July 11, 2025: The Freedom Model

One of the best decisions we ever made as parents.

We did this for several years, during elementary and middle school, and the experience shaped our family more than anything else…

Homeschooling.

Each of our children eventually entered public school, which we also loved, but those early years gave us the gift of time together.

We discovered the freedom to shape our days. Unhurried conversations. Tailored instruction. The kids became naturals at talking to adults.

But the true magic came from active learning. Our motto: “The world is a classroom.”

So we explored. Poked and prodded. Asked questions in the minivan, over lunch, doing errands. Economics came alive while splitting a pizza at Costco. Marine biology surfaced at the beach. The neighborhood pool transformed into PE class, and Busch Gardens turned into a seminar of life lessons.

We traveled often, whenever curiosity called. No approvals or “excused absences.” Just packed up for new adventures.

That’s why I smiled when I read today about homeschooling families who turn DisneyWorld into a curriculum. Some go weekly, even daily, using the Magic Kingdom to enhance their schooling.

Science, language arts, budgeting, time management… all there inside Mickey’s gates.

Culture and geography? Epcot.
Architecture? Park design.
Economics? Pirates of the Caribbean.
Wildlife? Animal Kingdom.
Physics and astronomy? Space Mountain.

They even do math on the fly, calculating wait times and studying crowd flow like analysts.

People sometimes raise eyebrows at homeschooling. But for us, bending the rules unlocked something incredible.

Besides, who needs textbooks when you’ve got churros and a roller coaster?