I should've probably named this blog "Confessions of a homeschool Mom". In part 1 I explained over a year ago how I came to homeschool kicking and screaming. You can read my blog from part 1 here. I was literally wrestling with God until I finally submitted to Him. We are now in the last semester of our 8th year of homeschooling. This is the year where my first homeschool student is graduating!! How could this be?
This last year I've had 3 people who have decided to homeschool one or all of their kids contact me to ask my advice. I really feel pretty inadequate to give advice about homeschooling in many respects, but mostly because I'm not one of those parents that dreamed of homeschooling their kids all their lives. I was the one that would wake up in a sweat from a nightmare about doing homework with my kids, and that barely changed right before the very second of entering into this homeschool gig came along. I didn't spend hours scouring the internet for ways to teach my kids at home. I couldn't tell you the first thing about curriculum for homeschooling when I first started. We were so lucky to have entered into this homeschooling realm through a back door means where the curriculum was already established on a home study path thanks to Willow Bend Academy. It was our saving grace for 2 years, but it finally came to the point that we were called to do this whole thing on our own. However, I do feel like God has laid some thoughts on my heart for those who do struggle with feeling like there is no way they could ever do homeschooling because of the reasons I listed in part 1, and I want to share them with anyone who is struggling with it.
1) No one is better to instruct/teach your children then you are. There are many wonderful teachers out there, but even they don't always have the knowledge of how to teach every child. All children are different, and no one knows that better than a child's own parents. He doesn't call the equipped, but equips the called. Teachers have a lot of trial and error when they first start teaching to find their best methods of teaching, and it's ok if there is some trial and error for you as well. God has called all parents to teach and instruct their own children whether they are in a public, private, or homeschool situation. Whatever your choice for your children, PLEASE don't just leave it up to teachers, schools, churches or anyone else to teach your children DILIGENTLY!
2) As wonderful as many teachers are, schools are set up with a worldly system in mind where the majority of what your child is learning is from other children his own age. God established for older men and older women to take children and young people under their wings for teaching and instruction. To have 1 adult in a room with 20+ students all of the same age to try to teach them secular curriculum is NOT Biblical teaching. The church has structured teaching this way as well, and it's not in any way Biblical!!
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:23) What is the number one complaint of teachers about children in the classroom? It's usually talking and disruption. What is the number one complaint about children being homeschooled? It's usually how they won't be socialized. See the problem? Homeschooling has changed immensely as there are many opportunities for socialization, but usually what people mean by that is they won't be conformed into what their age group says is acceptable. Let's just be real about it. Refer to verse above.
4) The Bible is very clear that children need lots of time with their parents throughout the day to teach them these laws diligently, "speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 11:19 If we think our kids need time away from us, it's only because we really want our own time away.
5) Homeschooling is stressful, but so is EVERY aspect of parenting. We were spending more time and more stress on their homework then we've ever had with homeschool. There really is nothing more stressful about homeschooling then the total stress of parenting children. We just have to be careful to schedule times away and breaks. It is harder when they're younger, but once they're proficient in reading and writing it really is so much less stressful then any homework we ever did when they were in school.
6) I am able to work from home with homeschooling, and my husband works a lot from home as well. We've really had to work through that system of having us all in the home, but it is such a blessing to get to spend so much time together.
7) Homeschooling is CRAZY according to the world, but we are not to be of this world.
Jesus' prayer for the disciples was...."I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth." John 17:16I was fearful of what people would say when we started, and VERY fearful that they wouldn't be accepted to college for their future plans. Well, now people are calling to ask me about how to do this homeschooling thing, and my oldest just got his acceptance letter to college. God's sovereign hand has lead him to go to somewhere we never even thought of for college. He's been accepted into a brand new program at Oklahoma Baptist University for Digital Arts and Animation. God has opened that door in miraculous ways. When we get his scholarship information I will share all about that in a future blog.
When God calls us to something He will equip us, and when He brings us to something He will bring us through it. He has not brought us through it without some major struggles, but on the other side of it there are abundant blessings as we saw a child failing become a young man thriving! Again, this is NOT a blog about convincing everyone to homeschool. It's to encourage those who are against it to support others who choose to do it, and to encourage those who don't think they could EVER do it KNOW that they can. Most of all, this about EVERY parent faithfully executing their responsibility to teach their children TRUTH and not abdicating that responsibility to any other agent of learning. When you signed up to be a parent you automatically signed up to be their main teacher for life. Whether they go to a public school, private school, or homeschool they are your responsibility and yours alone. This is a PLEA to all parents to teach your children DILIGENTLY in the home whether you want to or not!!
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9
