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I am so happy to have a wonderful “Why Homeschool?” guest post today from Misty. I hope her thoughts and words inspire some of you. Thanks, Misty!
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To see past posts in the series or to learn about how to participate, click on the Guest Posts Tab above.
Hi! I am Misty, and I blog at Mimi’s House. I have 3 beautiful children and have been homeschooling since January of 2009. The question Why Homeschool? comes up a lot I think. Anytime you are out and about with your kids on a school day people tend to ask what you are doing, why the kids aren’t in school and why in the world would you want to spend all day with your children?
My kids on the first day of school for the 2012-2013 school year!
For me homeschooling originally was not an option. I was going to be a teacher! I had plans on teaching since I was a small child. When I was with my cousins and friends we always played “school”. I always loved kids, and taught Sunday school at my church when I was a teen. I loved to teach! When I had my first born Alyson the plan was to finish college and start my career. But after I had her, I could not fathom putting her in daycare. My parents refused to stop their lives to raise my child (at the time this infuriated me, now I am grateful!) so I stayed home for a while with her. When she was one I got a job working for a preschool program called Head Start. My schedule meant Alyson would not have to be in daycare because I worked opposite hours as my husband. Plus as a bonus, they would pay for me to finish school! I had found my dream job!
However, my plan did not work out like I wanted. I ended up pregnant with my middle Kristen when Alyson was only 18 months. With two kids I could not imagine working the way my husband and I had been doing. The opposite shifts and never seeing each other was taking its toll on our marriage. So, I quit my dream job at the end of the school year and started my own in home daycare. My plan was to still some day put them in school and start my “real” job…
About a year or so later I felt the Lord dealing with me to homeschool. An awesome family in my church did it! And it looked really appealing. However, I felt like I was not “equipped” to teach her everything she needed to know. After all, I didn’t finish college! So, off she went to preschool, which was an eye opening experience for me. She knew everything they were teaching her! She was so bored. Did she like school? Sure! She liked playing with her friends, but she did not understand why she wasn’t home with me and the other kids. We were playing games, doing arts and crafts, having fun here, why couldn’t she? I began asking myself the same question.
Alyson during her first week at preschool
I pulled her out over Christmas break. My husband still wasn’t sold on homeschooling, but the Lord had been dealing with him too. So, he said IF I could teach her to read, then I could homeschool. That was the deal. Within a few weeks she was reading. Teaching your child to read is such an amazing accomplishment. There is something about seeing their eyes “light up” that makes you realize you are capable of doing this! My family thought I was nuts, some of my friends thought I was nuts, and sometimes I did too. But still that nagging in the back of my head telling me I am doing the right thing has kept me going!
There are so many reasons to homeschool. As I just shared the biggest reason I began homeschooling was that God told me too! But after a few years I have realized there are so many other awesome benefits. Homeschooling has allowed me to cater to my children’s learning abilities, we have the freedom to make our own school schedule, I am able to teach my children Biblical truths as we go about our day, I know what they are learning, and who they are with! I am getting ready to start our 5thyear of homeschooling. It has not always been easy and it was not part of my original plan, but I have come to the realization that God’s plan for our lives is always so much better than our own.
Our family Christmas 2012
Misty is a homeschool mom to 3 beautiful blessings. She and her husband just celebrated 10 years of marriage. She blogs at Mimi’s House on homemaking, homeschooling, marriage, parenting and anything else the Lord lays on her heart.
Smith Family says
Thanks for sharing this! What a great story! 🙂