For a long time my husband and I have debated whether or not to home school. And it sometimes seems expected that if you really love your kids and want them to be Godly you WILL homeschool.
I have wrestled with the issue for several years. I have a HUGE fear of homeschooling from not being homeschooled right myself. I have given up on the subject, pushed it away and really tried hard not to think about it. I have even gone so far as to avoid fellow bloggers who homeschool (hey, I'm being honest here!)
But God has other ways of getting a persons attention. I found a blog by a mom who has been married 8 years and has 5 kids and loves the Lord, just like me. So of course I followed her : ) Her blog Our Family for His glory is in the beginning stages (like mine) but after looking her blog over I found....she also homeschools! Uh, oh! She lists her Top Ten Reasons for homeshooling in her blog post Why Homeschool?? Her reasons really got me thinking.
And finally we are facing major changes this year. It is very likely we will be moving (again) and it will be during the 2010/2011 school year. My husband's job (he is a city bus driver) has cut hours way back, so much that we will be unable to live off of what he will earn. New York state's budget is over 85 days late and they are making major cuts everywhere, including our area's transit system. We were already working on finding a church group to join so when we found out about his hours being cut we knew it was time to return to the ministry. Our hearts have longed to be back in ministry anyway. I do not have any idea of when we will be moving, what kind of schools will be at our new location or how our children will deal with our moving. Homeschooling really seems like the ONLY way to go to give our children the stability they need right now. And my mommy heart can rest a lot easier knowing they will be close during all the changes.
I know this is a long post, but my heart keeps returning to these issues. Where will we be going? I don't know. When will we be moving? I don't know. How will everything work out with our finances between now and then? I don't know. Where will our children go to school?
At home. I think God is wanting me to step out in faith for this one. Am I ready?
You can do it... try not allow a bad experience with homeschooling to taint your own view of how it CAN be. We use A Beka videos, which means I don't actually do the teaching, I just "moderate" and get their papers and tests ready, and of course help them when they get stuck. I don't have the discipline to do my own lesson plans and do all the teaching, and we've been very impressed with the quality of A Beka. There are also lots and lots of other options out there, I'm sure you'll be able to find one that works for you. Also, it would probably help you to find a homeschooling group in the area that you move to... one that would be able to give you tips, etc., and also a group you could do field trips with. My biggest issue with it right now is that the kids don't have much "kid contact" outside of their siblings. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord richly bless you as you take this step (LEAP!) of faith!
ReplyDeleteYou can do it Crystal! We are about to start our first year of homeschooling in August. I think this is something that God has wanted me to do since my soon started school and he is about to enter the 5th grade. I thought about homeschooling each year but never did and like you said, God has a way of getting your attention. Some very unsavory things happened to my son at school and he learned things that he should not have from other students. This was the breaking point. I'm scared too, so please know that's normal! I can't wait to see how your first year goes!! Thank you for stopping by my place. I loved your comment and your testimony of how God has provided for you and your family in your time of need!
ReplyDeleteCrystal- I am praying for you & your decision!! I know what a difficult decision it is- & one that should be bathed in prayer! For, it is often so hard to distinguish between God telling us not to do something, & our own fear of doing something (in which case God does NOT want us to fear, for He is with us)! I will continue to pray for wisdom to know God's will, & strength to follow His ways! Thank-you for your continuous encouragement- it has blessed me greatly! I enjoy being your "blog friend"!!
ReplyDeleteJessica