We made a bold move almost 5 years ago now. We decided to make a change in our children’s educational plan which affected many areas of our family. What we decided back then was to make an about face, against all that we knew of the educational system, and walk a lesser trod path into the realm of homeschooling.
To say that this was an easy decision would be a bold-faced lie. In fact, I fought it kicking and screaming (which is how I know that it was ALL God’s leading, I did NOT initially want to make the leap into the abyss).
However, God is patient and he just kept bringing the idea of homeschooling to the forefront, no matter how many times I argued that my children were doing well in our rural and highly rated school system, I argued that our children were well rooted in our church family and that was enough to inoculate them against the worldview taught in the public schools, I even argued that if I just worked a few more overtime hours that we could afford to send our children all to Christian school.
God wasn’t listening to my paltry arguments but instead he steadily and graciously kept bringing up the idea, putting the people in my life to encourage me, and opening my eyes to the idea of homeschooling.
Funny thing is that my husband was not one that needed convincing. Though he would have been fine with private school, I think he was also being nudged in the direction of having his wife at home, and making it so that we were no longer running in two different directions all the time, even if that meant that he would be the sole financial provider for a family that was then 6 and has now graduated to a family of almost 8.
What have I learned over the last 5 years? I have learned that there are AT LEAST 12 reasons I will not venture back into the public school system, despite having seen a number of other moms make that decision with their children.
1. My children enjoy homeschooling
2. Our family is closer
3. When they struggle, it is not in the public eye
4. When at home they are free to pursue rabbit trails, information that may come up in a lesson but needs further explanation.
5. Homeschooling means my older ones can work to save for things like college and a car and still maintain high grades because we can be flexible about when we school.
6. In our school, we can choose what type of worldview our children are indoctrinated with.
7. Homeschooling means that if we want to take a random day off to go to a museum or because dad wants to take them hunting, we can do it and the kids are still learning.
8. By schooling at home we can accomplish in 2-3 hours what it takes a classroom an entire day to do.
9. Homeschooling means we can really work on important life skills like cooking, gardening, early childhood development, and budgeting.
10. We believe that homeschooling our children means they will be better prepared for the future based on the life skills they have time to learn and put into practice.
11. Homeschooling kids often learn by doing, not by being told.
12. Homeschooling also keeps our children from being exposed to some of the things that most parents would rather their children not be exposed to in public school (drugs, school violence, bullies, etc.)
I realize that we are very blessed to be able to make this decision and that it is not the right fit for every family. However, it was a perfect fit for ours, I am sure that is why even though I was not initially on board, God wouldn’t let it go.
Our choice has not come without sacrifice, it meant me giving up a career with a very nice income to stay home and teach our children. In hindsight, with all the reasons cited above and so much more I could share, it was so worth it which is why I have at least 12 reasons we won’t put our children back in public school.
However, God is patient and he just kept bringing the idea of homeschooling to the forefront, no matter how many times I argued that my children were doing well in our rural and highly rated school system, I argued that our children were well rooted in our church family and that was enough to inoculate them against the worldview taught in the public schools, I even argued that if I just worked a few more overtime hours that we could afford to send our children all to Christian school.
God wasn’t listening to my paltry arguments but instead he steadily and graciously kept bringing up the idea, putting the people in my life to encourage me, and opening my eyes to the idea of homeschooling.
Funny thing is that my husband was not one that needed convincing. Though he would have been fine with private school, I think he was also being nudged in the direction of having his wife at home, and making it so that we were no longer running in two different directions all the time, even if that meant that he would be the sole financial provider for a family that was then 6 and has now graduated to a family of almost 8.
What have I learned over the last 5 years? I have learned that there are AT LEAST 12 reasons I will not venture back into the public school system, despite having seen a number of other moms make that decision with their children.
1. My children enjoy homeschooling
2. Our family is closer
3. When they struggle, it is not in the public eye
4. When at home they are free to pursue rabbit trails, information that may come up in a lesson but needs further explanation.
5. Homeschooling means my older ones can work to save for things like college and a car and still maintain high grades because we can be flexible about when we school.
6. In our school, we can choose what type of worldview our children are indoctrinated with.
7. Homeschooling means that if we want to take a random day off to go to a museum or because dad wants to take them hunting, we can do it and the kids are still learning.
8. By schooling at home we can accomplish in 2-3 hours what it takes a classroom an entire day to do.
9. Homeschooling means we can really work on important life skills like cooking, gardening, early childhood development, and budgeting.
10. We believe that homeschooling our children means they will be better prepared for the future based on the life skills they have time to learn and put into practice.
11. Homeschooling kids often learn by doing, not by being told.
12. Homeschooling also keeps our children from being exposed to some of the things that most parents would rather their children not be exposed to in public school (drugs, school violence, bullies, etc.)
I realize that we are very blessed to be able to make this decision and that it is not the right fit for every family. However, it was a perfect fit for ours, I am sure that is why even though I was not initially on board, God wouldn’t let it go.
Our choice has not come without sacrifice, it meant me giving up a career with a very nice income to stay home and teach our children. In hindsight, with all the reasons cited above and so much more I could share, it was so worth it which is why I have at least 12 reasons we won’t put our children back in public school.
