The Road to Homeschool

We are on a journey.   There are bumps in this road, and a lot of distractions.  Sometimes we break down or run out of gas.  There is one thing that we can always rely on.  It's our GPS.  We have never been led in the wrong direction by our GPS.  God is awesome!!  He is who led us on this journey and as much as I don't always like to drive, I am so glad he is guiding us here.

We are carrying precious packages on our journey.  We have God's fine china on board.  It is our job to keep that china clean, unbroken and ready for service.  Off we go! 

When our two oldest children were young, it was just automatic thinking for me - 2 years of preschool, then off to public school. (They later went to Christian school.)  I was a young Christian mom, but my priorities were different.  I led the way.  I didn't let God do that.  As the kids got older, I often thought about children that were homeschooled and wondered if I could do something like that.  My son was ahead in Math and Science.  I told myself I could never keep up.  I had a hard time trying to help my daughter with her homework.  I could never homeschool her all day. I didn't have enough resources and could never find all the information I needed. I had migraines every day - debilitating ones that would absolutely keep me from homeschooling.  I only had my GED, so I wasn't qualified to educate my children at home.  I convinced myself these things were true.  I hadn't bothered to ask God. 

When the kids were 12 and 10, we had our third child, Turkey.  I didn't even think about her schooling until the time came for preschool.  Any time I would discuss schooling with my husband, he said he agreed with anything I wanted because he trusted me.  So, when the time came for T to attend a preschool, I chose an option and he agreed.

 

T was 3.5 when we sent her to preschool.  Up until that point in her young life, she had never been ill.  Not once.  She had a couple of runny noses while cutting teeth, but no illnesses.  The first day she went to preschool, she became ill.  She was sick so much after that.  She was ill so often, she missed a LOT of preschool.  After 4 months, I pulled her out.  But during that 4 month period where she was attending, God was working on my heart. 

I had purchased a Christian curriculum for T to supplement her in those 4 months because she was missing so many days of preschool.  I started to see that I really could teach her.  I prayed about it, not yet asking if I should homeschool, just asking to be able to teach her what she needed to know.

The next school year came around and I really wanted T to socialize more with children her age, so I tried another preschool.  After 3 weeks of her coming home kicking, biting, hitting, punching, pushing and talking about a boy she liked, and another little girl fighting with her over this boy, I was really upset!  Are you kidding me?  You are 4 years old.  Really?  She wasn't acting like our little girl!  I felt sick.  I talked to my husband.  I prayed.  We pulled her out.

 

I got busy really working with T.  Three days a week we had "school".  It was so fun to see her learning.  It was so rewarding to know I was the one teaching her.  The Holy Spirit was working on my heart, tugging at me, telling me I could do this.  I started to pray more and talked to my husband about NOT sending our daughter to school. (Lord Jesus, guide me!) I got to a point where almost every conversation I had with someone, I would mention feeling led to homeschool.  I got a lot of strange looks.

My husband was not on board with me in the beginning. He also gave me strange looks. :) He agreed to let me teach T at home for her Kindergarten year, but he was concerned with her being able to play sports at school and to "socialize".  Something happened to his heart, too.  We both could see her learning.  It was happening at home.  She wasn't missing out on anything!  In addition, T has been ADHD symptomatic and diagnosed.  I am convinced she would not do well in a setting with many distractions.  Even her doctor has told us homeschooling was best (right now) for her.

 

Homeschooling is a blessing!  My husband and I both see that.  He does not ever speak of sending T to a school outside our home.  He prays with me and trusts me with curriculum choices.  He is our cheerleader.  He is proud of me and proud of T.  He is also a wonderful substitute teacher. :)  He has even talked about turning our barn into a "schoolhouse", since it is clear we are also going to homeschool the 2 little boys God added to our family after T. 

Admittedly, I have not totally enjoyed this journey. I am NOT one of those moms who is full of pep and positivity every day about homeschooling. I find it to be a lot of work. My patience, the little I have, is tried constantly. God called me to do this. It has been a process in my heart. He says I can do this!  God called me and I am just trying to be obedient.  When I get strange looks from people now, or when they question my abilities or reasons, that is what I tell them.  They usually have no response.  Who is going to argue?

So, we continue our journey carrying God's fine china. We are in our 5th year!  We make a lot of pit stops, but we trust our GPS (God's Pulling Spirit) entirely!  God is SO good!