Teaching Your Children Skills They Wouldn't Learn if They Attended a Public School

Homeschooling your children provides you an excellent opportunity to teach them skills that most public schools do not offer. Some of these skills are just hobbies, but some can turn into reasonably profitable, long-term opportunities for you child even after he or she graduates.

Gardening

Gardening is a lifelong hobby that can also generate some healthy food and teach your children to enjoy being outside. If you have a back yard great, but even if you don’t you can always set out some planters on a window sill or porch and grow herbs, tomatoes, and sweet peppers to teach your children where their food comes from.

Coding

Coding is an in-demand skill that children can learn as soon as they’re able to type. I know several people whose parents taught them how to code in middle and high school and they started freelancing and making real money. If you don’t know how to code no worries, there are plenty of resources online. Try Code Academy or Kahn Academy to start writing code and developing a skill that can quickly turn into a job. Better yet, check out this massive list of homeschool programming curriculum (free and paid resources).

Woodworking

Another skill that can either be a hobby or job is woodworking.  Start small and at your skill level by constructing birdhouses, small stools, or pinewood derby cars. Public schools across the country have cut shop classes, but homeschoolers can still learn how to saw and hammer. Once your child is capable with a saw, hammer, and drill, you can take tutorials online or send them to classes at the community college or to volunteer with programs like Habitat for Humanity that are always looking for skilled and unskilled volunteers.

Entrepreneurship

While other kids are sitting at their desks for 8 hours a day, you can be teaching your child how to start and run a business. This can be as simple as the nostalgic lemonade stand or a small lawn mowing business. I have also known homeschooling students who started profiles on UpWork.com to start selling their design or writing skills.

Think outside the box! I even know one homeschooled highschooler who bought several hens and started his own small business selling eggs to the neighbors.

Quilting

Quilting is a skill that you will not learn in school. It takes a long time, requires extreme attention to detail, and produces one of a kind piece of art. Making a quilt teaches children important skills like cutting cloth and using a sewing machine, but it also teaches them more nebulous skills like taking it slow and focus on the details to create something beautiful.