The Beginning of our Home School Journey (part 1)

I thought I'd share a little about how we got started homeschooling, and in future posts share about some of our curriculum choices and our own family's homeschooling "style". Since I know it so well (!) I forget that others don't (don't you all know everything I know???).

We are sortof unusual in the sense that I knew way back in my post-college days that if God ever blessed my future husband and I with children, we would home educate them. In my home state, the homeschooling law at that time (about 25 years ago ~ yikes!) required homeschoolers to have their children evaluated annually, either privately by a certified teacher, or through a standardized test. Many homeschoolers preferred the private evaluation option, and since I was sympathetic toward homeschooling and was a state certified teacher, I began a part time job of going into people's homes and evaluating their homeschooled children. I was free to come up with my own evaluation tools, and to write my report in whatever fashion I chose.

This was a fascinating venture, and one that impacted me strongly toward homeschooling my own children. I saw a variety of different styles and methods: some families had desks for each of their children and started and ended their day at specific times. Some had "kitchen math" and "farmyard science". Some emphasized art and music, some emphasized life skills, some were very structured, and some were what I would later come to know as unschoolers. The one thing all these families had in common was that their children were thriving!

I witnessed first hand the incredible value of one on one tutoring, and grew to be a strong supporter of parental rights, though I had as yet no children of my own. There are always exceptions, of course, but the bottom line is that most parents really do know what is best for their child! No-one loves their children as much as they do, and no-one else is as committed to seeing them succeed. I strongly believe that God has given the right to train and educate children to their parents ~ not to the state and not to the church. Scripture is pretty clear on this. Parents who choose institutional school for their children are still directing their education. They are enlisting the help of others, but the final choices and responsibility are theirs alone.

When I began visiting home educators, I was at first intrigued. Then fascinated. Then convinced. I was completely hooked.

Years later, when I finally met my future hubby (that's a long but very romantic story for another time!) and we were preparing for marriage, this was something we talked about. He was also completely sold on the idea of educating and discipling our own children, and in fact has become perhaps an even stronger supporter of homeschooling than I am! When I have those occasional really bad days and feel completely overwhelmed and think that I cannot continue to do this, all I have to say is, "I don't think I can keep doing this" and he is asking what he can do to help, and how can he give me a planning break, and what do I need in order to stay the course? He is my number one cheerleader.

Meanwhile, both of my sisters married and had children and began homeschooling.....and as they say, the proof was in the pudding! I couldn't wait to join them! On my hubby's side of the family, however, no-one else homeschooled and it was seen as a pretty radical idea. We began casually dropping hints about our intentions while our daughter was still a baby. They have completely warmed up to the notion (it helps that we've been doing it for 7 years now and our children aren't too weird!) and are very supportive. I am so thankful that I don't face opposition from anyone close to me, which many of my homeschooling colleagues do experience.

It took us longer than we planned to start our family (which is another long story for another time), but once the babies began coming I was overjoyed that now I would be able to be first a stay-at-home mom, and then a homeschooling mom. God had given me that dream so many years before, and it has been humbling and exhilarating to see it come to fruition! God is good!