Choosing Homeschooling Again

Homeschooling gets into your blood. That's what I have realized after ten years of teaching my children at home (and a year off). When I first began, I was a "Mom Who Homeschooled". As I went along, I became "A Homeschooler". And now, I realized that the Mom and the Homeschooler have merged into me: A Homeschool Mom.

I took a little time off from homeschooling. I've actually thought I was "done" twice. The first time lasted two months. The second time was longer, but I learned a lot during the time off. I learned that when I sit in my kid's classroom, silently critiquing the teacher's methods, I am probably not the most supportive classroom parent, and I am lacking Christlike qualities of humility and grace. The time wasted on transitioning from one activity to another baffled me. The time wasted dragging out learning basic letter sounds and names was astounding, since I had taught several children to READ in the amount of time it took his first grade class to learn all the sounds the alphabet makes! But it was the attitude of the teachers--the blatant, uncaring attitude, that really upset me. No matter what her degree, or how long she has taught, she's not me: The Homeschool Mom.

Why do I homeschool? Because I love my kids more than anything, and I want to give them an education on their terms, where they are. I want to raise them to love the Lord, learn Biblical principles, and appreciate family values. Those teachers will never do any of these things for my kids.