Homeschool Curveballs and Curriculum Wins

This 2024–2025 school year, I hit a point where I realized I was having a hard time explaining certain things to my son.It wasn’t because I didn’t understand the material—it was because he processes things differently than I do. That got me thinking: maybe it was time to explore an online homeschool curriculum, especially one with video lessons that could help bridge those gaps in understanding.

A fellow homeschool mom recommended a Christian online school program that I liked overall, but it lacked one major feature I really wanted: video lessons, especially for the tougher subjects like math and science.

I looked into the Abeka program, which was already pushing our budget, while Bob Jones was definitely out of reach financially. As we continued through the school year and I kept researching, my husband attended his cousin’s wedding and came back with a suggestion from his aunt—also a homeschooler. She told us about a program she was using, and after looking into it, I found it checked almost every box we were looking for—and even more.

That program was Power Homeschool.

After weighing the pros and cons, we decided to give it a try. I started seeing the benefits almost immediately. The structure, the self-paced nature, and the grading system took a huge load off my shoulders. I now plan to use it all the way through to graduation—though of course, plans can always change. But as of now, I don’t see a reason to switch.

Yes, it’s a secular program, but the reality is that our kids will encounter secular content sooner or later. With this approach, I can walk through it with them and offer a Christian perspective as they learn. I actually appreciate the opportunity for those conversations.

One of my favorite aspects is the way assessments are handled. If my kids don’t pass an exam, they’re given two more opportunities to retake it—but only after rewatching the lesson presented from a different angle. It’s not just the same video again. This was exactly what I was looking for. When I teach, I naturally explain things the way I understand them—but that’s not always the way they do. Power Homeschool gives them that second and third exposure in a way that may better match their learning style.

It’s been a huge help—not only for them, but for me as a homeschooling parent.