book about the subject to read, hence she's likely not affirming anyone in their delusion if they think it's okay for their (normal, capable) 13 year old not to know how to read.

[Hannah Gies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Ginny tells such great stories and brings forward compelling reasons as to why homeschooling is an amazing gift for kids and families. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement in homeschooling, is trying to decide if they want to homeschool, or simply is interested in some of the benefits of homeschooling. If I had the actual book I would have underlined a lot!

[Mariah Delposen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great pep talk for home educators. I enjoyed Ginny's scientific and expert influences as well as her personal anecdotes. This is a good book to reach for to help articulate the "why" of homeschooling.

[Kelsey Crowson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with an overall explanation of the benefits of homeschooling, limiting screens, and spending time outdoors. This gave a broad overview of different topics, but nothing revolutionary. I always love listening to Ginny, and she helps you feel confident about your decision to homeschool.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to encourage you along your homeschool journey. I particularly liked that the author gave quite a bit of research backed reasons why homeschooling is beneficial.

[Karen Gangnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging, I mostly skimmed but it seems to reinforce and encourage what I think I’m doing right. Good reminders to the “why” of homeschooling

[Seyly Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the things she covered in this book! I'd definitely recommend this to families that want to homeschool, are just starting out, or need reassurance that they're on the right track.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t a groundbreaking book for me to read as someone who already homeschools but it felt like I was nodding along as I read agreeing and being encouraged for a lot of the reasons that we’ve chosen to homeschool.

[Krysta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this a million stars! So encouraging, insightful, reaffirming, and thought-provoking. I want to read it again, right now!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convinced me!

[Morgan (Getty) Chao · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a great encouragement, especially at the front end. However, as a Christian homeschooler, I personally believe there is so much more to homeschooling than the book conveys. I don’t expect to get everything out of every book on homeschooling, but this one did kind of peter out at the end… there was a bit too much repetition, a lot of quotes, and not as much original thought.

Overall, it can be helpful tool, especially for someone debating whether to homeschool or not. I really like Ginny and the work she does! Just know that the spiritual elements of homeschooling, which to me are primary, as a means of training and nurturing our children in the ways of the Lord were mostly absent from this book.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I am not strongly considering homeschooling our kids but wanted to go into this book with an open mind to see if there were any advancements in modern homeschooling that could change my stance. Unfortunately for the author, this book did not have the intended effect on me. I now feel more sure than I ever have that I do NOT want to homeschool. Let me begin by saying I emphatically disagree with the logic that if I did X and turned out "fine," then X must be the way to go. Most decisions regarding kids are far too complex for that path of thinking, yet I hear it all the time. Do I have a bias toward public school because I (and my husband) both went to public school and I think we turned out okay? Maybe, but I still see so many sides to the issue of education and really want to find the best option for our kids.

I think it's interesting how contrasting/conflicting viewpoints can be true to me at the same time. For example:
-Do I think the public school system is incredibly flawed? Yes. Do I think homeschooling has many downsides as well? Also yes.
-I think schools are forcing kids to sit for too long, don't give them enough outdoor/exercise time, and have terrible air quality---essentially, schools score an F on environmental factors for kids for me. At the same time, I don't think "child-led" learning is as effective as people think. Kids need guidance; they aren't some all-knowing supreme beings who just need their powers unlocked with time and nurturing. Also, I don't know a single homeschooled person who isn't weird. Anecdotal, I know, but this entire book is pretty much anecdotes from the author's POV anyways.
-Public schools are not individualized for the child and don't include as much practical career prep as I would see fit. However, homeschooling your child in a manner that is completely personalized to them is unrealistic preparation for professional school, any job, and the adult world at large.
-I don't like the direction public schools are headed in with technology. We plan to limit screens almost entirely for our kids for many years and don't want them learning to use tablets or computers from a young age at school. BUT...sheltering them at home also doesn't make sense as a solution to this. We are supposed to be IN the world, not OF the world. This does not mean removing yourself from any situation that does not 100% agree with your values.
-I hate how public schools teach to the standardized tests. This is a waste of time and not a great indicator of knowledge. Does this mean homeschool is the gold standard because kids can learn on their own whim and not have to adhere to standards? No.

Some other bones to pick:
-This author thinks competition is evil. I completely disagree. This is one of my top issues with homeschooling---the lack of opportunity for school sports, something that have had a profound and lifelong impact on me. Anytime I even consider an alternative schooling option for our kids, I always come back to this. I would hate for them to miss out on opportunities to be part of teams or groups that only a true school can provide.
-For some strange reason, this author thinks children shouldn't learn to read from a young age and that it provides no advantages in life. Reading is one of the most important skills for any field and I don't believe it should be stifled in any way.
-The author brings up bullying as a risk of public school? Were all of us in public school probably bullied a bit? Sure. Did we learn how to cope with it? Yes. Homeschooling to protect your kids from bullying is outrageous. How are they supposed to learn skills for life if they can't interact with and learn around kids their own age?
-Yurich believes it doesn't make sense for kids to be grouped with others their same age and that they'll neverrrr have a chance to make friends with kids a year older or younger than them. Is she wilding?? I had friends of all ages and school provided plenty of opportunities to interact with them.
-The Michigan accent. Unbearable to listen to on audio. Highly do not recommend.
-So here's a good one. This author is an advocate for 1000 hours outside a year for kids. She is also strongly against the "checking of boxes" that occurs in public school. Upon looking at her 1000 hours outside website, she offers MULTIPLE pdf checkbox type worksheets to check off each hour your kid is outside. Can you see my eyes rolling at this? ALSO---I googled a picture of this lady and let's just say she's not walking the walk.
-The author verges on talking more about the benefits for HERSELF (as the mom) in homeschooling than for her kids. Hello? This isn't a chance to live vicariously through them---you need to be making the best decision for their development. Also, she is a former public school teacher. That obviously gave her a bone to pick with the system and she spends a great deal of time bashing it. It is strange to me that she discounts the years educators spend learning how to teach our kids and pass knowledge to them in the best way. She describes public schools as environments that aren't conducive for learning at all and thinks it's just a bunch of memorizing of random facts.
-She kept referring to "rolled up pieces of paper and gowns" as if graduation is the end-all-be-all of school. This was hardly talked about at my school and was definitely not the defining moment of school. What a strange perception.

I was that kid who LOVED school. If you knew me then, you know this to be true. If you know older me, you probably still could've guessed it. I thrived in school and looked forward to going every day. I loved the prospect of a new school year with fresh school supplies, new teachers, and endless possibilities of things I might learn. I got to be around my friends all day---what kid doesn't like this?! I was good at gleaning information from class and enjoyed projects, homework, and extracurricular activities. Healthy competition in academics and athletics was great for me. School is intertwined very strongly with my childhood and I know those were some of the best years of my life. As I said, if I were in charge and could wave a magic wand, I'd change so many things about public school. However, it's probably still the route we'll go with our kids. I'm glad this book shed some more light on the world of homeschooling so I could gain some clarity that it's not for me. This author was incredibly annoying and I think we see the world in vastly different ways. My children won't have a miserably cold Michigan existence---they'll thrive in God's country (Texas, yeehaw) and will be provided so much time to play, explore, imagine, interact with people of all generations, and explore their individual interests EVEN if they go to public school! Public school does not prevent these things as the author tries to exert. She says going to public school stifles imaginative play. Tell that to me and my sister. There's no telling how many hours we spent playing imaginary people in elaborate imaginary worlds we created. I do not believe leaving your children's education up to them is a good education technique. Kids don't know what they don't know. It's great to give them some autonomy, but some structure can be good too. Despite what Ginny thinks, it's a good skill to be up and ready by a certain time, to learn how to respect other adults, and to read the room when you're in a large group. I'm not convinced that homeschooling doesn't produce strange and under-socialized kids. I'm calling this book a fail.

[Lisa Sherrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a homeschooling mom, I was immediately drawn to this book because of the title—it felt like the exact encouragement my heart needed. I’ve followed @1000HoursOutside for years and knew Ginny Yurich’s words would be uplifting and grounded in real-life experience. I expected a motivational guide—and it delivered that and more.

This book reminded me that homeschooling doesn’t need to be perfect to be powerful. Ginny’s message—that you’re doing it right just by showing up—is one I didn’t know how much I needed until I read it. One of the most impactful takeaways for me was the reminder that connection, not perfection, is what makes a homeschool thrive.

That said, I’m giving it four stars because at times it felt a bit heavy on quotes from other books. Still, the message and encouragement are strong—and deeply meaningful.

I received a free advanced e-copy, but I also pre-ordered a physical copy and can’t wait for it to arrive (today 👏👏). I’m sure it will be a beautiful book to keep on my shelf and return to when I need a reminder of what matters most.

Whether you’re a brand-new homeschooler, somewhere in the middle, or just curious about homeschooling, this book will meet you with grace, truth, and encouragement.

[Stephanie Sanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I wanted to read this book because I saw that Joel Salatin wrote the forward! I enjoyed reading this book and felt much of it validated the reasons I chose to homeschool. My biggest takeaways were 1) it’s so good for kids to be bored and to simply have time to be bored 2) allow time to veer off the schedule for learning other things. Don’t be afraid to explore something unplanned or unexpected …sometimes the most memorable learning happens then. 3) allow kids to learn by playing outside as much as possible. It’s almost like kids were designed to do so. 4) don’t feel pressure of state guidelines (much of which are arbitrary and happen in education and learning anyways, but not always in the same timeline.

Overall it encouraged me to keep on keeping on, and helped me with my vision for the education I want my kids to have.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just adore Ginny Yurich, and this book was like a big dose of encouragement right when I needed it. Her gentle reminders to slow down, focus on what truly matters, and release some of the pressure we put on ourselves as homeschool moms were so life-giving. It left me feeling lighter, more grounded, and ready to embrace our homeschool days with joy.

I wouldn’t personally phrase the title that way—I do think homeschooling well takes intentionality—but the heart of the book? So good. And listening to it on audio made it even better—Ginny reads it herself, so it felt like she was sitting right there at my kitchen table cheering me on. If you love her podcast or other work, you’ll find the same warmth, wisdom, and cheerleading spirit here. It’s the kind of read that makes you want to pour another cup of coffee and savor the fact that you’re not alone in this journey.