Those Crazy Homeschoolers!

For all you new homeschooling parents, I feel our family has, in a small way, gone before and hopefully smoothed the path. Of course, some of you came from homeschooling families so perhaps that path wasn't so rocky to begin with, but still. One would think that in this day and age, people wouldn't be so ignorant concerning this topic and yet, amazingly, they are! If one more person "kindly" reminds me how important it is to socialize my daughter, I'm going to SCREAM! Yes, like many children she clams up with those she doesn't know but um...sorry, I'm not going to tell her to go ahead and warm up to those strangers immediately, even if they are family. She has to come around in her own time when she feels safe. That's how children learn to trust their instincts.

No, I am not raising Lu in a commune. And I can't sow to save my life and don't care to learn. I'll leave that to Liz, she makes cute things. The strangest thing I've heard concerning Lu's schooling, and I've heard it often which is why it's so strange, is, "later on when she goes to school." Um, there's not going to be a later until college. I guess people just assume that when she gets to high school, that's it. I did have one friend that asked what will happen when we get to subjects like geometry. "I guess I'll take a class and learn geometry." I answered. I'm sure most of you know that I did not get the chance to really work hard and enjoy the learning aspect of school when I was in it. That's part of the reason, amongst many others, that Danny and I very easily and early on, agreed on homeschooling. I wanted Lu to enjoy the entire educational process and not just that, but succeed beyond her wildest dreams! That's part of the reason I worked my backside off when she was born to finish the work to earn my diploma. How could I teach her the importance of education when I hadn't even finished mine? Now, she'll understand that regardless of the trials life throws our way, we must prevail until we're victorious.

Someone else recently said, "yes, she might love it now but later she may want to do the 8-3 day in a regular school." Maybe, but that doesn't mean she's going to get to make that choice. Honestly, knowing my daughter, I doubt that will ever appeal to her. However, I thought about that after I got off the phone and I mentioned it to Danny. We decided right then that this is not one of the topics that is negotiable. Simply because our reasons, and when Lu is older we will explain them to her, are not one's that will change with time and are well founded and Biblically and educationally backed. Or in basic terms, we believe this is best for her.

Ok, so the upside to homeschooling in the few years that we've been doing it? First, I love teaching and I am good at it! Who knows, I've been tempted to get a degree in teaching and someday might just do that. Two, our family relationship is so close and strong, a foundation I pray makes all the difference in the teen years. Three, my daughter is able to be surrounded with really good and moral friends because I have a say in who she hangs out with more than I would if she attended a "regular" school. This will come in handy especially during the above mentioned teen years. Four, we have time for many extra curricular activities because she's not putting in as long a day. Five, I get to choose what she learns so she will be tutored in Spanish and French and Italian, learn different instruments, how to cook, garden, live healthy, devour literature and so much more! Six, she will most likely graduate around 15 or 16 years old as many in her school do. An impressive fact is that several alumni from our school work in politics. This means, Christian homeschoolers are taking their place in the white house after graduation. Maybe we stand a chance at redemption after all:)

A friend of mine, who is starting her own two girls in homeschool next year, posted on her blog that her eldest daughter, a Kindergartner, is reading at a second grade level. I know she will be even more amazed at where her daughter is after a year of homeschooling. I got to thinking about what level Lu is reading at. I should probably test her yearly to make sure she's being challenged. I found a testing site online. She missed one word (successful) on the eighth grade reading test. The test didn't go higher than eighth. I was astonished. I believe that the biggest difference with teaching at home is just allowing our children to learn to their ability. By that, I mean as slowly or quickly as they need. Ashlynn and the boys and Mira and Annah are going to soar at home as Lu has. If Mira is already loving books this much and reading at such a high level, she'll be reading Chaucer by the end of first grade:) I hope no one thinks I'm coming off as braggy (our principals wife says first born daughters overachieve in school) because I take no credit for Lu. God put her together wonderfully, as He did all our children and I am just in awe everyday as I watch her grown and learn. I am proud of her and proud of the decision we made to teach her.

I hope our positive experiences give you a little extra confidence in your own journey's. Homeschooling is not for everyone and it's certainly not the best thing for every child and parent. Those who are well suited for it, I believe have made a wise choice and non of us can even begin to fathom, for the long run, the amazing blessings we will receive from taking such a large role in our children's education. We're in charge of molding the next generation, a big responsibility. Knowing all of you, I have confidence that they will be an amazing group of people.