Our members answer:

31 July 2010
Posted in NHEA - General

Our members answer:

1.)What is your advice to someone considering this path? 

Commit to finish the year, you don't need to worry about not knowing Algebra if you are teaching elementary students! When the time comes for higher math and science, trust God to provide what your children need! YOU will be learning right along with them ~ enjoy your children and relax - they will only be little for a little while!  Mom of 5 (ages 7 – 17), homeschooling 9 years.

Do your research.  Read books on the subject.  Get a subscription to a homeschool magazine.  Attend a homeschool convention.  Find women who have done it and done it well and spend some time questioning them.  Mom of 4 (ages 1 - 8), homeschooling 4 years.

Pray for God’s direction.  Oftentimes we feel the Holy Spirit’s leading regarding this choice, but we’re not really sure what we do after  we accept the call.  God is in the details and He wants us to succeed in the plans He lays before us, so go to Him continually throughout the journey.  Consider dedicating your homeschooling to the Lord at the beginning of each year.  Actually, sometimes we have the need to do this on a daily basis. Psalm 65:11 reminds me that it is God who crowns the year with His goodness, and His paths drip with abundance.  Mother of 4 sons; 3 post high school and 1 high school sophomore.

 You don't have to do everything they do in 'regular school' nor do you have to do it the way they do.  Mom of 2, homeschooling 9 years.

 If you KNOW that your child needs to be homeschooled for any of a number of possible reasons, do not let fear keep you from it.  Be brave and courageous and jump in.  There are so many people willing to help and so many tools available to the home educator now.  Home Educator Associations, Co-ops, packaged curriculum, and on-line education options are all readily available.  Don't think that you are not smart enough, are not patient enough, can not control you children enough, are not organized enough, or that your children will not be properly socialized.  Just do it!  Mom of 2 (ages 13 & 16), homeschooling 12 years. 

2.) What is your advice for someone’s first year of homeschooling?

Figure out what curriculum style fits YOU best ~ if you are excited, they will catch the enthusiasm. You cannot do it all in one year, focus on the most important things and the rest will fall into place. Even a year spent learning how to help run a home and care for younger siblings is an excellent education that cannot be matched in a classroom.  Mom of 5(ages 7 – 17), homeschooling 9 years.

Start with a curriculum that is all inclusive.  Once you have gotten the first year under your belt, then begin to venture out.  Mom of 4 (ages 1 - 8), homeschooling 4 years.

Don't try to do everything your first year. Mom of 4 (ages 3 – 14), homeschooling 11 years.

 Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  Allow ~ no, facilitate ~ a time of transition for you and your child, especially if you are switching from public or private education.  Realize that it’s going to take some time to figure out how to do what you will be doing, so be patient with yourself and your children.  As you grow in confidence and ability, you will be assuring your completion of a successful journey.   Mother of 4 sons; 3 post high school and 1 high school sophomore.

Don't try to make it be like "real" school.  Decide what you want to accomplish and steadily go forward with it.  Even if it doesn't look like "school" is happening, you can be sure that "education" is.  Every mom feels like she doesn't know what she is doing the first year or two.  TRUST that it is happening and that you will figure it out as you go - because you will.  Mom of 2 (ages 13 & 16), homeschooling 12 years. 

3.) What is your favorite part of homeschooling?

Watching my kids eyes light up when they 'get it'. Spending my days with my kids and enjoying their childhood. NOT having to do a project or homework or wake up early for the bus every day! The flexibility to travel and visit great places when prices are LOW and the crowds are not there! Sharing my faith with my children in a practical way on a daily basis, being able to put the books aside to care for a friend or loved one who is in need.  Mom of 5(ages 7 – 17), homeschooling 9 years.

Journeying with my children.  Getting to know other families that God has called to homeschool. Mom of 4 (ages 1 – 8), homeschooling 4 years.

Freedom to choose who will impact my children's lives.  Mom of 4 (ages 3 – 14), homeschooling 11 years.

Two things: 1) I love knowing that I have time with my sons that I wouldn’t have if they were being educated away from home.  Now that most of them are graduated, I realize what a treasure this has been, and 2) Most of our days are great fun.  However, we’re human, and God often calls us to deal with “issues” of character.  I love it that I can attend to these issues for as long as it takes until we improve.  Often, I find it takes less time to accomplish growth because we’ve developed a healthy pattern for addressing things and we’re not interrupted by other people’s schedules and agendas.  Mother of 4 sons; 3 post high school and 1 high school sophomore.

 My favorite part of the day is to hear my youngest tell me he loves me and that I'm beautiful about a dozen times everyday.   Other than this daily ego boost I love seeing my children grow in grace and leadership right before my eyes.  God has given me 2 beautiful, precious gifts.   Mom of 2, homeschooling 9 years.

 I love that we do not have to rush around in the morning in order to get somewhere.  We start the day with Bible and prayer and this is a very rich time together.  My husband and I are the primary influence in our children's lives, not their friends or peers.  We can go at the pace that makes sense for each child and dive into a topic as far as we want.  We can follow rabbit trails until our curiosity dies down.  We can do an 8th grade piece of literature in the 5th grade or 5th grade math in the 6th grade without being labeled "gifted" or "remedial".   We REALLY share our lives.   P.S. I really enjoy the education I get as I teach my children.  Mom of 2 (ages 13 & 16), homeschooling 12 years. 

 4.) How do you get through the hard days of homeschooling?

Prayer, honestly, spending time with Christ is the best medicine for a tough day! Allowing myself the freedom to ditch the books on a tough day and focus on what needs to be done, whether that is spending a day in the sunshine or spending the day cleaning the house and organizing a bedroom. Knowing that even on the days that the academics are set aside, the children are learning. Learning to serve, learning how to run a home, learning how to care for others, learning how to live a Christ-centered, victorious life, which in my opinion is FAR more important than academics.  Mom of 5(ages 7 – 17), homeschooling 9 years.

Pray.  Take a break--change up the day.  It doesn't have to look the same every day.  We don't have to cover the same amount every day.  Some days may bring about intense character training/chore training.  Mom of 4 (ages 1- 8), homeschooling 4 years.

Support, Support, Support.  Connect and network with like-minded people.  Mom of 4 (ages 3 – 14), homeschooling 11 years.

I have learned to be proactive in pursuing support and encouragement from likeminded moms.  We are tempted at times to think we don’t need others, or that we could never get burned out, after all, we love our children!  Yet, we must have a system of replenishing what we are giving out.  We need each other.  We need the Lord.  We need His Word … and we need encouragement.  Mother of 4 sons; 3 post high school and 1 high school sophomore.

  My husband supports me emotionally and God graces him with just the words I need to hear.  Mom of 2, homeschooling 9 years.

 Hard days are opportunities for real-life skills to be taught even if "subjects" are not.  PRAYER gets me through these days.  Often we have to ask for forgiveness from one another for impatience or for harsh words.  Sometimes we just plain get on each others last nerve.  I have to remind myself that the big picture is to raise Godly children - not to finish so many pages of a particular subject.  I have to remind myself that this is a calling and that if I do it faithfully, God is responsible for the results.   Mom of 2 (ages 13 & 16), homeschooling 12 years. 

5.)  Is there something else you want to say to a new homeschooler that isn’t covered in the above questions?

You will not get all of your questions answered today.  Confirmation and the benefits of home education come day after day, year after year.  I’m reminded of when I gave my life to the Lord.  I was 9 years old.  Was I equipped for living life as a child of God?  Not really.  But I studied God’s Word.  I hung out with God’s children.  I turned to God when I fell down.  I could feel it in my spirit when I grew in wisdom and stature.  I’m confident of who I am in Christ now.  Likewise, I’m not who I was when I sat down at my kitchen table with 4 little boys 18 years ago.  Day by day, I studied, hung out with other homeschooling moms, turned to God for direction, and grew in wisdom and stature with each school year that passed.  Today, I can truly testify of the many blessings accumulated over the journey. Mother of 4 sons; 3 post high school and 1 high school sophomore.

I believe the future of our nation could well be in the hands of fearless mothers who choose to take responsibility for the shaping of their children’s hearts and minds .... God says "do not fear for I am with you, do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God."  Believe Him.  May God bless you and your families.  Mom of 2 (ages 13 & 16), homeschooling 12 years.