Our two children were previously enrolled in a private Christian school - our oldest son and our daughter. In 2022, during the pandemic, we made the significant decision to transition to homeschooling, which we continue to this day and it has been truly enjoyable for both our kids and also to us.
How did we become homeschool parents?
From the moment we became parents, we wanted to be intentional in our approach. We are two INFJs who - before having kids - examined a lot about our own experience as kids in our upbringing, which includes family history, the role of God, our parents mistakes and lessons learned.
We were very intentional about our marriage and about the prospect of becoming parents from the start. It almost feels funny looking back at how serious and “measured” we were (until today).
Like most parents, we searched for the best Christian school in Jakarta and selected one known for character building. Our lives have shown us that character matters more than academics, so we wanted a school that shared this fundamental value.
Our son attended this school from kindergarten through 5th grade, and our daughter from kindergarten through 2nd grade. When the pandemic hit in 2020, everything moved home.
Frustrating at first, but soon we learned 3 things that significantly shifted our views:
- We actually enjoyed diving into the learning materials together with our kids. We loved watching them study and to help them by making the subject more interesting.
- The really important stuff are (still) missing from schools in our country. We saw the materials ourselves and saw things aren't that much better than when we were kids 20 years ago - which is a serious problem.
- Our kids are exhausted from learning 10-12 subjects and they're losing their passion for learning, reading and their sense of curiosity. Danger zone.
The Showstopper
Seeing our kids losing their curiosity and interest in learning and reading was the ultimate showstopper for us.
As parents who deeply value reading, we embrace curiosity and learning as joyful necessities—a lifestyle you wear throughout life. This passion is one of our greatest pleasures and a way we honor God's gifts.
Schools in Indonesia can have 10 or sometimes 12 or 13 different subjects. Teachers are chased by deadlines, resulting in very surface level knowledge, which gets quickly memorized by students and graded by teachers. We already noticed the impact of these methods to our kids before the pandemic. The pandemic just killed whatever little motivation that's left in them.
Teaching Life
We strongly believed the schools weren't teaching the essential skills needed for adult life.
We wanted our children to understand important life topics (and we're ready to teach them) such as:
- Marriage
- Relationships
- Giving
- Kids witnessing a life that has deep personal relationship with God.
- Finance and money management
- Home making: build a house your family love and nurtures love.
- Technology (think AI and the speed of educational institution in keeping up. I happen to teach AI)
Making the Jump
Watching our kids lose their interest in learning, reading, and their sense of curiosity pushed us to seek a solution. At that time, we had an American missionary friend who had spent more than half his life in Indonesia and is married to an Indonesian wife. We knew he had been homeschooling even before the pandemic, so we reached out to learn more.
Initially, like many in Asia, our understanding of homeschooling was limited—we thought it was mainly for children with special needs or behavioral challenges. But our situation pushed us to think harder, and we're grateful to have had a friend with real homeschooling experience.
Our friend graciously explained that homeschooling comes in many forms. He shared his choice of curriculum—Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA)—and walked us through their daily activities.
We followed up with a year of researching various curriculum providers, reading forums and online communities, and consulting other homeschooling friends. We even called providers in America to understand how it would work for families in Asia. We explored crucial questions about diplomas and university recognition, both in Indonesia and abroad.
Sounds Good to Us!
After deep research, we understood all homeschool curriculums have one thing in common: it requires intentional parenting.
Regardless of method, parents must build programs that fit their children's needs. The focus is on identifying children's gifts and interests, then crafting a customized learning experience.
That sounds good to us! This aligned perfectly with our goals, and we discovered an unexpected bonus: the cost was 50% less than our children's private Christian school.
This meant we could reinvest the savings into programs better suited to our children's interests. The value-for-money proposition was clear!
Asking the Kids
Though everything made sense—curriculum, philosophy, and finances—we were still nervous about taking the leap. Apart from our American friend, no one in our Indonesian circle had done this before. It was uncommon, but it felt right.
So we asked the patients directly (the kids)! We explained both benefits and challenges to them and everything else neutrally. They said they wanted to try it! So my wife and I agreed to a one-year trial, knowing we could always return to regular school if needed.
After the initial adjustment period, it became clear we'd made the right choice for our family. While we recognize homeschooling isn't for everyone, it works perfectly for us.
We regularly ask our kids about continuing homeschool or go back to normal school, and they consistently choose to stay with homeschooling.
Since 2022, the benefits have far outweighed any drawbacks. We remain deeply grateful for making this transition and having friends who guided us with the right mindset and understanding about homeschooling.
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