I love the quotes "One good mother is worth a thousand school masters". And the other one "The heart of a mother is the child's classroom". It's so true! A mother is the best person to teach her children. She cares more about them than anyone in the whole world.
So, many of you know, but some may not, that I have decided to homeschool my children this year. I've gotten all kinds of responses to this decision. From "I am so proud of you!" to "WHY?! I would never do that!", to "What about your mind, your sanity? Don't you want a break?!" Some of these responses come to me as a surprise. And I don't know how to answer and just end up saying "because..I want to!" But the truth is it's more than that. And now I can say that the simple answer is:
Because God told me to...
Yep. He did. Loud and clear. But before I get to that I want to say that I don't have any opinion with how you raise your kids. Their yours. period. I also don't have any problems with teachers, or school in general. That's not why I am doing this. In fact I have many friends who are public school teachers, and my children have had some of the best teachers I have ever met.:) I do, however, have a problem with public school system. Too many to mention here (I could take up several more posts on this, but I won't). And don't even get me started on standardized tests! I get that the state wants to know how the kids are doing, but do they really need to do this and sacrifice our kids education? Is it really necessary to take up half the school year to "teach to the test", and lose valuable instruction time our children so desperately need?
Ok, stepping off of the soapbox...
Several years ago I felt God was calling me to stay at home. I didn't listen and went to work anyway, we needed the income, and besides, I liked working. But something always happened to make me quit my job (family problems, kids sickness, Shawn's hours changed). After all, family comes before any job, no matter how much I liked it, I love my family more. After going thru this a few times, I realized it wasn't coincidence and started praying. He said clearly "Stay Home!" Ok God I get you want me home, but I need an income, I need a way to make money and help with household expenses. No joke, a week later, (last year on vacation), I got messages from two friends asking if I was interested in babysitting their children! Hello! I felt an immediate sense of relief and thankfulness to God and it was the confirmation I needed. Fast forward about 6 months.. I had been through some "issues" with the schools, with my children, and with our schedules. (Nothing too significant). But they kept happening enough to annoy me. (grin) I starting seeing all these posts from christian bloggers about homeschooling, and it all looked enticing. I had thought about it years ago when Alexa was little but Shawn squashed that idea a strong "no way" so I decided not to choose that battle and sent her to school. I put it all out of my mind, but everyday something different would bring it to my attention. Then one day Tanner stayed at home from school sick. I emailed his teachers asking if there was any work he could do at home since he was going to be out for several days. They sent me 4 days of work for three different classes! I thought Oh Lord, we are gonna be busy! You know what? It took him all of 3 hours to do all that work and study for 2 different tests (which he aced the following week at school).
An idea popped in my head...and I heard God whisper to my heart
"Bring them Home".... I text Shawn and told him how long it took him to do all that work and how amazed I was. (Tanner is very smart, but has been struggling in school the last two years with no explanation. Plus, he would come home every single night doing homework until dinner time and sometimes later.) He was obviously reading my mind because he text back "don't even think about it" (LOL). I (in all my stubborness), asked "why not?" And there it started... I knew all these years he was against it, but I never asked why! The fact was, he just didn't know a whole lot about it! And seriously neither did I, but I knew God was telling me something, and I wanted to follow. I did a lot of research. Wait let me redo that.. I did a
LOT of research!!! I went to my husband again and asked him if I could do this. He was annoyed with me by now (LOL), but said if I sent him an email with links to everything I found in support of homeschooling, he would consider it. I got right to work! I sent him TONS of information! (I don't think he ever went through even half of it!) He knew if I went through that much trouble, there must something to it. While I waited for his answer, I went to God. I said, " Lord I did what you wanted, I stayed home. If you really want me to homeschool I am willing, but you'll have to change Shawn's heart." No surprise, He did just that! Amen!
Obviously we have both had our doubts, especially when we started telling people and getting some negative reactions. But I determined to follow God's plan for our lives no matter what. I know not everyone understands my decision, especially if your not a Christian, but God's word tell us:
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22
You see,
I want to leave an inheritance for my children..an eternal one! I can teach them all the math, geography, science, history, etc, and they could become wealthy and smart and even powerful in this world. But none of that matters if I don't teach them to love Jesus, to know Him, to grower closer to Him. I know this world is not our home, I know there is another, far grander, place for me, and I want to see my children there. I will, in fact, I am giving up the riches of this place to ensure they see the riches in Heaven. Nothing else matters to me. This is what He has called me to do. I have struggled, I fought back, I have turned away. But in the end, it's His will, and I will lay down my life for that. I pray you all do the same. I don't mean to home school your children. But to follow what God's plan for you is. To seek Him and know where it is He is calling to go. Stop and listen. If you pray, if you seek His will, He will answer you. All you have to do is listen...
Now that I am done preaching to you (grin...I am so not worthy to do so..), here's how you can help me..
1. Pray for me. Everyday I question this decision, and everyday God has not let me down in knowing this is the right one. Pray that I lead my children where they are to go. Pray that I have the patience and the faith to keep doing God's will, no matter what that might be.
2.Pray for my children and my husband. That he is patient and supportive even if he doesn't understand, and that they will learn and grow and recognize their God-given talents.
3.Be supportive. This doesn't mean I want you to send me money for materials, or come teach a class for me (although if you offered, I probably would not decline! :). This means, don't tell my kids that you are going to test them, you wouldn't do it if they were in public school, why do it now. All that shows is your lack of faith in me and my children's abilities to learn. It's one thing to ask how school's going and what we are learning about (those questions right there will give you your answers) but it is a complete disrespect to me as their mother and teacher to "test" my children. Or to say negative things in front of them. If you have a concern, please bring it to me and I will discuss it with you. Otherwise, please only be positive in front of the kids. Lift them up, don't bring them down. :) And besides, there will be plenty of posts on here showing you how they are doing, and I am sure you won't be able to shut them up about it when you're around them! LOL
Please feel free to leave me a comment below!
Blessings,
Laura
