Sept. 1, 2026

School Goes Wherever We Go Why Virtual Public School Works for Our Family_mixdown

School Goes Wherever We Go Why Virtual Public School Works for Our Family_mixdown

What if school didn’t have to stop when your family hits the road? In this episode of We Are the Hansons, we share why virtual public school works for our family, from the flexibility to travel and learn anywhere to the responsibility and independence it teaches our girls. We also look at the benefits of traditional school, the challenges of learning from home, and why the best education is ultimately the one that fits your child and your family.

This has been a Fuzzy Life Entertainment Production

WEBVTT

1
00:00:01.889 --> 00:00:04.669
There's a moment in our house almost every afternoon when

2
00:00:04.690 --> 00:00:09.390
you can feel the entire mood change. The laptops start closing.

3
00:00:10.269 --> 00:00:14.509
The school papers get stacked up. The pencils disappear back

4
00:00:14.550 --> 00:00:18.890
into cups and drawers. Somebody stretches like they've just worked

5
00:00:18.949 --> 00:00:24.370
a 12-hour shift. Somebody immediately asks, what's for dinner? And

6
00:00:24.429 --> 00:00:28.010
somebody else says they're starving even though there was definitely

7
00:00:28.050 --> 00:00:31.699
a snack involved somewhere during the school day. That's how

8
00:00:31.739 --> 00:00:35.149
we know school is winding down. For a lot of families,

9
00:00:35.289 --> 00:00:38.170
winding down after school means the bus just dropped the

10
00:00:38.210 --> 00:00:43.030
kids off. Backpacks hit the floor. Shoes get kicked off.

11
00:00:43.869 --> 00:00:48.130
Somebody wants something to eat. And then parents start asking

12
00:00:48.170 --> 00:00:51.759
that question we all know. How was school? And the

13
00:00:51.899 --> 00:00:57.619
answer is usually something extremely detailed like, fine. For our family,

14
00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:01.539
school looks a little different. Our girls attend public school,

15
00:01:01.899 --> 00:01:04.760
but they do it virtually. They're part of an online

16
00:01:04.819 --> 00:01:08.659
public school program. So instead of getting on a bus

17
00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:12.879
every morning and heading into a physical school building, they

18
00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:16.719
open their computers and school comes to them. And honestly,

19
00:01:16.890 --> 00:01:20.769
one of the biggest advantages we have discovered is something

20
00:01:20.810 --> 00:01:25.069
that fits our family life incredibly well. School can go

21
00:01:25.109 --> 00:01:28.849
where we go. If we're home, they can do school.

22
00:01:29.409 --> 00:01:33.390
If we're visiting family, they can often do school. If

23
00:01:33.409 --> 00:01:36.939
we're traveling and we have what we need, school can

24
00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:42.060
come with us. We can pack up computers, chargers, headphones,

25
00:01:42.340 --> 00:01:46.159
and school materials right along with everything else. And that

26
00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:49.469
freedom has changed the way we look at school. Now,

27
00:01:50.189 --> 00:01:53.730
before anybody hears that and thinks this episode is going

28
00:01:53.750 --> 00:01:56.810
to be about why virtual school is better than traditional

29
00:01:56.870 --> 00:02:02.159
public school, That's not what we're saying. Traditional in-person public

30
00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:07.069
school has a lot of advantages. Some kids absolutely thrive there.

31
00:02:07.709 --> 00:02:08.849
They love the routine.

32
00:02:09.370 --> 00:02:12.389
They love seeing their friends every day. They love being

33
00:02:12.469 --> 00:02:18.629
involved with sports, clubs, music, theater, and everything that happens

34
00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.360
inside a school building. And there are some really good

35
00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:27.340
things about that experience. Virtual public school has advantages too.

36
00:02:28.069 --> 00:02:32.770
It has challenges. It takes discipline. It takes participation from

37
00:02:32.810 --> 00:02:36.310
the parents. And it definitely doesn't mean that kids just

38
00:02:36.349 --> 00:02:38.800
sit around at home doing whatever they want all day.

39
00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:43.780
So today, we're talking about both. We're talking about what

40
00:02:43.819 --> 00:02:47.099
it's like winding down after a virtual school day. We're

41
00:02:47.139 --> 00:02:51.680
talking about what we appreciate about in-person public school. We're

42
00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:55.530
talking about why online public school has worked well for us.

43
00:02:56.259 --> 00:02:59.419
And we're talking about what might be the biggest advantages

44
00:02:59.460 --> 00:03:00.659
of all for our family.

45
00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:02.520
The ability to keep.

46
00:03:02.379 --> 00:03:06.229
Learning even when life takes us somewhere else. So grab

47
00:03:06.250 --> 00:03:10.729
your coffee. Grab whatever you're working on. Maybe you're driving.

48
00:03:11.150 --> 00:03:15.469
Maybe you're cooking dinner. Maybe you're folding laundry. Maybe you're

49
00:03:15.509 --> 00:03:18.069
listening while your kids finish their schoolwork.

50
00:03:18.889 --> 00:03:19.629
Hey, everybody.

51
00:03:19.889 --> 00:03:22.659
Welcome back to another episode of We Are the Hansons.

52
00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:26.240
We're glad you're here with us. If you've been around

53
00:03:26.289 --> 00:03:29.300
our family for any amount of time, you already know

54
00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:32.080
that life in our house doesn't exactly come with a

55
00:03:32.139 --> 00:03:37.300
pause button. There's always something happening. There are kids. There

56
00:03:37.340 --> 00:03:41.960
are appointments. There are family activities. There are things to

57
00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.699
do around the house. There are meals to cook. There

58
00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:48.780
are places to go. There are people to see.

59
00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:50.219
There's work.

60
00:03:50.969 --> 00:03:56.560
There's dogs. There's laundry. There are dishes. There are plans.

61
00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:01.250
There are plans that change. And then there are those

62
00:04:01.370 --> 00:04:04.250
moments where you look around and wonder how everybody in

63
00:04:04.289 --> 00:04:07.389
the house apparently needed a different cup within the same

64
00:04:07.389 --> 00:04:11.680
10 minute period. That's family life. And somewhere in the

65
00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:15.099
middle of all of that, kids still have to get

66
00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:19.480
an education for our family. Having our girls enrolled in

67
00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:23.680
online public virtual school has created a kind of flexibility

68
00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:27.170
that we really appreciate. And I think one of the

69
00:04:27.230 --> 00:04:31.170
things people misunderstand when they hear online school is that

70
00:04:31.209 --> 00:04:36.589
they automatically think it means homeschool. That isn't necessarily the

71
00:04:36.649 --> 00:04:41.209
same thing. Our girls are doing public school. They have teachers.

72
00:04:41.850 --> 00:04:47.529
They have lessons. They have assignments. They have expectations. They

73
00:04:47.569 --> 00:04:50.490
have a school calendar. They have work that has to

74
00:04:50.529 --> 00:04:51.329
be completed.

75
00:04:52.189 --> 00:04:53.110
They have deadlines.

76
00:04:53.649 --> 00:04:57.740
They have accountability. The biggest difference is that the classroom

77
00:04:57.779 --> 00:05:01.079
is virtual instead of being inside a traditional school building.

78
00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:05.279
And that single difference affects so much of our daily life.

79
00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:10.379
So today, we're really just sharing our experience. Not telling

80
00:05:10.459 --> 00:05:13.759
anybody else what they should do. Not saying one type

81
00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:17.350
of schooling is right for every family. Just talking about

82
00:05:17.410 --> 00:05:20.949
what works for us, what we've learned, and why having

83
00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:24.060
options is such a good thing. If you have ever

84
00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:27.279
gotten multiple kids ready for school in the morning, you

85
00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.439
already know exactly what I mean when I say mornings

86
00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:34.649
can become an event. The alarm goes off. Nobody wants

87
00:05:34.709 --> 00:05:37.990
to get up. Then everybody gets up at the same time.

88
00:05:38.730 --> 00:05:42.550
Someone can't find socks. Someone doesn't know where their shoes

89
00:05:42.649 --> 00:05:45.029
are even though they took them off in the same

90
00:05:45.110 --> 00:05:49.009
place they always take them off. Someone suddenly remembers they

91
00:05:49.050 --> 00:05:53.319
need something for class. Someone doesn't like what they're wearing anymore.

92
00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:58.459
Someone needs their hair fixed. Someone is brushing their teeth

93
00:05:58.540 --> 00:06:02.000
while somebody else is knocking on the bathroom door. Then

94
00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:06.529
you're checking the clock. You're looking for backpacks. You're trying

95
00:06:06.550 --> 00:06:11.060
to figure out whether everyone has everything. And somewhere in there,

96
00:06:11.699 --> 00:06:14.879
and somewhere in there, you realize that one child is

97
00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:18.139
standing in the kitchen doing absolutely nothing while everyone else

98
00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:21.879
is rushing around. And you say, what are you doing?

99
00:06:22.579 --> 00:06:27.670
And they say, waiting. Waiting for what? Well, probably never know.

100
00:06:28.250 --> 00:06:31.370
That kind of morning can be stressful, especially in a

101
00:06:31.410 --> 00:06:35.790
large family. With virtual school, the mornings have a completely

102
00:06:35.870 --> 00:06:40.939
different feeling. There's still structure. There still needs to be routine.

103
00:06:41.589 --> 00:06:44.029
We still want the girls to get up, get ready,

104
00:06:44.410 --> 00:06:47.910
and mentally shift into school mode. But we're not racing

105
00:06:47.990 --> 00:06:51.529
against a bus. We're not trying to make sure everyone

106
00:06:51.589 --> 00:06:54.870
gets out the door at exactly the same time. We're

107
00:06:54.889 --> 00:06:57.810
not starting every morning with that feeling that we're already

108
00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:02.389
five minutes behind. That changes the entire tone of the day. Now,

109
00:07:02.829 --> 00:07:06.610
there's one thing we learned pretty quickly. Virtual school can

110
00:07:06.629 --> 00:07:10.459
be flexible, but kids still need structure. If you tell

111
00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:13.939
a kid, you can do this whenever you want, there's

112
00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:18.720
a very good chance that whenever eventually turns into, oh no,

113
00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:22.540
I forgot. And now it's 7.30 at night and somebody

114
00:07:22.620 --> 00:07:25.680
still has work to finish. So we still like having

115
00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:29.579
a rhythm. Get up, get ready, get something to eat,

116
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:33.490
get the computer set up, know what you need to accomplish,

117
00:07:34.250 --> 00:07:38.879
start the school day, That routine matters because home is

118
00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:43.509
full of distractions. The couch is right there. The television

119
00:07:43.569 --> 00:07:47.290
is right there. Food is right there. The dog is

120
00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:51.149
right there. The toys are right there. Your siblings are

121
00:07:51.189 --> 00:07:54.730
right there. Everything that has nothing to do with school

122
00:07:54.810 --> 00:07:58.360
is right there. And that means learning to focus becomes

123
00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:01.720
its own skill. But that's also one of the things

124
00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:04.939
we really like about it. The girls are learning that

125
00:08:04.980 --> 00:08:09.240
having more freedom means having more responsibility. And that's something

126
00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.649
we talk about a lot in our house. Freedom and

127
00:08:12.730 --> 00:08:17.009
responsibility go together. You can't really have one without the other.

128
00:08:17.490 --> 00:08:21.110
We think it's important to say this because sometimes conversations

129
00:08:21.170 --> 00:08:24.930
about education turn into teams. People act like you have

130
00:08:24.970 --> 00:08:29.040
to be completely for one option and completely against the other.

131
00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:33.450
We don't feel that way. Traditional public school has some

132
00:08:33.610 --> 00:08:38.149
really great advantages. One of the biggest is social interaction.

133
00:08:38.629 --> 00:08:41.679
Kids are around other kids all day. They're learning how

134
00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.720
to make friends. They're learning how to handle conflict. They're

135
00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.080
learning how to work with people who think differently from them.

136
00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.899
They're learning how to participate in a group. They're learning

137
00:08:52.940 --> 00:08:57.879
how to raise their hand, wait their turn, follow classroom expectations,

138
00:08:58.019 --> 00:09:02.309
and navigate all those little social situations that happen during

139
00:09:02.350 --> 00:09:06.789
a school day. Those experiences matter. Another big advantage is

140
00:09:06.850 --> 00:09:11.830
having teachers physically present. There is something valuable about sitting

141
00:09:11.950 --> 00:09:16.200
face-to-face with a teacher. A teacher can sometimes see immediately

142
00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:19.879
that a student is confused. They can walk over, they

143
00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:23.100
can look at that paper, they can explain something a

144
00:09:23.259 --> 00:09:27.350
different way, That kind of interaction can be incredibly helpful.

145
00:09:27.850 --> 00:09:31.529
Traditional schools also give kids access to things that can.

146
00:09:31.409 --> 00:09:33.789
Be harder to recreate virtually.

147
00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:45.659
Science labs, art rooms, music, band, choir, theater, sports, clubs, libraries,

148
00:09:46.379 --> 00:09:52.700
school dances, pep rallies, assemblies, field trips, There are a

149
00:09:52.820 --> 00:09:56.360
lot of memories made inside a traditional school building, and

150
00:09:56.419 --> 00:10:00.960
those memories matter too. Another advantage of a school in

151
00:10:01.059 --> 00:10:06.320
person is that school and home are clearly separated. You

152
00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:09.419
get up, you leave the house, you enter a building

153
00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:12.759
where your brain knows I'm at school now, then the

154
00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:16.710
school day ends, you walk out, you go home, home

155
00:10:16.730 --> 00:10:21.330
becomes home again. That clear separation can be really helpful

156
00:10:21.389 --> 00:10:25.370
for some children. Some kids focus better when they are

157
00:10:25.509 --> 00:10:29.529
physically removed from the distractions of home. They need that

158
00:10:29.590 --> 00:10:34.190
classroom environment. They need that bell schedule. They need the

159
00:10:34.269 --> 00:10:37.529
teacher standing in front of them. They need the structure

160
00:10:37.590 --> 00:10:41.690
that naturally comes with being in a building designed for learning.

161
00:10:42.970 --> 00:10:46.100
And there is nothing wrong with that. Different kids need

162
00:10:46.149 --> 00:10:49.929
different things. That's one of the biggest lessons we've learned

163
00:10:49.990 --> 00:10:53.250
raising children. You can raise kids in the same house

164
00:10:53.789 --> 00:10:57.269
with the same parents under the same rules, and they

165
00:10:57.320 --> 00:11:01.419
can still be completely different people. One child may love noise.

166
00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:05.740
Another needs quiet. One child may love working in groups.

167
00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:10.580
Another works best alone. One child may immediately ask for help.

168
00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.139
Another will stare at the same math problem for 20

169
00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:17.639
minutes before admitting they don't understand it. Kids are different.

170
00:11:18.370 --> 00:11:22.110
Education should be allowed to reflect that. For our family,

171
00:11:22.350 --> 00:11:25.629
the biggest word is flexibility. That's really what it comes

172
00:11:25.710 --> 00:11:29.720
down to. Our life doesn't always fit neatly inside one

173
00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:31.039
predictable schedule.

174
00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:33.340
Things come up. We travel.

175
00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:37.899
We visit family. We have work commitments. We have appointments.

176
00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:42.779
We have family responsibilities. We have things happening in different places.

177
00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:46.250
And virtual public school gives us the ability to move

178
00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:48.990
without automatically hitting pause on education.

179
00:11:49.350 --> 00:11:50.190
That is huge.

180
00:11:50.669 --> 00:11:53.710
Because there is a big difference between saying, we can't

181
00:11:53.750 --> 00:11:57.129
go because the kids have school, and saying, okay, what

182
00:11:57.169 --> 00:11:59.350
do the girls need so they can do school while

183
00:11:59.370 --> 00:12:03.710
we're there? That changes everything. When we travel, there are

184
00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:05.730
the normal things everybody packs.

185
00:12:06.309 --> 00:12:09.330
Clothes. Shoes. Toiletries.

186
00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:16.259
Chargers, snacks, probably more snacks than anybody actually needs. And

187
00:12:16.299 --> 00:12:22.809
then school gets packed too. Laptop, charger, headphones, school materials,

188
00:12:23.289 --> 00:12:26.649
anything they need for assignments. And that becomes part of

189
00:12:26.669 --> 00:12:29.909
the checklist. It almost sounds strange when you say it

190
00:12:29.990 --> 00:12:34.750
out loud. Pack your clothes, pack your toothbrush, pack school.

191
00:12:35.110 --> 00:12:38.379
But that's basically what we do. And there's something really

192
00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:42.919
cool about that. Because learning isn't attached to one particular desk.

193
00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:46.419
It isn't attached to one particular building. It can move

194
00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:50.000
with us. Imagine waking up somewhere completely different.

195
00:12:50.419 --> 00:12:51.250
You're in a hotel.

196
00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.850
The kids look out the window and know there's something

197
00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:55.149
exciting planned later.

198
00:12:55.730 --> 00:12:57.149
But first, school.

199
00:12:57.429 --> 00:13:01.450
The laptops come out. Everybody gets connected. And for that

200
00:13:01.529 --> 00:13:04.490
part of the morning, that hotel room becomes a classroom.

201
00:13:04.750 --> 00:13:07.809
It might not look like school. There may be suitcases

202
00:13:07.870 --> 00:13:10.799
sitting in the corner. Somebody may be eating breakfast at

203
00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:13.590
the little table. Somebody might be sitting on the edge

204
00:13:13.610 --> 00:13:17.169
of the bed. But learning is still happening. Then schoolwork

205
00:13:17.210 --> 00:13:20.950
gets finished. Computers get put away. And now the rest

206
00:13:20.970 --> 00:13:24.149
of the day can become part of the family experience.

207
00:13:24.789 --> 00:13:25.460
We love that.

208
00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.559
They're still in front of a teacher, still in a classroom.

209
00:13:28.779 --> 00:13:32.529
But they can learn. Family travel can be difficult during

210
00:13:32.590 --> 00:13:36.120
the traditional school year. Parents start looking at the calendar

211
00:13:36.179 --> 00:13:39.659
and counting days. How many days would they miss? What

212
00:13:39.700 --> 00:13:42.860
assignments would they have to make up? Would they get behind?

213
00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.519
Would the school excuse the absence? Would the teacher have

214
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:50.690
to send extra work? Sometimes it becomes easier to just say,

215
00:13:51.009 --> 00:13:54.570
we'll wait until summer. And sometimes that's the right decision.

216
00:13:54.970 --> 00:13:59.019
A virtual school can give families another option. If the

217
00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:03.480
school's requirements allow it and the student can stay on track, travel,

218
00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:06.850
and school may be able to happen together, that doesn't

219
00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:09.730
mean every day is a vacation day. It means you

220
00:14:09.769 --> 00:14:13.009
can build school into the day. Maybe school happens in

221
00:14:13.049 --> 00:14:16.250
the morning and the family activity happens in the afternoon.

222
00:14:16.690 --> 00:14:21.129
Maybe they complete an assignment while everyone is winding down later.

223
00:14:21.509 --> 00:14:24.909
Maybe travel time gets used for reading or another type

224
00:14:24.950 --> 00:14:28.480
of schoolwork. The point is that education doesn't always have

225
00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.320
to stop because you crossed a state line. One of

226
00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:34.519
the funnest things about traveling with kids is how many

227
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:39.230
questions they ask. Some of them are great questions. Some

228
00:14:39.269 --> 00:14:43.269
of them are the same questions repeated 12 times. How

229
00:14:43.309 --> 00:14:48.090
much longer? And then 10 minutes later. How much longer now?

230
00:14:48.710 --> 00:14:51.429
But when you're driving through different parts of the country,

231
00:14:51.970 --> 00:14:55.649
there are so many opportunities to learn without even realizing it.

232
00:14:56.259 --> 00:14:59.289
You cross a river. Somebody asks what river it is.

233
00:15:00.090 --> 00:15:04.509
You pass farmland. Someone asks what's growing there. You drive

234
00:15:04.549 --> 00:15:08.000
through a small town. Somebody wonders why the town has

235
00:15:08.049 --> 00:15:08.600
that name.

236
00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.639
You see mountains. You see forests.

237
00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:17.220
You see cities. You see different types of houses. You

238
00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:23.009
see factories. You see historic places. You notice accents. You

239
00:15:23.049 --> 00:15:26.860
notice how the land changes. And suddenly the world outside

240
00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:30.799
the car window is part of education. That's one of

241
00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:34.330
the things we love most. Learning doesn't have to stop

242
00:15:34.590 --> 00:15:37.529
when the lesson on the computer ends. There is something

243
00:15:37.649 --> 00:15:41.330
very different about reading about a place and actually standing there.

244
00:15:41.809 --> 00:15:45.070
You can read about a historic location. You can watch

245
00:15:45.110 --> 00:15:48.750
a video. You can look at pictures. And all of

246
00:15:48.830 --> 00:15:52.490
that is valuable. But then when you actually visit somewhere

247
00:15:52.590 --> 00:15:57.350
connected to history, it becomes real in a completely different way.

248
00:15:57.830 --> 00:16:00.610
You see the size of the place. You see the

249
00:16:00.690 --> 00:16:04.799
distance between things. You see what the landscape looks like.

250
00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:08.200
You begin to understand why certain events happened the way

251
00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:12.230
they did. Travel can turn an abstract lesson into a

252
00:16:12.370 --> 00:16:17.200
real memory. And memories stick. Sometimes kids remember the thing

253
00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:21.179
they experienced years after they forget the worksheet they completed.

254
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:25.279
That doesn't mean worksheets don't matter. It just means education

255
00:16:25.370 --> 00:16:28.990
is bigger than worksheets. Travel is also one of the

256
00:16:29.129 --> 00:16:33.629
easiest ways to teach geography without announcing. Okay, everybody, today

257
00:16:33.669 --> 00:16:36.970
we're learning geography. You can pull up a map. Show

258
00:16:37.009 --> 00:16:40.210
where you started. Show where you're going. Talk about how

259
00:16:40.250 --> 00:16:44.210
many miles you're traveling. Talk about what states you'll pass through.

260
00:16:44.509 --> 00:16:49.000
Talk about the cities. Talk about the time zones. Talk

261
00:16:49.029 --> 00:16:53.580
about the landscape. Talk about why one region is architectural

262
00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:57.759
and another is more industrial. Kids begin connecting names on

263
00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:58.519
a map.

264
00:16:58.580 --> 00:16:59.820
To actual places.

265
00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:05.589
That matters because suddenly Missouri or Wisconsin or Illinois isn't

266
00:17:05.660 --> 00:17:08.789
just a shape on a worksheet. It's somewhere you drove.

267
00:17:09.309 --> 00:17:12.759
It's somewhere you ate dinner. It's somewhere you've stayed overnight.

268
00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:17.240
That makes learning personal. There's another side to all this freedom.

269
00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:21.859
Virtual school can absolutely test a kid's motivation. There is

270
00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:25.839
no teacher physically standing next to you saying, get back

271
00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:29.140
to work. There may be an outline teacher. There may

272
00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:32.380
be deadlines. There may be a teacher talking to you

273
00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:35.779
through a screen. There may be meetings. But the student

274
00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.380
still has to sit down and do the work. That

275
00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:42.509
is where responsibility comes in. Sometimes the hardest part isn't

276
00:17:42.569 --> 00:17:46.950
understanding the lesson. The hardest part is starting. Adults know

277
00:17:47.029 --> 00:17:50.380
exactly what that feels like. You have something you need

278
00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:53.039
to do. You know you need to do it. You

279
00:17:53.059 --> 00:17:56.900
know it would probably only take 20 minutes. And somehow,

280
00:17:57.339 --> 00:18:01.140
you manage to spend 45 minutes avoiding it. Kids do

281
00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:05.190
the same thing. So virtual school becomes practice in learning

282
00:18:05.250 --> 00:18:08.490
how to start even when you don't feel like starting.

283
00:18:08.730 --> 00:18:12.750
That is an incredibly valuable life skill. One thing every

284
00:18:12.829 --> 00:18:16.990
student eventually learns is that putting things off doesn't make

285
00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:21.220
them disappear. It usually makes tomorrow worse. If you have

286
00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:27.059
three assignments to do today and you only do one, congratulations. Tomorrow,

287
00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:31.349
you now have yesterday's work plus tomorrow's work. And suddenly,

288
00:18:31.670 --> 00:18:35.410
the mountain gets bigger. Virtual school teaches that lesson quickly.

289
00:18:35.750 --> 00:18:38.319
You have to manage your time. You have to know

290
00:18:38.380 --> 00:18:41.700
what is due. You have to pay attention to your schedule.

291
00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:45.380
And if you don't, the consequences show up in the

292
00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:48.740
form of work waiting for you. That can be frustrating

293
00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:52.539
in the moment. But it's also preparation for adult life.

294
00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:57.039
Bills don't disappear because you don't open the envelope. Deadlines

295
00:18:57.099 --> 00:19:01.319
don't disappear because you don't look at the calendar. responsibilities

296
00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:05.500
don't disappear because you wanted to do something else. Learning

297
00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:09.269
that early isn't a bad thing. Another advantage of virtual

298
00:19:09.329 --> 00:19:12.470
school is that parents get a much closer look at

299
00:19:12.529 --> 00:19:16.509
the learning process. When kids attend school in person, you

300
00:19:16.569 --> 00:19:18.369
really don't see most of their day.

301
00:19:18.690 --> 00:19:22.809
You get pieces. You get homework. You get grades.

302
00:19:23.430 --> 00:19:27.380
You get emails from teachers. You get whatever information your

303
00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:30.579
child chooses to share with you. And if you ask,

304
00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:34.049
what did you learn today? You might get, I don't remember,

305
00:19:34.329 --> 00:19:38.210
which is always fascinating because they were apparently at school

306
00:19:38.269 --> 00:19:42.390
for seven hours and somehow remember nothing. With virtual school,

307
00:19:43.009 --> 00:19:47.430
you see more. You hear lessons. You see assignments. You

308
00:19:47.470 --> 00:19:49.970
hear the teacher talking to them and other kids involved.

309
00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:50.660
Interacting.

310
00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.299
You know when they're struggling. You can tell when something clicks.

311
00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:57.519
You get a better sense of how they learn and

312
00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:00.700
that can be helpful. One child may read the instructions

313
00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:04.059
once and immediately know what to do. Another child needs

314
00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:07.700
to hear it explained out loud. Another might need an example.

315
00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:10.910
Another might need to actually try it when you're around

316
00:20:10.970 --> 00:20:15.630
the learning process more often, those differences become obvious. And

317
00:20:15.670 --> 00:20:18.569
that can help you support your child better. It also

318
00:20:18.650 --> 00:20:21.250
gives you a better understanding of what they're good at.

319
00:20:21.670 --> 00:20:25.789
Sometimes you discover strengths you didn't really notice before. Maybe

320
00:20:25.829 --> 00:20:29.710
a child loves writing. Maybe they're great at science. Maybe

321
00:20:29.769 --> 00:20:35.210
they understand technology really quickly. Maybe they're incredibly creative. Maybe

322
00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:38.680
they have a strong memory. Watching kids learn teaches you

323
00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:39.200
a lot.

324
00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:41.460
About who they are This is important.

325
00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:44.779
If school is happening at home, parents have to treat

326
00:20:44.859 --> 00:20:47.900
school time like school time. It is easy to fall

327
00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:51.119
into the trap of thinking, they're home, so they can

328
00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:54.779
help me with this. But if they're in class, they're

329
00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:58.480
in class. If they're doing an assignment, they're doing school.

330
00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.759
If we want them to respect their education, we have

331
00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:05.640
to respect it too. That means not constantly interrupt it.

332
00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:09.309
That means helping them create a place where they can focus.

333
00:21:09.849 --> 00:21:13.529
That means understanding that just because they're physically at home

334
00:21:13.650 --> 00:21:17.329
doesn't mean they're available for everything happening in the house.

335
00:21:17.950 --> 00:21:20.730
And that can take some getting used to. Anytime you

336
00:21:20.769 --> 00:21:25.819
talk about kids learning from home, somebody asks about socialization.

337
00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:29.599
And it is a legitimate question. Kids need to interact

338
00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:34.230
with people. They need friendships. They need opportunities to communicate.

339
00:21:34.470 --> 00:21:37.509
They need to learn how to handle disagreements. They need

340
00:21:37.549 --> 00:21:41.049
to spend time around people outside their immediate family. But

341
00:21:41.089 --> 00:21:44.759
the classroom isn't the only place socialization can happen.

342
00:21:45.210 --> 00:21:47.460
There are sports. There are clubs.

343
00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:52.420
There are community activities. There are family gatherings. There are

344
00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:57.940
neighborhood friends. There are volunteer opportunities. There are activities through

345
00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:01.819
virtual schools themselves. There are plenty of ways to make

346
00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:05.980
sure kids have relationships and experiences outside the home. And

347
00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:09.319
when you have a big family, being alone isn't exactly

348
00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:14.500
the most common problem anyway. There's usually somebody around. Actually,

349
00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:19.509
sometimes getting five minutes alone is the bigger challenge. Let's

350
00:22:19.569 --> 00:22:22.910
talk about something nobody puts in the virtual school brochure.

351
00:22:23.269 --> 00:22:25.950
When everyone is home a lot, you are around each

352
00:22:26.029 --> 00:22:30.470
other a lot. And family togetherness is wonderful. We love

353
00:22:30.509 --> 00:22:35.150
family time. A family togetherness also means stop touching me.

354
00:22:35.990 --> 00:22:40.250
Tell her to move. She took my charger. That's my seat.

355
00:22:40.970 --> 00:22:45.730
She's being annoying. No, you're being annoying. And somehow a

356
00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:50.019
simple argument over a pencil can become an international crisis.

357
00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.460
That's family.

358
00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:55.339
Virtual school means you have to teach boundaries too.

359
00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:56.279
You have to.

360
00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:58.960
Teach kids how to share space. You have to teach

361
00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:02.279
them how to respect when someone else is working. You

362
00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:05.220
have to teach them when to leave each other alone.

363
00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:07.319
Those are life skills too.

364
00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:12.680
Then there is technology. Virtual school sounds amazing right up

365
00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:16.400
until the internet decides it no longer wants to participate.

366
00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:18.710
Or the computer says it.

367
00:23:18.710 --> 00:23:19.470
Needs an update.

368
00:23:20.069 --> 00:23:23.950
Or the microphone stops working. Or the camera isn't recognized.

369
00:23:24.269 --> 00:23:27.950
Or somebody forgets their password. Or the website that worked

370
00:23:28.069 --> 00:23:33.190
perfectly yesterday suddenly decides today is not the day. Technology

371
00:23:33.309 --> 00:23:37.549
is amazing. Technology is also one of the fastest ways

372
00:23:37.630 --> 00:23:41.930
to test your patience. There are days when everything works perfectly.

373
00:23:42.509 --> 00:23:45.039
Then there are days where you feel like half of

374
00:23:45.210 --> 00:23:49.960
school was actually an information technology course nobody signed up for.

375
00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:54.529
But even that teaches problem-solving. You learn how to troubleshoot.

376
00:23:54.730 --> 00:23:56.750
You learn how to ask for help. You learn how

377
00:23:56.769 --> 00:23:58.930
to stay calm when something isn't working.

378
00:23:59.250 --> 00:24:00.490
Those skills matter.

379
00:24:00.890 --> 00:24:05.599
One thing virtual school doesn't completely reproduce is the energy

380
00:24:05.630 --> 00:24:08.539
of being in a classroom. There is something about sitting

381
00:24:08.619 --> 00:24:11.779
around other students that are close to you. There is

382
00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:16.539
something about group discussions. There is something about laughing with friends.

383
00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:20.440
There is something about walking through a hallway between classes.

384
00:24:21.109 --> 00:24:25.069
That energy can motivate some kids. They enjoy being part

385
00:24:25.150 --> 00:24:29.109
of a group. They like hearing other students answer questions.

386
00:24:29.849 --> 00:24:33.849
They like talking face-to-face. That's one of the real strengths

387
00:24:33.930 --> 00:24:38.059
of traditional school. And for kids who need that, in-person

388
00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:41.180
public school may be the better fit. There is no

389
00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:44.019
shame in that. Sports can become a huge part of

390
00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:54.700
a kid's school experience. Football, basketball, volleyball, track, soccer, Wrestling, baseball, softball, cheer.

391
00:24:55.099 --> 00:24:59.740
And then there are activities like band, choir, debate, theater,

392
00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:05.599
and student organizations. Those things build friendships. They teach teamwork.

393
00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:09.819
They create memories. They give kids a sense of belonging.

394
00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:13.960
That's something traditional schools do really well. And depending on

395
00:25:14.009 --> 00:25:17.490
the virtual program, families may have to look outside school

396
00:25:17.529 --> 00:25:19.069
for similar opportunities.

397
00:25:19.670 --> 00:25:22.769
That takes effort. but it can be done. People love

398
00:25:22.809 --> 00:25:23.509
this question.

399
00:25:24.029 --> 00:25:28.390
Which is better, online public school or in-person public school?

400
00:25:28.849 --> 00:25:32.039
Our answer is simple. It depends on the kid. It

401
00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:35.400
depends on the family. It depends on the program. It

402
00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:39.859
depends on the situation. There is no universal answer. A

403
00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:43.849
child who thrives in a traditional classroom might struggle at home.

404
00:25:44.170 --> 00:25:48.710
A child who struggles in a traditional classroom might blossom virtually.

405
00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:53.119
A family that travels frequently may appreciate the flexibility of

406
00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:56.980
virtual school. Another family may need the structure that comes

407
00:25:57.190 --> 00:26:01.710
with everyone leaving for school every morning. The best option

408
00:26:01.910 --> 00:26:05.349
is the one that helps the child learn, grow, and succeed.

409
00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:08.380
One of the coolest parts of virtual school is the

410
00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:12.299
idea that your child can wake up somewhere new and

411
00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.900
still have a normal school day.

412
00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:14.920
Think about that.

413
00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:18.430
Maybe you're staying with family. Maybe you're in a hotel.

414
00:26:18.769 --> 00:26:22.109
Maybe you're somewhere for work. Maybe you're taking a longer

415
00:26:22.170 --> 00:26:26.529
road trip. The location changed. The school didn't. The girls

416
00:26:26.589 --> 00:26:29.910
can log in. They can see their assignments. They can

417
00:26:29.950 --> 00:26:33.940
communicate with their teachers. They can still do their live classes.

418
00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:38.400
They can continue moving forward. Then, when the school day ends,

419
00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:42.740
they're already somewhere new. That's such a different experience from

420
00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:45.119
the way many of us grew up, and we think

421
00:26:45.180 --> 00:26:48.609
it's pretty incredible. Instead of seeing school and travel as

422
00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:52.829
two things competing against each other, they can sometimes complement

423
00:26:53.009 --> 00:26:56.250
each other. Maybe the girls learn something in class, and

424
00:26:56.269 --> 00:26:58.829
then they see something connected to it on the trip.

425
00:26:59.230 --> 00:27:02.029
Maybe they learn about a state before we travel through it.

426
00:27:02.349 --> 00:27:06.180
Maybe they researched somewhere we're visiting. Maybe they use math

427
00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:09.700
to calculate distance or travel time. Maybe they write about

428
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:14.200
an experience afterward. Education becomes woven into life. And we

429
00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:17.119
like that because the goal isn't just to help our

430
00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:20.809
kids pass tests. The goal is to raise curious people

431
00:27:21.069 --> 00:27:23.289
who know how to learn. That might be one of

432
00:27:23.329 --> 00:27:27.109
the most important skills we can give them. Nobody knows everything.

433
00:27:27.589 --> 00:27:32.349
Not teachers, not parents, not adults. The difference is knowing

434
00:27:32.470 --> 00:27:36.160
what to do when you don't know. Can you find information?

435
00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:40.099
Can you ask good questions? Can you recognize whether a

436
00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:43.859
source is trustworthy? Can you learn something new on your own?

437
00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:47.559
Can you keep trying when something is hard? Those are

438
00:27:47.619 --> 00:27:51.400
skills that will serve kids long after school ends, and

439
00:27:51.460 --> 00:27:56.329
virtual learning can encourage some of that independence. Flexibility is great,

440
00:27:56.809 --> 00:27:59.269
but kids also need an end to the school day.

441
00:27:59.569 --> 00:28:02.609
When school and home happen in the same place, it

442
00:28:02.650 --> 00:28:06.230
can feel like school never really ends. That's why winding

443
00:28:06.289 --> 00:28:10.720
down matters. At some point, the work is done, the

444
00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:15.140
computer closes, the school supplies get put away, and everybody

445
00:28:15.289 --> 00:28:19.509
mentally shifts back into family life. That transition is important

446
00:28:20.069 --> 00:28:23.609
because kids need downtime. They need to play. They need

447
00:28:23.630 --> 00:28:27.529
to relax. They need to laugh. They need to go outside.

448
00:28:27.869 --> 00:28:31.279
They need hobbies. They need family time. They need to

449
00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:36.660
just be kids. Education is important, but childhood is important too.

450
00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:39.930
Once school is finished in our house, You can feel

451
00:28:39.970 --> 00:28:43.720
the energy return. Someone is hungry. Someone wants to tell

452
00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:47.420
us about something. Someone wants to watch something. Someone wants

453
00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:50.880
to go outside. Somebody else is already thinking about dinner.

454
00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:54.299
And suddenly the house feels less like a school environment

455
00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:57.359
and more like home again. That's usually when we start

456
00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:01.730
asking questions. How did everything go today? Did you finish everything?

457
00:29:02.089 --> 00:29:06.130
Do you have anything left? Anything due tomorrow? Anything you

458
00:29:06.170 --> 00:29:09.769
need help with? And sometimes we get a full explanation.

459
00:29:10.150 --> 00:29:13.970
Sometimes we get one sentence. Sometimes we get, I don't know,

460
00:29:14.390 --> 00:29:19.299
which apparently remains the universal language for children everywhere. For us,

461
00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:23.680
dinner is one of those natural transition points. The day

462
00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:29.180
slows down. Everybody starts gathering. Food brings people together. You

463
00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:32.660
can have a crazy morning, a busy school day, a

464
00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:36.960
hundred things happening. Then somebody starts cooking and suddenly people

465
00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:39.890
appear out of nowhere. You don't even have to call them.

466
00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:43.779
they smell food it's like a built-in family alarm system

467
00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:47.700
dinner gives us a chance to reconnect what happened today

468
00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:51.099
what was funny what was frustrating what do we have

469
00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:53.799
going on tomorrow and when you have a big family

470
00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:57.490
those ordinary dinner conversations can be some of the best

471
00:29:57.569 --> 00:30:00.660
parts of the day Speaking of dinner, we always like

472
00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:04.940
sharing something simple because after a school day, nobody wants

473
00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:09.339
a recipe that requires 18 ingredients in three hours. So

474
00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:13.420
here's an easy one. Cheesy beef and potato skillet. You'll

475
00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:18.140
need one pound of ground beef, about four medium potatoes

476
00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:24.759
diced fairly small, one small onion chopped, one teaspoon garlic powder,

477
00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:29.200
one teaspoon seasoned salt, about a half a teaspoon of

478
00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:34.440
black pepper, about one cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a

479
00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:37.579
little oil or butter for the pan. And if you

480
00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:41.599
want to add vegetables, you can throw in corn, green beans,

481
00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:45.640
or even diced bell peppers. Here's what you do. Heat

482
00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:49.539
a large skillet. Add your ground beef and onion. Cook

483
00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:53.500
until the beef is brown and the onion softens. Drain

484
00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:57.259
off any extra grease. Remove the beef from the pan

485
00:30:57.339 --> 00:31:01.160
for a minute. Add a little oil or butter. Put

486
00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:05.500
in your diced potatoes. The smaller you dice them, the

487
00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:10.819
faster they'll cook. Season them with garlic powder, seasoned salt,

488
00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:15.059
and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat,

489
00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:19.869
stirring every few minutes until the potatoes are tender. Once

490
00:31:19.950 --> 00:31:23.029
the potatoes are soft, add the ground beef and onion

491
00:31:23.089 --> 00:31:28.400
back into the skillet. Mix everything together. If you want vegetables,

492
00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:32.589
add them now. Then sprinkle the cheese across the top.

493
00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:37.009
Cover the pan for another couple minutes until the cheese melts.

494
00:31:37.789 --> 00:31:38.369
And that's it.

495
00:31:38.910 --> 00:31:44.329
One pan, simple ingredients. Very little cleanup. And if you're

496
00:31:44.369 --> 00:31:49.069
feeding a bigger family, just double or triple everything. You

497
00:31:49.109 --> 00:31:52.369
can serve it with a side salad, rolls, or fruit.

498
00:31:53.049 --> 00:31:55.369
And the best part is that it's one of those

499
00:31:55.490 --> 00:32:00.170
meals where everybody can customize it. Add sour cream, add

500
00:32:00.210 --> 00:32:05.579
hot sauce, add ketchup, add more cheese, whatever works. Easy

501
00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:10.099
food is sometimes exactly what a busy family needs. And honestly,

502
00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:15.059
cooking is another example of how education happens outside official

503
00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:22.400
school days. Think about everything kids learn in a kitchen. Math, measurements, fractions.

504
00:32:23.029 --> 00:32:34.410
following directions, reading, timing, organization, safety, cleaning, responsibility, budgeting, planning.

505
00:32:35.089 --> 00:32:38.119
You can teach half a dozen life skills while making dinner,

506
00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:40.880
and nobody has to call it a lesson. That's the

507
00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:44.200
kind of learning we love, because kids don't just need

508
00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:46.819
to know information. They need to know how to live.

509
00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:50.990
Schools should prepare kids for life. And life includes a

510
00:32:51.089 --> 00:32:55.470
lot more than academic subjects. Can you cook something? Can

511
00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:58.660
you clean up after yourself? Can you manage your time?

512
00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:03.200
Can you communicate? Can you follow instructions? Can you solve

513
00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:06.700
a problem? Can you admit when you need help? Can

514
00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:09.359
you figure out what needs to be done without somebody

515
00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:12.319
standing over you? Those are the things we want our

516
00:33:12.380 --> 00:33:16.509
kids learning too. And virtual school gives us opportunities to

517
00:33:16.549 --> 00:33:20.470
blend those lessons naturally into the day. Another reason we

518
00:33:20.569 --> 00:33:24.329
think online learning can teach useful skills is because work

519
00:33:24.390 --> 00:33:29.150
itself has changed. More adults work remotely now. People attend

520
00:33:29.190 --> 00:33:34.380
video meetings. People communicate through email and messaging. People work

521
00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:39.099
for companies located in different states. Some people run businesses

522
00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:45.039
completely online. That means knowing how to use technology, communicate digitally,

523
00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:49.339
and manage your own time can be valuable. Our kids

524
00:33:49.380 --> 00:33:51.799
are growing up in a world where working from a

525
00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:55.700
laptop is normal. So the fact that they're already learning

526
00:33:55.759 --> 00:34:00.539
how to manage online classes, deadlines, and digital communication isn't

527
00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:02.369
necessarily a disadvantage.

528
00:34:03.049 --> 00:34:04.750
It could be useful preparation.

529
00:34:05.369 --> 00:34:08.989
At the same time, we don't want technology replacing every

530
00:34:09.030 --> 00:34:12.630
human interaction. Kids still need to know how to walk

531
00:34:12.690 --> 00:34:15.630
into a room and talk to people. They need to

532
00:34:15.670 --> 00:34:18.570
know how to look someone in the eye. They need

533
00:34:18.590 --> 00:34:21.400
to know how to ask questions. They need to know

534
00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:24.300
how to order food. They need to know how to

535
00:34:24.380 --> 00:34:28.159
speak respectfully to adults. They need to know how to

536
00:34:28.219 --> 00:34:31.900
work through disagreements. They need to know how to communicate

537
00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:36.420
without a screen between them. That's why balance matters. Virtual

538
00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:40.159
education can be part of life. It shouldn't become all

539
00:34:40.179 --> 00:34:43.250
of life. One of the biggest advantages for us is

540
00:34:43.309 --> 00:34:46.460
being able to spend time with family without always having

541
00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:49.860
to choose between school and travel. If we want or

542
00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:53.559
need to visit family, we can often bring school along.

543
00:34:54.139 --> 00:34:57.179
That means the girls can keep working while still getting

544
00:34:57.280 --> 00:35:00.619
time with people they love. They can finish their lessons,

545
00:35:01.179 --> 00:35:04.230
close the laptops, and then enjoy the rest of the day.

546
00:35:04.929 --> 00:35:06.190
That flexibility is.

547
00:35:06.190 --> 00:35:10.230
Something we don't take for granted because as kids grow older,

548
00:35:11.070 --> 00:35:16.070
time becomes harder to coordinate. People have jobs. People have schedules.

549
00:35:16.550 --> 00:35:17.250
People move.

550
00:35:17.789 --> 00:35:21.730
Families spread out. So when you have opportunities to make

551
00:35:21.809 --> 00:35:25.230
memories together, being able to work school around some of

552
00:35:25.289 --> 00:35:29.190
those moments can be really valuable. Another thing we notice

553
00:35:29.269 --> 00:35:32.090
is that kids learn a lot just by being part

554
00:35:32.170 --> 00:35:36.170
of family conversations. Maybe we're driving and talking about money.

555
00:35:36.570 --> 00:35:39.949
Maybe we're discussing something happening in the world. Maybe we're

556
00:35:39.989 --> 00:35:44.119
talking about a business. Maybe we're talking about why something

557
00:35:44.179 --> 00:35:48.179
costs what it does. Maybe we're discussing a mistake somebody made.

558
00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:49.420
Kids listen.

559
00:35:49.820 --> 00:35:53.320
Sometimes you don't even realize how much they're listening until

560
00:35:53.340 --> 00:35:57.690
they repeat something days later. And you think, you heard that? Yes,

561
00:35:58.269 --> 00:36:01.610
they heard it. Probably everything except the part where you

562
00:36:01.809 --> 00:36:05.190
asked them to clean their room. That part somehow disappeared.

563
00:36:05.650 --> 00:36:10.880
But conversations matter. They teach values. They teach reasoning. They

564
00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:15.889
teach perspective. They help kids understand how adults think through decisions.

565
00:36:16.449 --> 00:36:20.829
That's education too. The biggest danger with flexibility is letting

566
00:36:20.949 --> 00:36:25.469
flexibility turn into chaos. We don't want that. Virtual school

567
00:36:25.550 --> 00:36:30.559
still needs boundaries. You still need expectations. You still need routines.

568
00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:34.539
You still need accountability. We want the girls to understand

569
00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:37.539
that the ability to do school from different places is

570
00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:41.949
a privilege. If they stop doing the work, the flexibility

571
00:36:42.010 --> 00:36:45.849
stops working. That's true in adult life too. If you

572
00:36:45.889 --> 00:36:49.289
work remotely, your boss doesn't care that you were sitting

573
00:36:49.369 --> 00:36:53.179
on a beach if you missed every deadline. Freedom only

574
00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:57.019
works when the responsibilities are handled. That's a lesson worth

575
00:36:57.079 --> 00:37:01.260
learning early. Sometimes people hear the word flexible and imagine

576
00:37:01.300 --> 00:37:05.079
kids sleeping until noon, doing 20 minutes of school, and

577
00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:06.739
then disappearing.

578
00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:07.260
For the rest of the day.

579
00:37:07.750 --> 00:37:12.360
That's not what we mean. Flexibility means having options. It

580
00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:16.099
means adjusting when needed. It means being able to work

581
00:37:16.260 --> 00:37:19.940
school into the rhythm of family life. But there still

582
00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:23.889
has to be work. There still have to be expectations.

583
00:37:24.469 --> 00:37:29.929
There still has to be progress. Otherwise, it isn't flexibility.

584
00:37:30.429 --> 00:37:34.199
It's just avoiding responsibility. And we don't want that. One

585
00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:37.460
of the most interesting parts of watching children grow is

586
00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:41.030
seeing them slowly need you less. When they're little, they

587
00:37:41.090 --> 00:37:45.849
need help with everything. Then gradually, they start doing things themselves.

588
00:37:46.289 --> 00:37:47.230
They dress themselves.

589
00:37:47.889 --> 00:37:52.849
They make snacks. They handle simple chores. They manage school assignments.

590
00:37:53.590 --> 00:37:57.840
They start remembering their own schedules. They start becoming independent.

591
00:37:58.139 --> 00:37:59.579
And as a parent, you're.

592
00:37:59.400 --> 00:37:59.920
Proud of it.

593
00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:03.090
But there's also part of you thinking, wait a second,

594
00:38:03.320 --> 00:38:07.010
didn't you need me for all this yesterday? Virtual school

595
00:38:07.070 --> 00:38:11.090
can give kids another area where they practice independence. They

596
00:38:11.110 --> 00:38:16.510
begin checking their own work, watching deadlines, communicating with teachers,

597
00:38:17.090 --> 00:38:21.949
managing tasks. And that independence will matter later. That's something

598
00:38:21.989 --> 00:38:24.150
we think about. Right now, we're helping.

599
00:38:24.469 --> 00:38:27.610
We're reminding. We're checking. We're supporting.

600
00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:32.000
But one day they'll be adults. They'll have jobs. They'll

601
00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:36.099
have responsibilities. They may have families of their own. Nobody

602
00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:39.280
is going to stand behind them every morning saying, Did

603
00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:42.550
you check your calendar? At some point, they have to

604
00:38:42.590 --> 00:38:46.530
learn how to manage themselves. School is one place to practice.

605
00:38:47.110 --> 00:38:50.590
Sometimes people think the best family memories are the big ones.

606
00:38:51.110 --> 00:38:54.130
Vacations. Birthdays. Holidays.

607
00:38:54.889 --> 00:38:55.190
Trips.

608
00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.530
And those are great.

609
00:38:57.070 --> 00:38:59.110
But we think some of the memories you end up

610
00:38:59.190 --> 00:39:03.170
missing most are incredibly ordinary. The sound of kids talking

611
00:39:03.210 --> 00:39:06.710
in the kitchen. Someone doing school at the table. Someone

612
00:39:06.829 --> 00:39:10.280
asking for help. The dog walking through the middle of everything.

613
00:39:10.679 --> 00:39:14.840
Everybody waiting for dinner. Someone laughing about something that happened earlier.

614
00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:16.480
Those are ordinary days.

615
00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:20.659
Those ordinary days become the ones you miss. Our kids

616
00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:23.579
won't be in school forever. Sometimes when you're in the

617
00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:26.840
middle of school years, it feels like it will never end.

618
00:39:27.309 --> 00:39:31.559
There's always another assignment, another grade level. another school year,

619
00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:36.480
another back-to-school season. Then, suddenly you blink and one of

620
00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:39.710
your kids is almost done, and then another, and you

621
00:39:39.750 --> 00:39:42.690
realize how quickly it went. That's why we try to

622
00:39:42.750 --> 00:39:46.570
appreciate the season we're in, even the parts that are frustrating,

623
00:39:47.070 --> 00:39:52.480
even the technical problems. Even the reminders. Even the unfinished assignments.

624
00:39:53.019 --> 00:39:56.780
Because this season will pass too. Years from now, we

625
00:39:56.820 --> 00:39:59.659
don't expect them to remember every single lesson.

626
00:40:00.090 --> 00:40:00.679
Nobody does.

627
00:40:01.210 --> 00:40:03.989
But we hope they remember that learning mattered. We hope

628
00:40:04.010 --> 00:40:05.789
they remember that we supported them.

629
00:40:06.190 --> 00:40:06.909
We hope they.

630
00:40:06.809 --> 00:40:10.150
Remember the trips where they packed school along with their clothes.

631
00:40:10.730 --> 00:40:13.949
We hope they remember sitting in different places doing assignments.

632
00:40:14.349 --> 00:40:17.250
We hope they remember the freedom of realizing the classroom

633
00:40:17.289 --> 00:40:21.880
could travel. We hope they remember that education wasn't something confined.

634
00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:23.500
To a building. It was part of life.

635
00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:29.070
Success isn't just a report card. Obviously, grades matter. Progress matters.

636
00:40:29.510 --> 00:40:32.989
Academic skills matter. But we also look at the person

637
00:40:33.050 --> 00:40:34.309
our child is becoming.

638
00:40:34.789 --> 00:40:37.329
Are they responsible? Are they respectful?

639
00:40:37.670 --> 00:40:42.429
Can they communicate? Can they solve problems? Can they handle disappointment?

640
00:40:42.630 --> 00:40:46.250
Can they keep trying? Can they manage their time? Can

641
00:40:46.289 --> 00:40:49.909
they learn from mistakes? Can they treat people well? Those

642
00:40:49.989 --> 00:40:53.570
things matter too. A child can memorize every answer on

643
00:40:53.610 --> 00:40:56.929
a test and still need help learning how to navigate life.

644
00:40:57.269 --> 00:40:57.889
We want both.

645
00:40:58.670 --> 00:41:02.280
Education and life skills. This is something we think parents

646
00:41:02.360 --> 00:41:06.099
need to hear. There is no perfect school system. Traditional

647
00:41:06.199 --> 00:41:11.239
public school has advantages and disadvantages. Virtual public school has

648
00:41:11.320 --> 00:41:17.510
advantages and disadvantages. Private school has advantages and disadvantages. Homeschooling

649
00:41:17.619 --> 00:41:23.610
has advantages and disadvantages. Every option requires trade-offs, so parents

650
00:41:23.650 --> 00:41:26.690
shouldn't feel like they have to find a flawless system.

651
00:41:27.150 --> 00:41:29.969
You're looking for the system that fits your child and

652
00:41:30.030 --> 00:41:34.570
family best right now, and sometimes that changes. What works

653
00:41:34.650 --> 00:41:38.739
at age 8 might not work at age 14. What

654
00:41:38.780 --> 00:41:41.519
works for one child may not work for their sibling.

655
00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:42.619
That's okay.

656
00:41:43.079 --> 00:41:47.110
Sometimes families feel trapped by a decision. We started this,

657
00:41:47.630 --> 00:41:49.590
so now we have to keep doing it forever.

658
00:41:50.309 --> 00:41:51.369
Not necessarily.

659
00:41:51.750 --> 00:41:56.199
If something isn't working, you can reevaluate. Maybe your child

660
00:41:56.239 --> 00:42:00.639
needs more structure. Maybe they need more flexibility. Maybe they

661
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:04.360
need a different environment. There is nothing wrong with adjusting.

662
00:42:04.739 --> 00:42:08.139
Parenting is full of adjustments. Most of us are figuring

663
00:42:08.199 --> 00:42:10.710
things out as we go anyway. If we had to

664
00:42:10.769 --> 00:42:15.110
choose one thing we appreciate most, it would still be mobility.

665
00:42:15.550 --> 00:42:18.949
We can go. We can travel. We can visit. We

666
00:42:18.989 --> 00:42:22.820
can experience things. And when the school program and schedule

667
00:42:22.860 --> 00:42:26.460
allow it, education can come with us. That freedom fits

668
00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:29.719
our family. It allows us to say yes to experiences

669
00:42:29.800 --> 00:42:33.159
that might otherwise be harder during the school year. And

670
00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:36.739
we are grateful for that. There's something special about being

671
00:42:36.800 --> 00:42:39.360
able to start the day with school and end the

672
00:42:39.420 --> 00:42:43.090
day seeing something new. Maybe the morning is math and reading.

673
00:42:43.579 --> 00:42:46.500
Then the afternoon is walking around somewhere your child has

674
00:42:46.579 --> 00:42:49.719
never been. Maybe they're learning science in the morning and

675
00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:54.150
exploring nature later. Maybe they're studying history and then visiting

676
00:42:54.250 --> 00:42:58.909
somewhere connected to it. That combination can make education feel alive.

677
00:42:59.449 --> 00:43:02.530
And that is something we want our kids to experience.

678
00:43:03.050 --> 00:43:06.940
So eventually the laptops close. The school day ends.

679
00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:09.960
The kitchen gets louder. Dinner starts.

680
00:43:10.630 --> 00:43:13.699
The house fills back up with that normal family energy.

681
00:43:14.039 --> 00:43:17.760
And we move on to whatever comes next. Homework questions

682
00:43:17.820 --> 00:43:22.219
get replaced with, who wants more potatoes? School schedules get

683
00:43:22.260 --> 00:43:27.440
replaced with tomorrow's family plans. And everyone starts relaxing. That's

684
00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:31.179
our favorite part. Because at the end of everything, we're

685
00:43:31.219 --> 00:43:35.230
still a family first. If you're listening today and trying

686
00:43:35.289 --> 00:43:38.210
to decide what kind of school is right for your child,

687
00:43:38.750 --> 00:43:41.769
Don't let anybody make you feel guilty about your decision.

688
00:43:42.090 --> 00:43:44.989
Look at your kid. Look at your family. Look at

689
00:43:45.010 --> 00:43:49.309
your circumstances. Look at what your child needs. Then make

690
00:43:49.349 --> 00:43:52.550
the best decision you can. If your child thrives in

691
00:43:52.630 --> 00:43:57.219
traditional public school, celebrate that. If your child thrives in

692
00:43:57.280 --> 00:44:01.860
virtual public school, celebrate that. The goal isn't to win

693
00:44:01.900 --> 00:44:05.260
an argument about education. The goal is to help kids

694
00:44:05.340 --> 00:44:09.619
become capable adults. As another school day winds down in

695
00:44:09.639 --> 00:44:13.719
the Hanson House, the computers get closed, school supplies get

696
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:17.500
put away, and everyone slowly shifts back into family mode.

697
00:44:17.960 --> 00:44:20.949
And tomorrow, we'll do it all again. Maybe from the

698
00:44:21.010 --> 00:44:26.269
same place. Maybe eventually from somewhere completely different. That's one

699
00:44:26.289 --> 00:44:29.590
of the things we love most about virtual public school.

700
00:44:30.010 --> 00:44:33.309
School can move with us. The classroom can be our house.

701
00:44:33.889 --> 00:44:36.789
It can be a relative's house. It can be a hotel.

702
00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:40.739
It can be somewhere we've never been before. The location

703
00:44:40.800 --> 00:44:44.090
can change without the learning having to stop. And for

704
00:44:44.170 --> 00:44:47.550
our family, that freedom has been a huge blessing. But

705
00:44:47.570 --> 00:44:52.250
we also respect everything traditional public school offers. The friendships.

706
00:44:52.989 --> 00:44:57.199
The teachers. The sports. The clubs. The routines.

707
00:44:57.679 --> 00:45:02.460
The face-to-face interaction. There are advantages on both sides. There

708
00:45:02.500 --> 00:45:06.030
are challenges on both sides. And there are amazing kids

709
00:45:06.090 --> 00:45:10.269
succeeding in both. What matters is finding what works. For us,

710
00:45:10.909 --> 00:45:15.369
right now, having our girls attend public school virtually gives

711
00:45:15.469 --> 00:45:19.050
us the ability to combine education with the life we

712
00:45:19.110 --> 00:45:22.139
are already living. We can travel when we need to.

713
00:45:22.440 --> 00:45:26.300
We can spend time with family. We can create experiences.

714
00:45:26.780 --> 00:45:29.800
And school can often come right along with us. Our

715
00:45:29.840 --> 00:45:33.889
girls are learning math. They're learning readings. They're learning science.

716
00:45:34.289 --> 00:45:38.530
They're learning history. But they're also learning time management. They're

717
00:45:38.570 --> 00:45:43.170
learning independence. They're learning responsibility. They're learning how to work

718
00:45:43.230 --> 00:45:46.780
through problems. And they're learning something we hope they carry

719
00:45:46.820 --> 00:45:51.420
into adulthood. Freedom is wonderful. But freedom works best when

720
00:45:51.460 --> 00:45:54.420
you know how to handle responsibility. Then when the work

721
00:45:54.500 --> 00:45:58.079
is done, close the computer. Put the school stuff away.

722
00:45:58.420 --> 00:45:59.159
Go outside.

723
00:45:59.739 --> 00:46:02.159
Spend time with family. Eat dinner together.

724
00:46:02.789 --> 00:46:06.800
Make memories. Because school matters. Education matters.

725
00:46:07.360 --> 00:46:09.780
But so does the life happening all around you while

726
00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:13.159
you're learning. One day the computers will be gone. The

727
00:46:13.199 --> 00:46:16.119
girls will be grown. And we'll probably miss the days

728
00:46:16.179 --> 00:46:19.340
when we were saying, did you finish your schoolwork? That's

729
00:46:19.380 --> 00:46:22.639
how life goes. The days can feel long. But the

730
00:46:22.659 --> 00:46:27.150
years move unbelievably fast. So we're going to enjoy this season.

731
00:46:27.489 --> 00:46:28.610
The online lessons.

732
00:46:29.170 --> 00:46:31.130
The road trips. The questions.

733
00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:37.460
The crazy afternoons, the easy dinners, the laughter, the frustration,

734
00:46:38.019 --> 00:46:41.769
the little victories, the big family moments, all of it.

735
00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:44.739
Because this is our life. This is our family.

736
00:46:45.300 --> 00:46:46.940
And this is We Are the Hansons.

737
00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:48.360
Thank you guys.

738
00:46:48.139 --> 00:46:50.420
So much for spending part of your day with us.

739
00:46:50.920 --> 00:46:54.019
Whether your kids are walking into a school building tomorrow

740
00:46:54.059 --> 00:46:57.429
morning or opening a laptop at the kitchen table, we

741
00:46:57.489 --> 00:46:59.920
hope you have a great school year. And we hope

742
00:47:00.119 --> 00:47:04.059
every parent listening remembers that there isn't only one way

743
00:47:04.139 --> 00:47:08.800
to raise a successful kid. Keep showing up. Keep encouraging them.

744
00:47:09.139 --> 00:47:12.570
Keep teaching them. And keep making memories while you can.

745
00:47:13.030 --> 00:47:16.630
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Take care of

746
00:47:16.710 --> 00:47:20.889
each other. Make something good for dinner. And remember, sometimes

747
00:47:20.949 --> 00:47:24.989
the classroom has four walls. Sometimes the classroom fits inside

748
00:47:25.030 --> 00:47:28.940
a laptop bag. And sometimes the best lesson happens somewhere

749
00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:32.329
you never expected. We'll talk to you next time on

750
00:47:32.349 --> 00:47:33.389
We Are the Hansons.