What are some of the reasons why you chose to homeschool? Have any of those reasons changed over the years?

Good Morning!! First, I want to say that I am thankful to LifeWay for starting a Homeschool Forum!! I have been homeschooling my boys for 8 years. As I tell everyone who asked me the reason as to why I decided to homeschool: The only reason was because God led me too. I didn't want to and prayed about it for a year before I started homeschooling. I tell anyone considering homeschooling their children to seek God in prayer and he will guide them in the right direction.
Alot of people have a hard time with families who homeschool and the biggest argument they have pertains to social skills. My two teenage boys have plenty of social skills and can converse with anyone and social skills are taught at home and thru church and basic contact with the public. Back to my answer: It is how God led and that is why I homeschool.

Welcome, Believes God!
So glad you found the forum! Hope you are blessed by it and stop by often.
Sometimes I argue with God. Sometimes I'm so tired I argue, "You can't possibly be telling me to continue this, can you? I'm too tired!" But He's gracious with me when I'm being foolish.
Ever find yourself arguing with God?

Yes, I have argued with God before. I love that God allows us to talk things thru with him. In the end I realize or I should say come to my senses and ask God to forgive me and help me to submit to His Will in my life. Sometimes I don't understand why God allows certain things in my life or calls me to do certain things in my life but He knows what is best for me and my family and this is all a part of trusting God when we can't see what he is doing in our lives.

I've been focusing on that Proverbs 31 woman - not all the THINGS she does, but the fact that she laughs at the days to come. I want to do that - to have such faith and lack of anxiety about the future that I can laugh!

Hi all ~ I'm not homeschooling yet...I'm starting after this school year. My daughter is in 1st grade right now, and my son will be in Kindergarten this fall. (He's in Pre-K now) I am very nervous because I've been telling God (yea right, "me" tell "Him"...hahaha) that I do not have patience and I can't do it. But He has put this on my heart and it is not going anywhere. So I just wanted to say hello ~ and see if I can figure out where to start. Can't wait to get to know ya'll!

I remember telling God all the reasons I couldn't teach them - and Him meeting my every objection.
Ladies, any specific advice about K/1st grade?

Christine

I really am clueless. I have absolutely no patience but God thinks I do. I don't even know where to start. Where do I get books? Theirs and mine? Where do I apply? etc etc etc...anyone from TN that can help? I have alot to do and learn in a short time. Thanks ya'll!

Dear Basket Case Mom,
First, take a deep breath! You can do this!
Here are websites for the TN state groups.
www.theaa.org
www.tnhomeed.com
Also, check out the Old Schoolhouse Magazine state coordinator's site at
www.thehomeschoolblogger.com/Tennesssee

Any other TN folks out there who can help this lady out?

Christine

Looks like that first link is a dud, but the second and third are good!

Christine

I was very glad when I heard about this forum! I've had a hard time finding a homeschool forum where there are like-minded people, so I'm hoping this will be the place.

We have homeschooled "officially" for 12-1/2 yrs now, since our oldest started kindergarten. He will graduate this May. We actually decided to homeschool about a year or so before that. Well, really "we" didn't decide, God did. When our son was about 3-1/2 or 4 years old, God started dealing with my heart, and it wasn't long before I knew for sure that He was telling me to homeschool. That was NOT what I wanted to hear, and I fought it with every argument I could think of. But after a while I realized that what I had to decide was not whether or not I wanted to homeschool. It was whether or not I wanted to obey God. So, here we are, 13 years later, and still going strong. Now I wouldn't trade our homeschool lifestyle for anything. As to your question, my original reason was "because God told me to". Since then I've learned a lot of other reasons and advantages: my kids are much better friends with each other than I believe they would be otherwise; we have been able to deal with a lot of the challenges of parenting head-on, instead of just having to struggle thru them in a few hours that we'd be together. Sometimes that didn't seem like an advantage (it was a lot of work!) but in the long run, it has been great. My kids have had opportunities for ministry that they wouldn't have had if they were in school (volunteering at nursing homes, doing missions projects, etc. that took place during the school day). We can take days off for family time whenever my husband is off from work, rather than having to juggle a school schedule. There are more things, but those are some of the main advantages to us. But I think one of the biggest plusses for me, at least, is that I really know my kids, they know me, and we like each other! I see so many parents struggling with their teens and pre-teens and not getting along with them very well. But my kids and I, for the most part, get along well. Especially my older two, who are now 15 and 18, are becoming more and more my friends every day, and that is wonderful!

Sorry this got so long. I am glad to see this forum here and hope it thrives!

Lori

Thank you so much!! I am going to go and check these sites out right now. I know why God is putting this on my heart, but I don't know how I'm going to do it. So I will obey him and do what he asks, but it's going to have to be him teaching me to teach them ~ and I know he will. Thanks!!!!

Hi.. I'm Dana from Green Bay!
I will hsing my dd starting this fall. She is currently in K in public school. We are going to homeschool for different reasons. 1 - I'm being pulled in this direction - sometimes I don't know why! 2 - I know I can do it - and I love my child - so why not? 3- I'm a bit of a control freak - I want to be sure of how she is educated.

I wanted the easy life - but God has bigger plans for my day! I also have a just turned 1 year old - he will be my challenge - any suggestions how to fit him into my soon to be new schedule?

Nice to meet you all.

The best advice I ever got pertaining to homeschooling with babies/toddlers around was to consider them your youngest student. That way you don't feel like they are interrupting your homeschool, they are a part of it. We started homeschooling at PreK with our son when our daughters were newborn and almost 2. Then we did kindergarten when they were 1 & 3, then we had our fourth child right after he finished K. So the next year we did 1st grade, PreK, and had a baby and a 2-yr-old. Lots of "fun"!! But once I started thinking of them as my younger students, not distractions or interruptions to our schedule, things went much better.

Once they're past the age of putting everything in their mouth, I would let them play with math manipulatives while they sat in the high chair; they'd sit on my lap or next to me while we did reading (both me reading aloud and our 1st grader reading to me). They had special quiet toys that they could only play with during school time so they stayed interesting. We also didn't try to do school in long stretches of time. We'd do maybe 30 minutes then take a break (to move the laundry or whatever) and then go back to it. Really, kindergarten and 1st grade don't take all that long, so we were still usually finished by lunch time. If we weren't, I'd sometimes finish up during afternoon naps, but I really tried to keep those free so I had a break, or could finish up other things I needed to do. You'll be surprised at how much your little one learns just by being in on the action, even before you start teaching him formally.

Thanks Lori - I guess it's all in the attitude sometimes, eh? I have to realize that each year will get easier too, eh?

Dana

Hi Dana,
Some other thoughts about babies:
Have toys that baby can ONLY play with during "school" time.
Give your K child time when they are assigned to "play with" the baby - under your supervision, of course.
Capitalize on nap times!
Use a high chair to keep the baby "busy" with cheerios, etc.
Couch school - read, etc. in the living room where the baby can play on the floor.

Any other ideas, ladies?

Christine

I've just always included the little ones in with school. Right now I have one in college, a 14s, 12d, 10d, 8s, 5d in homeschool and a toddler and a baby. We all pile in the living room or around the table and get to work. My 3 yo likes to color, play with cars under the table, listen to the stories, build with blocks, "answer" questions... I'm usually breastfeeding the 5 mo. old, or someone is holding him or he plays on the floor. He seems to enjoy all the activity and when he is fussy, I put one of the older ones in charge ,(they know what needs to be done) and take the baby for a nap or something quiet. If the toddler needs attention, then someone who is finished or taking a break can play with toddler or help him go potty... I realize this won't work for smaller families but is one of the perks of a larger family.

I love it that 3yo is learning nutrition right along with everyone else and can tell you what a noun is. He is also learning verses just by playing at our feet during school!

Hope this helps

I forgot to answer the OP!
We started homeschooling 13 years ago because as another poster said, the Lord led us to homeschool.
It hasn't always been easy or fun. About once a year, I'd get frustraited and load them up, drive to our church's private school and beg for scholarships. Thankfully, the Superintendent is a friend and would remind me what we told him. Now that we've graduated our first and sent him to the local college, I feel much more confident. Maybe I won't make the yearly trip to the school this year!

Hi Quiver!
I can so totally relate. I can't tell you the number of times I have requested school papers -even filled them out a few times! - only to discard them when I calmed down.
God is faithful, isn't He?
Welcome,
Christine