I like the idea of traveling and showing them the world whenever it’s convenient for our family and not the school system. I like the idea of teaching them things first and not letting the public system get the first crack at them. Maybe one day my day will come, but for now, they are doing very well in their school and for this season that’s where they’ll remain.

One year at a time…

I’m thrilled you’ve asked this question on this particular forum because these answers have been amazing!

I have little to add but confirmations, but I’m bad at remaining silent…. (lol)

After God made it clear to us that we were to teach our children at home (He’s good at confirming what He puts in your heart and mind), we began simply out of obedience. Our homeschool journey started with the first time we read to our first daughter, and it naturally progressed from there.

We never tried to re-create “school” at home - we just did what worked for us. Our schedules, pace and subjects were up to us (as long as we were covering the basics). We gleaned ideas from other homeschooling families, but early on gave up thinking we had to “do it all” or be a carbon copy of some other family’s school. Instead of thinking we needed to be a certain temperament for this, we created the school that fit us. [We also checked our progress by finding the area SAT-type tests, where the girls always tested years beyond their grade levels.] There is a tremendous freedom in homeschooling, but with that also comes responsibility. Neither should be taken too lightly.

Don’t neglect the MANY resources available to the homeschooling communities. And I’m not even talking about the huge variety of curriculum at your disposal. In my area the YMCA offers PE, there are a variety of Co-ops to join, Homeschool bands, choirs, debate teams and sports teams — many more things than we had time for. Once you start looking around I think you’ll be surprised how socially connected and academically supported you can be.

And speaking of that ‘S’ word (socialization)…..when I read your original post about your husband’s concern, my first thought was that some people say “socialization” but actually mean “one-who-appears-to-fit-the-public-school-mold” in regards to attitude and appearance. Personally, we were hoping to avoid that mold with our daughters. We wanted them to be confident, Godly young women capable of interacting appropriately with all ages in all situations. I can’t say that’s the same standard the public school system is attempting to meet! We have (with God’s guidance and strength) been blessed to raise young women who have always garnered praise from others regarding their maturity, intelligence and manners. Our girls do not look nor act like overly-sheltered bumpkins. Thankfully they do not dress like hookers, swear like sailors nor sleep around like the public school teenagers tend to, either. You will find that there are many opportunities to plug your student(s) into social situations while homeschooling. The up side is that YOU get to pick and choose them when you’re the school principal.

More than anything, I want to encourage you to RELAX about this decision. If God is asking you to do this, He will enable you to be successful in the undertaking. Also, please don’t stress out thinking you have to have it all figured out before you embark! Your homeschooling journey will be different than others’ - it will be tailored to you and your students - and you’ll figure it out as you go. You’ll find what works and what doesn’t, and adjust things many times along the way.

Having said all this, I’m not implying you *should* or *must* homeschool your children. It is NOT for everyone. For some families it’s just not a good fit. For others, it works out that it’s best just for a time. Be obedient to what you and your husband think God is calling you to do and go there confidently and in peace, trusting Him.

All in all, I think you’ll be amazed at what God can do.

God’s richest blessings to you and yours,

Karen Slusher
Soon-to-be-retired Homeschooling mother to two amazing teenage daughters (one in Running Start and one to enter a School of the Arts in the Fall….so I’m almost done!!)

(Denise, we knew you at PICC; in fact, I housesat/babysat your 5 boys for several days when you went to a conference–Heather Johanson) I find your blog excellent! Thanks!

Heather Penning

Most who aren’t sold on home schooling will tend to select socialization or academic delay as their main points of argument. To be honest, those are the very same things for which we could find fault in the public schools. As much as I loved our experience in the Christian school setting, there were similar issues there, too, aside from cost.

When we chose to home school, we had to analyze it from several different angles. Perhaps some of this will be helpful to you. I hope it is.

First and foremost, you need to be sure that this is what God is calling you to do for your children. We are all called, as parents, to lead, guide, protect, and instruct our children, but that may or may not mean home schooling. At this point, you want to be sure you are called to this choice. Obedience is always, always better than the other option. ;’) Know why you are home schooling, know you are called to it, and then begin the process. Talk to other home schooling families to see if God uses them to affirm your leanings as part of the process.

Secondly, when you have determined you are called, go forward. This has several parts to it in the process, so here are some thoughts.

Formalize your school in God’s eyes and yours. Would He have you name it? Should you have a mission statement? Will you have basic rules and guidelines for your whole family’s clarification? These may seem like hoops to jump through, but I’m convinced this provided me with an intimate understanding of what I was called to and how we would function. (We have a name, three rules, and a principal.) ;’)

As you work through the formalization process, much of that will be determined by the state you live in. That will determine what your record keeping side of the equation looks like. If you must keep records, you might try the Home School Tracker software. I am not required to keep them, but I do anyway. HST is great to keep my lesson planning on track, too. If you aren’t the type to be organized, this is the kind of thing that might feel like your worst enemy, but it can be your best friend, too.

Curriculum is one of the things that is most overwhelming. What I’ve found over the years is that I tend to choose something based on my sons’ needs, or possibly on my own prideful goals. Can I encourage you to find curriculum that suits who you are as a teacher and who your children are as students? I wish I’d done a better mix. The things that have not gone well were things chosen based on only one side of the equation. We go back to why we are home schooling, who we are as Christian parents, and who our kids are as He made them. It helps a bit in the selection. Talk to other home schoolers because there is SO MUCH curriculum out there, I believe anyone can find something that will work.

Socialization is one of the things that people pick on the most. The funny thing about that argument is that it tends to fall flat in reality. I’ve not found the kids in a school setting to be more socially fluent necessarily. Often, I’ve found they are adept with their own age groups, possibly, but they are not fluent across all ages as many home schoolers have proven themselves to be. Plus, I find that most home schoolers are part of a regularly scheduled group…or sports…or church activities…or other home schooling friends. This has shown me that my kids are getting input from others in a way that I am happy with. I don’t want my kids to be loosely unsupervised with uncensored information from peers coming in from all angles. I’m okay with knowing where my kids are and who their friends are. Am I controlling? Perhaps. I stand before God responsible for that, too. No one else does. I’m not ready to turn my kids over to someone else right now. There’s too little precious time left to pour into their foundation with Christ! :’)

I believe you could home school. With the right tools, I think most anyone can successfully do it. While every first timer has a TRANSITION year the first time (and that shouldn’t be downplayed), usually the family finds a groove and it begins to move right along ever so much better.

I can’t tell you what to do. I can tell you that, should your husband decide it is acceptable, you could certainly submit to his lead on it and find a suitable way to accomplish the goal. I would say your husband’s lead will be ever so important on this. Every school needs a principal. Didn’t we all learn something like “The principal is your PAL” when we were young? *grin*

Blessings to you as you sort this out. We’ve done this both ways (home school and Christian school). This wasn’t the easiest option, but it clearly has been the BEST!