"All About" Curriculum
- Vanessa Manker
- May 4
- 3 min read
(How I Chose Homeschool Curriculum as a First-Time Mom)
Sooo... I've recently just said a phrase that makes some people hit a double take... “if you can read, you can teach” more times than I can count.
Ok, ok, OKAY...And I get it!! Way too vague!!
Because starting homeschool doesn't feel THAT simple to me.
Not because I don’t think I can teach my kids,but because I don't know what our days will actually look like.
The Part No One Really Explains
One thing I’m really grateful for is the homeschool community I’ve been able to tap into.
I’ve talked to moms who are just getting started like me,and others who have been doing this for years.
And one thing I noticed pretty quickly?
There’s no one way to do this. READ THAT AGAIN!
Some moms had very structured days.
Some were more relaxed.
Some changed things every year.
Some stuck with what worked.
I heard about:
things they loved
things they dropped
things they tried and never touched again
things they didn’t start with, but added later
And the biggest takeaway for me was this:
👉 homeschool is a lot of trial and error
Not just for the kids…but for us as parents too.
We’re learning right alongside them.
What Helped Me Narrow Things Down
After hearing all of that, I realized I didn’t need to find the perfect curriculum.
I needed to find something that felt:
manageable
structured
and realistic for where I am right now
Not something that would have me second guessing every step.
Why I Chose All About Learning Press
As I was talking to different moms and just paying attention to what kept coming up, one thing I noticed was how often All About Learning was mentioned.
Especially for reading and spelling.
That stood out to me.
Not because it was “popular,” but because it was consistent.
Different moms, different styles…but a lot of them had experience with it.
The Reasons It Made Sense for Me
1. It feels simple
And I don’t mean “too basic.”
I mean, I can open it and understand what I’m supposed to do.
This matters more than I expected.
2. It’s structured without feeling overwhelming
Everything is laid out step by step.
I’m not trying to piece things together or guess what comes next.
That alone took a lot of pressure off. Especially as a mom who love to create!
3. It feels like something I can actually follow
That “if you can read, you can teach” idea?
Let me clarify.
I don't mean it in a “this is easy” way…but in a “I don’t have to overcomplicate this” way.
I can read the lesson and follow it and that’s a good starting point.
4. Other moms have already walked this path
This was big for me.
Knowing that so many other moms have used it, adjusted it, and made it work for their families gave me confidence.
Not that it will be perfect for us, but that it’s a solid place to start.
Where I Am Right Now
We haven’t officially started yet.
So I’m not coming from a place of “this worked perfectly for us.”
I’m coming from a place of: this is what made the most sense for where I am right now. We aren't too far away from starting and it's getting really exciting as new curriculum is rolling in.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this...
You don’t have to get it right the first time.
You just have to start.
You can change things.
You can adjust.
You can try something else if it doesn’t work.
That’s part of the process.
For me, choosing curriculum wasn’t about finding the best one…
It was about finding one I felt confident enough to begin with.
And right now, that’s enough.
Man... feels like a life lesson in there!
Vanessa B.
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