Homeschooler = DIYer?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was talking to a good friend today. She doesn't homeschool but her sister does. She was asking me something about my naturopathic doctor and I told her that now that I know what was prescribed, I could find it myself. She laughed and said that I had a homeschooler's personality. I see how it's done and then I do it myself! She says that her sister is always looking at how things are made in stores so that she can make it herself. Coincidence? Or do you think that homeschoolers tend to be DIYers whether it is repairs, crafts or even health?

[WishboneDawn]

When I needed to upgrade/repair my computer years ago I just googled, found a forum (you know which one :D) and learned. When I cruise ETSY I'm not looking for stuff to buy, I'm just looking for stuff I like that I can make on my own. I'm like that with most stuff. It honestly never occurs to me not to pic something up and do it whether it's needlework or home repair or whatever.

 

Definitely a DIYer here.

[justamouse]

I was talking to a good friend today. She doesn't homeschool but her sister does. She was asking me something about my naturopathic doctor and I told her that now that I know what was prescribed, I could find it myself. She laughed and said that I had a homeschooler's personality. I see how it's done and then I do it myself! She says that her sister is always looking at how things are made in stores so that she can make it herself. Coincidence? Or do you think that homeschoolers tend to be DIYers whether it is repairs, crafts or even health?

 

Nope that's the way we are. Exactly. Now as to which came first, the chicken or the egg...

[LittleIzumi]

Yes, very much so. I finally gave in & realized that the used clothing store was cheaper for the children's clothes than buying material & sewing them, but even now I have the "I could totally make that" knee-jerk reaction :lol:. We DIY our home & car repairs, HSing (don't follow a particular philosophy), I knit/spin/sew/glue/tape/tie/juryrig. If I don't know how I just google it. :tongue_smilie: Does homebirth count as do-it-yourself? LOL.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Does homebirth count as do-it-yourself? LOL.

 

Definitely!:lol:

[swellmomma]

DIYer here too. It is tough to figure out if I homeschool because of that personality trait or if that has developed because I hs and need to save money kwim.

[WeeBeaks]

Yeah, we're DIYers too here. I just see it as a general questioning of whether you really convincingly need an expert/professional for whatever it is or you really can DIY on every project, from schooling to health to whatever comes your way.

[Mommyfaithe]

DIYer here too. It is tough to figure out if I homeschool because of that personality trait or if that has developed because I hs and need to save money kwim.

 

:iagree::iagree:

I think dh and I started out that way. We built our own house, business, etc. When my dad died, ds asked if we should bring shovels or would there be some at the cemetary:001_huh::001_huh: he figured we do so much ourselves, we would have to bury dad ourselves too. He was surprised and relieved when I told him there were men who would do that for us.....

 

Faithe

[twoforjoy]

I don't know. I think I'm less of a DIYer than most homeschoolers. I do like to knit, but only for fun, and I try to garden, but that's been mostly a fail.

 

But, it might be just this stage of my life. I'd say that I'd probably be more of a DIYer right now if I wasn't homeschooling. With homeschooling, I need to prioritize, and things like baking my own bread, growing my own herbs, and cutting the family's hair myself take a backseat. At this point, I've even given up cloth diapering for a while, until the littles require less near-constant hands-on care.

 

So I think I'd like to be a DIYer, and I might be one at heart, but right now I'm more about letting other people do stuff because otherwise I get overwhelmed.

 

My DH is totally a DIYer, though. For him, I think it's the combination of his hatred of spending money and his hatred of asking other people to do stuff (even if it's their job). He'll spend hours watching YouTube videos and learning how to do something, and then all weekend trying to do it, before he lets me call a repair person. And I'd say 95% of the time, he figures it out.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I don't know. I think I'm less of a DIYer than most homeschoolers. I do like to knit, but only for fun, and I try to garden, but that's been mostly a fail.

 

But, it might be just this stage of my life. I'd say that I'd probably be more of a DIYer right now if I wasn't homeschooling. With homeschooling, I need to prioritize, and things like baking my own bread, growing my own herbs, and cutting the family's hair myself take a backseat. At this point, I've even given up cloth diapering for a while, until the littles require less near-constant hands-on care.

 

So I think I'd like to be a DIYer, and I might be one at heart, but right now I'm more about letting other people do stuff because otherwise I get overwhelmed.

 

My DH is totally a DIYer, though. For him, I think it's the combination of his hatred of spending money and his hatred of asking other people to do stuff (even if it's their job). He'll spend hours watching YouTube videos and learning how to do something, and then all weekend trying to do it, before he lets me call a repair person. And I'd say 95% of the time, he figures it out.

 

I'm a frustrated DIYer much of the time because this DIY education thing takes up so much of my time!:D

[linguistmama]

We have tended to question if we need someone else to help us do something, whether that is homeschooling, car repairs etc. And there are some things we would not have because of cost if I were not able to make them. I made myself several nice baby carriers for a fraction of the cost of a similar carrier. But, in the future I look forward to buying eggs from a neighbor and produce at the farmer's market. Some things just don't interest me enough on their own for me to do them myself. Homeschooling and homebirth are top priority. :)

[mrs.m]

I'm not a DIY'er. I only play one on Pinterest. :lol:

 

 

But I guess I'm more of one that I thought since I homeschool. But we aren't crafty. I generally hire someone for repairs or make DH do them and then he hires someone after he can't figure it out. I prefer to buy crafts already made and support the cottage arts. ;)

[MrsBasil]

We're not naturally inclined to DIY, but we'd like for me to continue staying home with the kids so we're learning. Slowly.

 

I do use cloth diapers, hang clothes to dry, and cook mainly from scratch(when not pregnant. I made play dough for DS which earned me lots of raised eyebrows at my mother's groups, but I had no car that week and wanted to DS to play with play dough. I'm learning to sew, because basic things like sewing a button or hemming are probably useful skills. :tongue_smilie:

 

Hubby figured out how to fix his Xbox when it "red ringed??" and is learning basic car maintenance and repair.

 

I guess I'd say we're learning to DIY to a point because it fits the lifestyle we want to have. If we can do it safely and for less, it makes sense to at least try.

[twoforjoy]

I made play dough for DS which earned me lots of raised eyebrows at my mother's groups, but I had no car that week and wanted to DS to play with play dough.

 

That's so funny. I've made play dough a few times, and DS's friends have played with it. I've also made them things like homemade slushies. Those are really easy, no-big-deal things, but a couple of his friends now seem to think I'm magic. ;) They think I can reproduce any and all toys and foods that they enjoy, and are disappointed when I tell them that I can't.

[azmomx3]

I'm a total DIYer too! Very interesting question!

[Hannah]

We aren't DIY. I work 25 hours per week, so its a time-thing and my income allows us to pay for the plumber, electrician, roofer etc. when we need one.

 

My dad is totally DIY - including building my childhood home in the evenings and weekends while we lived in a caravan when I was a child.

He always has a project going. Currently it is building a motorhome.

 

My mom made most of our clothes.

 

They just couldn't see the point of paying for someone to do something they could do themselves. I see it as buying time. I have the skills to do many things, and to figure out more, but I don't always have the tools on hand - nor the experience to do something efficiently.

[lailasmum]

We are definitely DIYers, I would never pay someone to fix or make something I could do myself. I am more likely to google it or find a book on how to do it than get some one else to do it. So far it has never backfired and we have fixed multiple appliances/minor car problems ourselves.

 

I sew a lot of clothes, My mum and I knit and build things. I remember my mum making furniture when I was a child. I think it has come from her family who lived on a farm and were very practical.

 

Not all home educators I know are like that though. I wonder if its an easier journey though if you are independently minded.

[Amber in AUS]

I certainly have the DIYer attitude although I am learning to prioritize my projects and evatuate if it's cost effective. Sometimes it's just cheaper to buy.

[Jayne J]

We are definitely DIYers. I tend to drive myself crazy, because I know exactly what I want, whether it is a certain dress, drawer pull or education for my children. Sadly, no one makes just what I want (or if they do it is waaaaayyy to expensive for me) so I am forced to make it myself. Why settle for assembly line when you can have custom? (Oh. And I tend to be just a tiny bit cheap. Er, frugal.)

 

Oh and yeah, homebirth is the *definition* of DIY.:lol::lol:

[KristinaBreece]

I'm a definite DIY-er. I'm also pretty sure the DIY attitude came first and that HSing was a progression of that.

[laughing lioness]

DIY-er on some things, but not others. I wouldn't touch a car or a computer.

[GoVanGogh]

I have always thought homeschooling was the ultimate DIY project. That said, I do less and less DIY home projects now that we homeschool - not enough time or energy. I even hired out a big painting project earlier this year because I knew a crew could come in and knock out the job in a day where it would take me a full week.

 

I have a former friend who opposes homeschooling. Her line, "I'm not a doctor and wouldn't preform brain surgery on my child. I'm not a teacher, why would I think I could teach them?"

Interestingly enough, they built their own home from the ground up. I have always wanted to extend her line on homeschooling and ask why she thought she could build her house since she isn't a mason, building contractor, electrician, plumber, roofer... :lol:

[edelweiss]

Not me! Homeschooling is my only DIY project. I don't sew or garden and hate to do crafts. We hire out for home projects and car repairs (fortunately, we can afford to do so). Maybe that is why so many people are surprised that I started homeschooling and have stuck with it for 6 years. ;) I don't think I fit the mold of the typical homeschooler. :001_huh:

[nansk]

I have a theory that homeschoolers are usually managing on one income and are always looking for ways to save on expenses so that they can buy more books. :)

[laughing lioness]

I have a theory that homeschoolers are usually managing on one income and are always looking for ways to save on expenses so that they can buy more books. :)

 

That, but also it's a matter of skill set and the time and money dance. We hired out to have a keyboard installed in our laptop. We refinished our wood floors ourselves and drywalled the basement. We garden organically. It's work but we like the food. It's so not "free" food but it is less expensive than organice produce we'd buy.

We did home birth but that has more to do with my disrust of docs and large medical settings, etc.(though my dh continues to remind me that he is a doctor (not that kind of doctor...)

[elegantlion]

We were DIY-ers before homeschooling, even pre-child days. When we started thinking of homeschooling I had to examine my true motives. All the red tape and rules with private school were driving me nuts, but I wanted homeschooling to be the best decision for his education, not my convenience.

 

Turns out homeschooling fits very much with our DIY lifestyle.

[OLG]

I grew up this way so it started long before I homeschooled. Probably my upbringing contributed to my interest in homeschooling... I think it is nature and nurture.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Nope that's the way we are. Exactly. Now as to which came first, the chicken or the egg...

 

:iagree: I was definitely a DIY personality LONG before I ever dreamed of homeschooling. I think that it does help to know you are capable of doing just about anything on your own.

[Coffeemama]

:iagree:

I'm a definite DIY-er. I'm also pretty sure the DIY attitude came first and that HSing was a progression of that.

My DH is more of a traditional DIYer than I am. He finished our basement and very rarely hires anyone unless he absolutely doesn't have the time. We are both unafraid to try to fix things and tend to believe the old addage, if you want something done right, do it yourself!

[Crimson Wife]

We're not DIYers except in certain areas. Cooking/baking is one and education is another. I do sew and knit a bit, but just simple things as a hobby. DH is not at all "handy".

 

If we have another child, I am considering having a homebirth but that's only because the hospital where we live now does not allow midwives and is known for having a very high C-section rate.

[livingnlearning]

Totally DIY here.

[joannqn]

I don't know. I think I'm less of a DIYer than most homeschoolers. I do like to knit, but only for fun, and I try to garden, but that's been mostly a fail.

 

But, it might be just this stage of my life. I'd say that I'd probably be more of a DIYer right now if I wasn't homeschooling. With homeschooling, I need to prioritize, and things like baking my own bread, growing my own herbs, and cutting the family's hair myself take a backseat. At this point, I've even given up cloth diapering for a while, until the littles require less near-constant hands-on care.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I was a DIYer before I started homeschooling. I just don't have time anymore and prefer to pay for things to be done for me when I can.

[Element]

My dh and I have always been DIY'ers due to our love of ooak and customized items. (He was born w/out radii and w/ malformed ulnae, so customization has been a necessary part of his life since day one!)

 

I think the desire to custom tailor our kids' education grew out of that "hey, we can make this item better for our personal use if we just tweak it a little" mindset. There were obviously other factors involved, but I don't think we could have made the decision to hs if we weren't DIY'ers at heart.

[abbeyej]

For SOME things. But, say, plumbing or electrical repairs?!? I'm beyond happy to pay someone who might actually know what he or she is doing. ;)

 

That said, one of my kids was a DIY birth, so clearly we lean that direction for some things. :)

[Holly IN]

We are a DIYer too. We always have been even before homeschooling. I do believe that we are much more a DIYer in everything due to our desire to learn and do. Hence spreads to homeschooling due to us wanting our kids to learn and do and not regurgitate....

[scrapbookbuzz]

Some of these posts are really funny!

 

I've tried the DIY garden. Yeah . . . I have a brown to black thumb so I enjoy other people's gardens, and the farmer's market. :)

And as for sewing, I do not have the inclination and I don't want to make the time.

 

Although, I am planning a DIY project: to build something that my dd can keep all her LPS's and the various houses on, and then just slide under her bed when she's done! ;)

[Lolly]

Semi newbie here but I'm guilty :iagree:

 

Control freak who likes to do everything myself and do it the hard way. :willy_nilly:

 

:iagree:

[Mommyof4ks]

We do a lot ourselves , but we are not die hard DIYers. We do most of our own repairs, build some of our own furniture and cabinets, and dh writes programs for our computers (he is a computer geek :D). We don't make clothes, have a garden, or do our own hair cuts (um...I am jot gifted at boy hair cuts lol).

[MamaT]

DIYers here. My dh is sure he can fix anything that breaks and it is rare that he can't. I watched him melt down the lid of a milk container and repair a coffee maker one time. :001_smile: He needed the right kind of plastic and that was it.

 

I cut everyone's hair, garden, cook/bake from scratch, and used to sew a lot, but really have let that go for this season - I'm just too busy.

[Carpe]

I'm a DIYer, DH not so much.

[The Girls' Mom]

We are definitely DIY folks here too.

 

Mine is partly naivety. It just never occurs to me that I can't/shouldn't do stuff. I get an idea to do something and I just do it! It took me awhile to realize that not everyone thinks that way. (I mean doesn't everyone teach themselves how to can food, grow a garden, sew clothes, paint walls, and tile a kitchen? :lol:)

 

That's also why I'm flabbergasted when folks say they could never homeschool! Or don't I worry about high school....it has just never occured to me that I CAN'T do it.

[Mommy22alyns]

I don't know. I think I'm less of a DIYer than most homeschoolers. I do like to knit, but only for fun, and I try to garden, but that's been mostly a fail.

 

But, it might be just this stage of my life. I'd say that I'd probably be more of a DIYer right now if I wasn't homeschooling. With homeschooling, I need to prioritize, and things like baking my own bread, growing my own herbs, and cutting the family's hair myself take a backseat. At this point, I've even given up cloth diapering for a while, until the littles require less near-constant hands-on care.

 

So I think I'd like to be a DIYer, and I might be one at heart, but right now I'm more about letting other people do stuff because otherwise I get overwhelmed.

 

My DH is totally a DIYer, though. For him, I think it's the combination of his hatred of spending money and his hatred of asking other people to do stuff (even if it's their job). He'll spend hours watching YouTube videos and learning how to do something, and then all weekend trying to do it, before he lets me call a repair person. And I'd say 95% of the time, he figures it out.

 

 

:iagree: This is me too. And I birthed in a hospital. I really didn't think I was going to homeschool until it came almost down to the wire - Rebecca was finishing up her second year of preschool when we decided. Maybe I'm a weirdo of a homeschooler. :tongue_smilie:

[LaxMom]

We are definitely DIY folks here too.

 

Mine is partly naivety. It just never occurs to me that I can't/shouldn't do stuff. I get an idea to do something and I just do it! It took me awhile to realize that not everyone thinks that way. (I mean doesn't everyone teach themselves how to can food, grow a garden, sew clothes, paint walls, and tile a kitchen? :lol:)

 

That's also why I'm flabbergasted when folks say they could never homeschool! Or don't I worry about high school....it has just never occured to me that I CAN'T do it.

 

This is me, too. My dad can figure out pretty much anything. I didn't grow up with the idea that I should wonder whether I could do something, just how best to go about it. The internet has helped out a lot with that. So does talking to my dad.

 

My husband, on the other hand, has had to learn that mindset. His parents hire someone to fix anything, or half rig it. Last year he learned to mill our clapboards (we have tongue and groove with a cove that is apparently no longer made by anyone) and I think that's when he finally got it.

 

So, probably homeschooling is just an extension of that for me, and being home most of the time (instead of me working a more than full time job that keeps me away from home 14 hrs a day, plus working here in the evening) both provides the time to DIY and necessitates it.