The Thrill of Buying a Tailor-Made Education

Some women buy shoes, others buy clothes. I buy curriculum.

If there were Curricula Anonymous, I’d need a sponsor. If there were a radio call-in show, I’d have it on speed dial. If they sold it in alleys, that’s where you’d find me.

I. Love. Curriculum.

For me, February and March are the equivalent of November and December for most others. It should be a national holiday, this curriculum-buying season. But alas, I may be alone in my compulsion. So it’s just my season to relish. No carols, no big dinners, no cookie exchange. Just me, my computer and my credit card.

The thrill of the hunt is half the fun. Every year at this time, I research tirelessly. Although we’ve been home schooling six years already, I’m always re-evaluating my choices, making sure the children are getting the most out of every subject. I read reviews, pull out my encyclopedic volume on Classical education, comparison shop different websites, and ultimately, I buy.

Then there’s the thrill of conquest – the day the boxes begin to arrive. I’m giddy with the smell of new books, fresh ideas, grand thoughts of what the next school year will bring. Forget the fact that we’re barely into spring, and I still have three more months with our present materials.

The only let-down is the fact that I have to store these things until next fall. I usually clear a place of honor on a bookshelf I’ll be seeing every day. My poor children have often endured starting school in early August because I just can’t control the urge, after two months of break, to dive in. The books sit there all summer, beckoning me, and I am weak.

We usually spend around $500 a year for materials. At first, I balked at shelling out such money, but then it was pointed out to me that just one month in private school for one student could cost even more, and for that $500, my children are receiving a wonderful education. So now I spend that money wisely but with flourish.

I often have new homeschoolers ask about whether or not we can write off these expenses as educational materials. The answer, unfortunately, is no. There is no financial benefit to buying your own curriculum. When you home school, it’s always money out of your pocket, with no return except quality time with your children and the ability to give them a tailor-made curriculum.

So far, I’m more than satisfied with the return on our investment.

But no shoes. I still have pretty ugly shoes.