Homeschooling with BookShark: A Smart Choice for Military Families

Most homeschooling families have the same basic checklist when trying to choose from the endless curriculums available. We are all looking for one that fits our kids’ learning styles and our budget. We also want one that won’t bore us to death but covers the subjects our state requires. Talk about stress, we have all been there.

Unique Challenges of Military Families

Military families are rare. Homeschooling military families are even more rare. We have our own unique set of struggles. Things like deployments, learning new homeschool laws with each move, and even homeschooling from a hotel room while between base assignments. Long periods of time away from a parent is the norm for the homeschooled child in a military family. Keeping track of your homeschooling materials during moves? It's a challenge!

Imagine you are happy with your curriculum in your low-regulated homeschool state. Your children are thriving and everyone is breezing through life. Suddenly, you learn that you are moving in one month and you have absolutely no choice in the matter. You are going to a state that has stricter homeschool regulations, which include making progress reports and providing an upfront yearly overview. Or, imagine that your school year is going smoothly and your spouse receives orders to go away for six to twelve months for training or deployment, leaving you as the sole parent and educator at home. This is the life of the many military families that choose to homeschool. Hello, instant stress headache.

Relief is on the Way

Wouldn’t it be a little easier to breathe if we had one solid curriculum that covered all the topics our kids need to learn? Then we could stop panicking every time we get those dreaded orders to move.

Enter BookShark.

I wanted a stress-free curriculum that would make my homeschooling life easy, and it delivered. I no longer have to worry if my boys will have a well-rounded curriculum. No more pulling my hair out, wondering if I am meeting the requirements of any state we can possibly be moved to, especially if the move is in the middle of the year.

We are currently in that exact situation, living in a half-packed house, eating random meals while trying to clean out the panty. And for once, worrying about homeschooling laws is the last thing on my mind. As a homeschool mom, this is huge. Normally I eat, live, and breathe homeschool worries.

But this time I know everything will be just fine because BookShark has my entire year planned out for me.

A Lifesaver

A plus with BookShark is that it will grow with my kids. I won’t have to switch curriculums when they get older and I can stay with what I know and trust. But not-so-secretly, my main reason for loving BookShark as a military family is their awesome Instructor's Guide. Sounds silly, right? It is a lifesaver during deployments when one parent is holding down the fort alone. I started BookShark Level 1 with my boys when their dad was deployed.

Thanks to the Instructor's Guide, no matter what type of day I was having, I managed to stay right on track, and their education didn’t suffer. Also, the curriculum is flexible and the guide is so easy to understand. When Dad is stateside, he is able to pick up a book and teach whatever topic comes next. It’s a real gift for him to be involved in his kids’ education while he’s able, especially because he knows that he might be sent away at any time.

Peace of Mind

The military homeschool family is unique in many ways. But one thing we will always share with our civilian counterparts is wanting what is best for our families and children. With a life as challenging as ours, I am glad to know that BookShark is there to ease one more worry from my mind. 

About the Author

Ashley Panzica-Tolbert is a skirt wearing Army veteran who also happens to be the homeschooling and adventure finding mom of 2 boys. Her massive caffeine addiction and BookShark curriculum get her through the frequent moves and deployments of military life as a homeschool family.