Let me go ahead and say that homeschooling was absolutely never on my radar. In fact, if you would have asked me about homeschooling five years ago I would have sworn up and down that I was not going to be that mom - my kids were without a doubt going to public school. Homeschoolers were anti-social weirdos who had no clue about the real world. Besides, we turned out fine being “public schooled” and we weren't going to pass up something free. What did I look like, an idiot? Needless to say, I have learned a thing or two in the short time that we have been learning at home.
* During our first week, we learned about the 7 days that God spent creating the world and that according to Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." During the second week I practice having some patience while the kids enjoyed one of the freedoms offered by homeschooling. I have to toot my own horn and say that I handled it pretty well.
#1. My kids aren’t going to be idiots.
Phew! What a relief, right? There’s not much to elaborate on here, but I have come to the realization that I don’t have to recreate public school in my home in order for my children to be intelligent, productive life-changers as they grow up. My children are creative, compassionate, silly little learners that are going to do big things in the name of Jesus. I am a former pre-k teacher, but even if I wasn’t I would still be plenty qualified to teach my own children. This could easily turn into a soap box, so we’ll just leave it at that.
#2. My kids are uniquely gifted and learn differently.
My oldest would honestly probably thrive in a public school setting like I did. She loves schoolwork and she wants to know what the rules are and how things are supposed to be done so she can stay within the guidelines. My middle child is in her own little world most of the time. I always tell people that if she learns where a boundary or expectation is, she will live 10% outside of the boundary. Rules are more like strong suggestions than hard-and-fast for her, ya know? The very first day of homeschooling I realized that even though I am working through the same thematic units with both kids (praise the Lord that the baby is too young yet!), I have to work through the material with them in different ways. If I’m being frank, I have to make a concerted effort to appreciate each of the unique ways that God their Creator has knit them together. However, I am kind of loving it.
#3. I need accountability.
For real. Y’all, without accountability I wouldn’t be doing a doggone thing. I am being so serious. It can be a challenge to stay on-task and on-time with schoolwork when the dishes are staring at me as they spill onto the counter from the sink, or when every article of clothing we own is clean but in wrinkled piles around the house. You know it’s bad when people in your house are asking you if there is any clean underwear to be found. (If this has happened to you, too, you might be my kind of people.) We tried to find a co-op to get involved with, but we couldn’t find one that was the right fit for our family. As a result, we find our accountability and socialization opportunities in other ways. Let’s just say, we’d still be on the first week’s curriculum if it weren’t for the fact that I have to report attendance and grades to our umbrella school at the end of the semester.
#4. My kids aren’t doomed to be anti-social weirdos.
When I was growing up I didn’t know a single person that was homeschooled. I thought it was only for families who spent absolutely all of their time beating each other over the head with Bibles in the seclusion of their own homes while damning everyone outside to hell. That sounds absolutely ridiculous now, but it’s the notion I had. There are so many ways to prioritize socialization outside of the public school or even private school setting. That’s not to say that those options aren’t valid options for some families, I’m just saying it’s not the only way to get that box checked. Co-ops are often quite large nowadays and there are even numerous online groups for local homeschooling families to coordinate get-togethers. We have been fortunate to get connected with other like-minded homeschooling families, which allows for playdates, field trips, and other group activities. Club sports, private dance or music lessons, and other such activities are also great options for letting kids teach each other social skills!
I am by no means a homeschooling expert. Neither was I totally prepared when our self-scheduled first day rolled around. However, much like getting married, having children, or many other life decisions, I can’t imagine that anyone ever is 100% prepared at the beginning. If you have ever thought to yourself, “I could never do that,” or, “where would I even start?” I would like to encourage you to just start asking questions. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on what the ways that the Lord is continually molding me through my obedience in homeschooling (even though I didn’t want to do it. Haha!). He sustains me!
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