Why We Homeschool + a Little More

Now that all the schools have started around our area, we have been asked "THE" question. I now am very comfortable with our decision to teach our children at home that I can boldly say "WE HOMESCHOOL!!" I feel so legit now being we have a school name and our routine in order and some sort of organized fashion with our curriculum. Of our four children only one has been exposed to public school. Even putting him in public school, I had the gut, knee jerking, kicking and screaming feeling every year that we enrolled him. I had a deep desire to homeschool, just didn't know the way to do it. So, naturally just stuck him into the system. He is now 7 and had 2 1/2 years in public school under his belt. I couldn't take it any longer and pulled him out after Christmas in his 1st grade year. I have NEVER felt so much pressure and burden relieved off of me in my life. So, I am now doing what I have been called to do. This brings me to point one of why we homeschool.

Eating lunch in their fort!



1. We have been called to teach our children at home. Basically, we are called to be the primary teachers to our children. God created family. Throughout the ages, God’s plan and desire has always been for parents to raise up their children to know and love Him and walk in His ways. This is what we are doing. Simply following God's command of training up our children.
   Along side of just naturally being called to train up our children as it says in Deuteronomy 6:4-7, we do not have a say in what is being taught to our children when they are in public school. At home we base everything back to the word of God. Our lifestyle, curriculum choice, ethics all relate back to God.
   
2. We believe in family togetherness. Not to rely on peers. I am not saying that sending your child to school you won't accomplish the close-knit family we have. You will just have to work quite a bit harder than we do. It's just natural when a family is together 24-7...we will just naturally depend upon each other before we depend upon a friend. 
   
   Peer pressure, kids relying on friends more than family..just comes along with kids spending more time with their friends than family. I have teen girls who I have mentored and they deeply rely upon what their friends say and think over how their family feels and thinks. Then parents can't figure out why their child doesn't take the advise and value their opinion... I just am not comfortable handing my gifts over to that type of influence.
   
   As an adult I have deeply DEEPLY figured this out. I was once that kid who asked friends over my family. This is the complete opposite now!! I would never take a peer's advise or opinion over my family's. My peers also don't understand this part of me. How I could truly hold onto my husband, momma, and BFF sister. Family is the only true thing that has been constant and a free gift from God.
   
3. We don't want to miss "it".  It, it's everything!! Our children are the best and most special gift we have ever received! I just simply am not willing to miss out every single day to public school. I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching our children. As we work on something and the *twinkle* in their eye of finally understanding "it", how could I miss that!? This way, I simply won't miss "it"! 
   
   The older I get, the more people I know pass. Life is present and next thing I know, it's not. Life is too precious to miss out on these big moments! (cliche..I know) I just cannot miss any of this.
   
4. We believe that each child is an individual and nurturing their gifts and talents with the highest education possible. Lets just put it out there on the line...Who knows their kids better than their momma and daddy? I do not believe having the education major labeled to the forehead automatically makes you qualified.
   
   I have a set lesson plan. Beauty of home educating is what my kids are into, we can totally go with what they're interested in! Princesses, knights, cheetahs, just whatever! We just go with it!! This momma is flexible and can reformulate our week. The ability to not follow a schedule, if we so choose, is an open window to the world God gave us.  The ability to allow our children to be the authors of their own education is priceless. To follow Charlotte Mason's teaching that all children are beautifully gifted beings capable of so much more than most adults accept.  We study art, poetry, culture, language, famous painters, scholars... We also want to keep our children free from the faulty system of busy work, tests, grades and teacher-based 'evaluation'... 
   
   God has blessed every Christ follower with gifts and talents. What better place to nurture those gifts and talents than right at home with family who can lavish them with love and help teach them about those gifts. 
   
   I was blessed to have been raised in such a godly home! My parents were hard working people and dad even preached on Sunday's. I just know how important having people who love you the way a parent loves to help guide you. 
   
   Back to the highest education possible. Homeschooling out numbers the public school at least by 35% in every category. Math, Science, Language, Reading, and Social Studies. We aren't testing the "standard" child...We are simply growing and guiding our individual human gift we have received.
   
5. I want to know what is being taught to our kids. The schools teach children concepts and values completely against and contradictory to what we believe as Christians.  If we want to raise our children up in the 'ways of the Lord', how can we send them away to be taught content we don't believe in and have no power to control?  It just doesn't make any sense.

Enjoying a little car ride together.
Our downtown is amazing and keeps us entertained!!!

These are just a few reasons as to why we homeschool our children. I am sure that there will be many more reasons why we homeschool...but this is what I could throw out onto the computer this evening. Thank you for reading!!

Many Blessings to YOU!!!