Closing the door to our one room school house...
When we made the hardcore decision to homeschool and never look back I really thought I would be graduating the kids from homeschool. I pictured them walking across the stage with their homeschoolin' buddies and patting myself on the back as I wipe a tear {or Mackey pats me on the back as I sob uncontrollably}.
We homeschooled for only three short...long...short years. And now my hubs and I both know in our hearts that the homeschooling season is over. I never expected this and it has not been an easy decision. I thought it would help me through the transition of a house full of kids to absolutely none {for several hours a day anyway} if I could put into words just a few things I am taking away from our experience.
1. The education of my children is my responsibility. Mine and Mackey's. It is up to us to see them through school. Encourage them to study. Study with them. Check in with their teachers. Tutor them through their weaknesses. Although they will be enrolled in public school, their teachers are my partners and they are not solely responsible for their growing minds. The Lord gave that responsibility to Mackey and me.
2. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your kids achieve greatness. We are hands-on parents and wont miss a thing! Because we homeschooled I understand the challenges of teaching kids to read and understand math. Their success is worth celebrating and nothing is too small to celebrate! When my kids "get" something that has been challenging I will know to congratulate them and their teacher.
3. Although my kids are young they can still impact their peers. Because my kids are young they can be easily impacted by their peers. See, this one is a double-edged sword and I am not naive to it. I understand that my kids are too young to be "sent into the mission field" and "to be light in a dark place." If public school is a dark place and a mission field then I am joining my kids in their journey. This is hardly throwing them into the world or feeding them to the wolves. My husband and I will be very present in their lives. I will be occasionally joining them for lunch, volunteering to read, participating in field trips, and helping with class parties. There is plenty to do that encourages them in their new journey and lets them know we are in this school thing and this life thing TOGETHER.
4. This last thing I am glad we learned outside the public school realm. Your kids/my kids/all kids do not need to participate in every activity to be happy, productive, good citizens. Keeping your kids busy with every little activity or sport doesn't keep them out of trouble! If extracurricular activities keep your family apart and out of church they aren't worth it. PERIOD! Having strong family bonds and helping your family grow spiritually is far more important than ANYTHING else. More important than trophies, gold medals, snowcones after the game, popularity, and even more important than the chance of scholarships. What most homeschool families have figured out or are aiming for anyway, is that nothing comes before God and family. Bible study, church, volunteering at church and in the community, local and international missions seems to be at the heart of many homeschool families. Our heart is there too. Public school wont change that. I believe it is giving us another way to reach out and touch the very heart of God, children.
So, this is where we stand. Obedience even when we don't want to, because I would rather be homeschooling the kids. I might cry or I might do a happy dance on August 26th, I'm not sure yet. I might do both!
For my homeschoolin' friends, I love you! What ya'll do is amazing. I am very pro-homeschool and I am for you succeeding in the journey God has for you! I'm a little jealous it's not my journey anymore.
Blessings,
~Hailey
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