In Her Shoes and Through Her Lens

(Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post! Super appreciate it! I will keep this blog up and post when the mood strikes :))

So the news is out. We have finally outed ourselves as a home schooling family. The weeks between making the final decision and telling the world was a bit scary. I was really nervous about the feedback we would get. For the most part, people have been very supportive. My home schooling friends are thrilled as you can imagine. They have heard me hem and haw over the decision for years so I think they are happy to see that I have finally made up my mind. I’d say all of my non-home schooling friends have been supportive as well. The usual response is “I could never do it but that’s great that you are.” And I truly appreciate that! It’s nice to be accepted despite this obvious difference in parenting styles!

I’m sure there is more to come but Jim and I have experienced a lack of total support. I knew it would happen with choosing an unpopular route so I’m doing my best to accept it and move on. I feel like you can talk all the pros of home schooling until you are blue in the face but the proof won’t be there until the naysayers see the fruits of your labor. Until Eli and the others show academic growth and *gasp* aren’t un-socialized freaks, we’ll just have to trust in our decision and not worry too much about others’ opinions.

So why did we choose to home school? Believe me, the decision WAS NOT EASY! I worried myself sick over making the right choice for my kiddos and it really came down to the fact that preschool was ending and as enrollment for the new year was taking place we HAD to make a decision. When Eli was an infant I remember reading a bit about home schooling and how the traditional classroom is not ideal for boys. It really struck me because I distinctly remember boys in my class constantly getting in trouble for not sitting still or behaving. Of course at the time I thought they were just being naughty but this really shed some light on the situation. I didn’t want Eli to feel inferior or “bad” because of his natural boy tendencies to want to move, explore and not sit still for lengths of time.

While that finding is part of it, it’s not the only reason we are home schooling. That information definitely brought my attention to something I NEVER in a million years thought I would do but through the years, as I have researched and talked to people, my “why” has changed and has become way more intricate. I think it’s natural to assume home schooling is a decision made out of fear. And yes, while I do worry about my kids’ exposure to certain things and their safety, I’ve found that my decision was really based on how amazing home schooling can be. Believe it or not, as I envisioned our future, I would get butterflies in my stomach thinking of all I can give my kids and how much fun they can have learning in a non-traditional way. I think most of the time when we think of home schooling we think of deprivation – no friends, no social interaction and no extra-curricular activities. We envision a really boring life, sitting at one’s kitchen table doing work sheets and not having any fun. After talking to home school families and getting a peek into their lives I have found that that is so not the case.

One thing I have been told time and time again is “Home school is NOT school at home.” It’s WAY more than that. I thought Eli and I would sit at the kitchen table working for hours a day and that would be it. Little did I know that it did not have to be that way nor should it be. Yes, we will be sitting together working on phonics and math but I’m also looking forward to doing stuff with him that he wouldn’t be able to easily do in a class full of students. This is where the idea of deprivation goes out the door. Instead of looking at what my kids might be missing out on, I’m focusing on all the amazing stuff they will be able to do! My kids will get one on one interaction and will be able to learn at their own pace. We get to do LIFE together and that is what I have found is so important to home schoolers. We will have freedom to learn where we want (outside on the grass), when we want (no morning bell!) and how we want (textbooks, museum, out in the world). So yes we will do the traditional work but I also plan on letting my kids learn in so many other ways. I can’t wait to take a week in Fall to go up to the cabin and study wild life and leaves and whatever else we want. In winter we won’t be confined to school breaks and will be able to head down to Florida and study sand and the ocean. Eli is a very inquisitive little boy and with what mesmerizes him I wouldn’t be surprised if he became an engineer or an electrician! Instead of waiting until high school or college to really learn about the stuff that interests him, we’ll dive right into it now! If he wants to learn about the solar system, we’ll immerse ourselves in the solar system. Dinosaurs? We will study it. Art? We’ll do it every day! This is the freedom that I’m most looking forward to. While I know my kids might not have a “normal” childhood, I’m looking at it as though they will have an extraordinary childhood because they will get to focus on their strengths and what really intrigues them.

But the most important thing? I want them to have a heart for God. I couldn’t put my finger on it when people would say to me “Oak Creek has such great schools!” and that didn’t do much to sway me. And then I realized it. I realized that it means nothing to me if my kids come out of school as geniuses but don’t know Jesus. And I know so many amazing parents who instill great beliefs in their kids who go to school. I hope no one thinks I’m saying it’s one way or the other. I don’t believe that at all. It’s just with our family I believe it to be the best for us. This is honestly all new to me. I grew up in private Christian schools and was still exposed to a lot of stuff I probably shouldn’t have been. I didn’t become a Christian until I was in high school and that was a hard foundation to pour with so many outside forces. I’m praying that I can give my kids something I didn’t have growing up. I’m hoping that they can hide the word of God in their hearts so that one day when they are faced with temptations and choices, their souls will whisper to them to do the right thing because of what they were taught from early on. If my kids are fierce warriors for God but mediocre readers, I will consider my job done.

I really hope no one is offended by this. I was a bit scared to share because I didn’t want anyone to think I was putting up a case against traditional school. Despite feeling very sure about our decision right now, I still do envy parents who send their kiddos to school. They get a break from their kids! They get to clean their homes in peace! They get to focus on work and other things that need time and attention. I’m very aware of the fact that I probably feel overwhelmed, stretched thin and aggravated some (most?) of the time. I will probably long for breaks and silence. My house will ALWAYS be messy! I definitely am being realistic about what life has in store for us. This will be a learning experience and an adventure for all of us!

In case anyone is wondering. Here is the curriculum I am planning on at the moment:

Logic of English – Foundations: This was highly recommended to me by home schoolers. It teaches kids phonograms as opposed to sight words which sets them up for being great readers down the road.

Math U See Alpha – Again, this came highly recommended by my home schooling friends. I was originally going to buy Primer but was told Eli is probably beyond that. Honestly, I need to learn more about this method because I have a feeling it will be new to me!

A Beka Think and Learn K5 – I don’t know too much about this but I know it’s great for teaching logical thinking. Eli did A Beka curriculum in preschool so I think this will be an easy transition for us.

Confessions of a Home Schooler K4 Curriculum – This is more of a supplement than our main curriculum. I like her Daily Notebook work and she has worksheets and great ideas for games and hands on learning.

Confessions of a Home Schooler Letter of the Week – This is for Gabby. I don’t have plans to REALLY dive into school with her but knowing Gabby she won’t want to be left out so I thought this would be great for her.

Kids of Character Bible Study – We started this a while back and haven’t stayed on track with our busy mornings but it is SO GOOD. Each chapter covers a bible verse that the kids memorize and it studies a character trait you want your kids to learn and nourish. We’ve done obedience and forgiveness. I think it’s a great study for any family, home schooling or not!

So that’s that! We will officially be a home schooling family in the Fall! I will definitely keep you all posted on the progress!