what led to your decision to homeschool?

***Today's topic is "What led to your decision to homeschool?".   Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.

When we first set out on our homeschooling journey, our reasons for doing so were largely faith-based.  We wanted to teach our kids to follow God's ways.  Deuteronomy 6:4-7 has always been an important verse for our homeschooling vision and for our family, homeschooling has been the best way to implement it's principles.

Over they years our main reason has stayed the same, but others have taken their place beside it.  In this journey that we started long ago, we have found that the reasons to continue toward the goal keep getting stronger.

Academic reasons:  When kids enter the high school years they "blossom".  Our experience has been that they find their niche subject (or subjects) that interest them the most and that will take them into their futures successfully.  As teacher, the parent is able to tailor their studies to the student's interests and future goals.  A science-minded student can engage in research and experiments without being tied to a particular grade-level's scope of study.  The library and the internet provide useful information for this type of in-depth learning.

College classes are available online as well as on campus with most community colleges accepting students over 15 years of age.  These classes provides not only high school credit, but also college credit which makes it possible for the child earn a degree at a younger age than his peers.

Time-use reasons:  Each person has a limited amount of hours to work with everyday.  Homeschoolers tend to have an open schedule and are able to choose how to fill their day. School work that is typically done in the morning hours can easily be done in the afternoon or evening if other priorities crowd out the AM hours.

For teenagers this presents opprtunities for work, volunteering, and learning.  Employers looking to fill positions are often happy to learn that a teen is available during tradional school hours.  Veteranarians and doctors generally allow students to shadow them during the summer months when school is out, but homeschoolers can seek these opportunities all year long with so much competition.  For four years my oldest daughter has volunterreed for a local vet's office during the school year and this will be a benefit on her vet school application.

Relational reasons:  For most kids the high school years are busy ones.  This is a time period when opportunities arise that will be beneficial for the child's future, as well as the people around her.  For many this time becomes characterized by over-scheduling and stress, and this can lead to tense family relations.  Even though the student may feel competent in steering through her own life, a teenager's relationship with her parents is crucial for guidance and encouragement.

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the ability to tailor the teacher and student's day to make room for not only the things that must be done each day, but also for the time needed to relate with each other.  Filling in our schedules first with our priorities is easier when the bulk of the full day's hours are available, as opposed to only the late afternoon and evening hours left after school attendance.

As the high school years become busy, parent and child are able to arrange their schedules to reflect the important things in life.

 

Over the years our vision has not changed, but rather it has broadened.  The foundational principles that led us to homeschooling in the first place support the principles and proofs that have lined up alongside them.  Looking to the future of our homeschool, we see good things ahead for the lives of our children, as well as ourselves.

Comments

[Dana]

Thank you for sharing that. I'd have to say our reasons are similar, if they came a bit late. Why we homeschool now is much more clearly defined than it was when we started!

[Pam in Colorado]

Sorry I didn't get your link to paste in. I can copy but they never paste in to be clickable any more. I think that we will need a computer day soon.

Thanks for a great topic list for this week.

[cindy]

love hearing about your experience. i have so many friends who homeschool and it sounds like such a rewarding experience. i had planned on it, but when the time came it didn't work out. i'll always wonder!

[Jenny]

Randi-

I am really looking forward to getting to know more homeschoolers this week. Thank you for hosting!

Jenny

[Stephanie]

As a family just beginning our homeschooling years, it is encouraging to hear from other homeschoolers. Thank you for sharing your vision and perspective!

[Fatcat]

I posted my reasons for homeschooling and now I'm off to read everyone elses!

[Barb]

Thanks for organizing this. I am working on our fall schedule right now so it should be helpful to read other's insight.

[Sheri]

Wow! You are so much more eloquent than I! Can I blame it on the fact that I have 4 buckets of Rit Dye awaiting our first "Tie-dye party"! (Thanks so much for the great idea!)

[kirsten]

thanks for this, randi! it made me write a post about homeschooling that i've been meaning to for a long time.

[Tammy]

I do think this week will be good for me. It's causing me to ponder things I haven't thought about in a long time. Homeschooling is just life for our family nowadays and not really our identity like it was when we began. It fits like an old favorite shoe, if that makes any sense! LOL!

I think I linked to the wrong page, so I have to go back and change that. This is going to be a new learning process for this old NON-savvy computer mom!

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

[Ann'Re]

Thanks for inspiring us to do this! I'm enjoying reading everyone elses posts. :)

[Carla Lynne]

I just posted and linked up, Randi.

What an encouraging way to start the week. I've read some gems today...

Much love and thanks,
Carla Lynne

[Melissa]

I posted mine for the day. I hope to get a chance to read everyone else's too! :)

[BeckyB]

What a great way to get us "ready" for this fall!!! It helps to get my wheels turning - both from what others are doing - AND from having to type my own!! Thanks for doing this!

[Mama Squirrel]

I've linked and hope to participate all week--enjoyed writing today's post, too!

[carol]

I really enjoyed writing my post. It took me waaaayyy back to the very beginning. I can't hardly believe its been that long and how much my family has changed and grown.

My 18YO son(Andy. I put up a linky to his blog also) is blogging about it too. I really enjoyed his thoughts AND the fact that he actually WANTS to write about something! LOL! A rare event!

[tracy]

I like your "Time-Use" reasons, I agree. They waste a lot of time at school too. Thanks for putting this together, I have been enjoying reading some of the posts.

[Lynn]

This lots of fun, thanks for doing this. I can't wait to read the other posts.

[Heather]

Hi There!
Thanks for hosting Back to Homeschool Week! What a great idea!!!
~Heather

[Rhonda in TN]

Thanks for doing this. It is a great motivator for the new school year.

Rhonda in TN

[Christy]

Reading through these has been such a blessing. Thank you for doing this.
~C

[Summer]

Those are all grat reasons. I especially love that we can custom fit the learning to our children's needs. That in itself is a huge plus for homescholing. :)

[Amanda]

My desicion to homeschool was definately a God thing. I had said that I would never do it, and honestly put down those who did. Well, I am here to tell you that God changed my mind and that I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. This will be our second year. This is how it all began. My husband and I have two kids of our own and we are raising our two great nephews. Miles was a year late starting school and Gage had absolutely no social or academic skills. Miles struggled through school and managed to hang in, however Gage was not doing so well. To sum it up Miles got held back, Gage was asked to leave public school and asked not to return to the private school he was traumatized at. After much prayer and dissapointment in the public and private school systems God led me to homeschooling. My older two kids thought it was a great idea at first, then they said "mom you are harder than school was". There are days when I don't think I am able to continue, but I know that God will give me strength and I have wonderful friends who also homeschool that give me much needed support. It as a blessing to read about others who homeschool. Thanks!

[Jennifer]

We didn't begin homeschooling for the same reason, although now I realize that it is much easier for us to pass our faith and values on to our children by homeschooling, without the constant assault on faith that happens in schools.

We share many of the same reasons, though, and I often think I should send a thank you note to the kindergarten teacher who,by providing such a miserable experience for all of us, led us to homeschool. ;-)

[Angel]

Thanks for hosting and sharing your story, Randi. It was fun writing today's prompt and reliving those memories from way back when. Thanks!

[Flo of Yieded Heart]

Thank you for hosting, Randi. I enjoyed participating and look forward to the rest of the week.

[jennifer at jennifer's joyride]

What great insights, Randi. You are so right about the high school years being so critical. Too many times people are pressured by family and friends to "send kids back" when they get to that point. Looking forward to the rest of the week!

[Christine]

I love and agree with all of your reasons. Though I can't post right now, I'll enjoy reading others' responses!

[Heather]

We didn't start for these reasons but your right--these are the same reasons that we intend to keep up homeschooling through highschool. Wonderful list and thank you for hosting this.

[kim]

I sorta went off topic already, but am looking forward to reading more blogs here and participating whenever I can drag myself away from summer!

Great idea by the way.

[Tonsofsons]

I am looking forward to the high school years. Wonderful and inspiring comment that you made regarding the high school years and how important the relationship is between child and parent.

[Susannah]

Thanks for hosting this! It's a wonderful idea! I added my first entry to your links.

[Jodi]

Enjoyed reading your post. Just wanted to let you know that I have decided to participate in this fun challenge too and have posted day 1 on my blog.
Jodi

[LivingforGod]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I greatly enjoyed reading your post. My oldest child is entering 9th grade. She and I are very close and we want to keep it that way :).
I hope you and others don't mind me linking to one of my old posts I wrote on this topic :).

[Trina]

Posted Day 1 on my blog, currently writing about Day 2's topic. Reading all the other moms' posts is so inspiring.

[Mrs. L]

Fun, I'm in and up!

[M Light]

What a wonderful idea for the week! I found out from Jennifer's (#36) blog.

I agree about homeschoolers "blossoming" when they hit high school. My daughter struggled with various subjects (and also migraines) when she was younger. Once the migraines got under control and she got into high school, she's really taken off.

[Daja]

Just learned about this tonight....I got mine in right under the wire. :-)

[Elaine]

I am trying to participate, although I'm already a day behind. Thanks for hosting this!

[DebD]

I just found this through Moomin Light's blog. What a great idea and I really need the shot in the arm. I have posted monday's question (I'm a day behind).

Thanks!

[Christy]

After 5.5 years of homeschooling and 2 years of blogging I just realized that I've never shared our story on how we became homeschoolers. Thank you for the good kick in the rear to get me going!

[Ln]

Thanks for this! With all the "Back to school" stuff going on, it's nice to remember why we're on a different path.

[Amanda G.]

We did a co-cop last year. It was ok, but my kids didn't like it much. This year we are going to be totally at home. I am hoping that a friend of mine who homeschools 3 kids will combine with us. Kind of like a co-op. hmmm! Maybe I didn't find the right one for my family. Maybe this could be the start of a new co-op.

[Kim]

What a wonderful idea! I have linked you on my blog and I am looking forward to reading all the wonderful ideas and insight about homeschooling as I begin my adventure this year :)

Blessings!

[ComfyDenim]

I've finally got my first answer written. :-) Thanks for the fun way to meet others and get my brain ready for the next year of schooling.

[Lawanda]

I think my reasons are broadening too. :) Thanks for doing this :)

[Hilda]

I am glad to join this fun event! I started my blog for friends and family, but am enjoying meeting new friends also...
Hilda Rebecca
www.followinghiswill.blogspot.com

[April @ For His Glory and My Good]

This is a great idea. Thank you for hosting it. I left a link to an older post entitled "Why I Homeschool". The post is a bit long...sorry. :) I look forward to reading your posts. Blessings!

[Melissa]

I enjoyed reading your reasons for why you homeschool! Have a great year!

[Dawne]

Great questions! thank you for doing this. : )

[Cheryl]

Thanks!

[Lori]

I really enjoyed reading your entry! I'm slowly working my way through everyone's entry. I always appreciate hearing why other parents are home schooling.

[Amber]

Hi Randi,

Sorry I am a little late to the game, but I wanted to join in the fun. I also linked to you today for the book inspiration.

Thanks again!

[Cecelia]

God called us to homeschool when our oldest daughter was finishing 5th grade and was going to be entering "Middle School". She had been convinced for 2 years that we were going to start homeschooling when she entered the 6th grade. Her Dad however was not convinced. So we prayed and guess what...God said Homeschool!! We are in our 4th year now and loving it ! My 3 girls are so blessed and love being at home for school ! Oh and they just love their teacher ! LOL