Breaking the Mold

Tonight, I was privileged to be able to spend an evening with other mothers watching a movie called The Homeschool Awakening. It was such an encouragement to hear all the reasons why homeschooling is so amazing for our kids. In the movie, homeschooling is described as breaking the mold of the education norm in this country. That’s exactly what it is, we’re breaking that mold and setting ourselves free.

I’ll admit that there have been times when I’ve wondered if we were doing to right thing. However, whenever these thoughts come up, God quickly reminds me that I’m exactly where he wants me to be.

So why is homeschooling so wonderful for our children? Let me share with you some things that I’ve witnessed firsthand.

• The biggest benefit, as a believer, is that homeschooling gives us the ability to point everything we learn back to God. Whether it be history, science, math or anything else we see God in it all. The constant struggle of war and greed throughout world history has been a direct result of our need for a Savior. All of creation has a perfect and beautiful design that only our God could create. These are truths we talk about during our time together. I’ve witnessed one of my children overcome doubts on whether or not the Bible is true because of a history lesson. I’ve also heard my child tell me, after learning about all the selfish gods of the Greeks and Romans, that only our God loved us enough to sacrifice His Son for us. THESE ARE THINGS THEY WOULD NEVER LEARN OR BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IN PUBLIC OR POSSIBLY EVEN PRIVATE SCHOOL!
• Another benefit is that, with homeschooling, children have the stability of having their parent there for every victory and struggle. I get to see how far my kids have come firsthand because I’ve been there for it all. No matter the difficulty, we press on and eventually overcome it. I’m there for every tear and every breakthrough. I’d miss these beautiful moments if they were in school.
• With homeschooling, we can tailor our kids’ education to fit their individual learning needs. If one of my children needs extra time and/or more attention I can easily give it to them. We can slow down or speed up as we need to and it’s totally fine.
• Homeschooling gives children the time to be kids. They can get their work done and spend the rest of their time playing outdoors or indoors, exploring, laughing and enjoying their childhood.
• When we homeschool, our children can have time to pursue their individual interests. They have time to experience learning skills that they may be able to use in their future careers and life.
• In homeschooling, children learn to associate with all age groups not just their peers. We have been able to be apart of co-ops where the age of the kids in the classes varies greatly. We also spend time visiting with the elderly and other adults. They also get to spend quality time with their parents and grandparents. The wealth of wisdom and knowledge obtained from these relationships is priceless. They learn how to communicate with all ages not just kids their own age.
• The last thing I’ll mention is that with homeschooling we are not tied down to a strict schedule. We can take off on a family adventure in the middle of September if we want to. We can also take a week off if we need a break and it is totally ok. The flexibility is amazing.

I do realize that homeschooling isn’t for everyone. Regardless if you choose to homeschool or not, please remember that your children are your GREATEST MISSION in life. Don’t let these precious years pass by without pointing them to Christ. That is our ultimate goal as believers.