Feature Family

Meet the Schuety Family

A Minnesota Mom’s Point of View

Hi, I’m Sarah. My husband Matt and I have been married for nearly eighteen years. We live in Minnesota and have five children (Maddie-13, Anza-11, Gideon-9, Ari-7, and Simeon-5). Having dementia and needing care, my mom also lives with us. 

Our family has been home educating since the fall of 2020. In my heart I knew I would “someday” educate them from home, but there never seemed to be a “right” time to start. The pandemic tipped us over the edge, and we are so glad we jumped! Writing our disenrollment letter to our local charter school proved to be more freeing than I had imagined! 

The schedule flexibility of home educating is one of my most favorite aspects. Faith is extremely important to us, and we serve regularly with our local church in many capacities. Of note is the mom’s group I lead on Thursday mornings. I love having the kids with me. They are a blessing to the other moms as they help with childcare. Having the flexibility to care for others is a top priority. Also regarding flexibility, my daughter Anza said, “We can choose when we get days off, and I love that mommy gets to teach us!” 

Drastically improving sibling relations is the best thing that has happened to us from this home educating journey. Now my kids know how to relate to each other, younger people, and older people (like Nana who lives with us); not just those in their same “grade.” They truly care about each other and others and help take care of our home we have built. 

Venture Upward has helped our education by providing resources and community. We love art and are absolutely grateful for the art supplies we were able to purchase using our Venture Reward. I used to work professionally in graphic design, and with a laptop we were also able to get, I am able to pass on that skill to the kiddos. Field trips, educational resources, and curriculum choices are highlights. 

Home educating with Venture has provided not just an outside community of support, but has also brought a deeper community to the inside of our home through the growth of our relationships.

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“School community means someone I can ask questions to regarding tougher things. It means I have someone to lean on when I feel overwhelmed or wondering if I’m doing this whole thing right.” 

~Sarah Schuety