Homeschooling and That Big Yellow Bus...

Saturday is the day I try to prepare for the upcoming homeschooling week.  As I was creating assignment checklists for the children for next week, I realized that, according to my attendance records, we should be finished with our school year at the end of April.  It's always a relief when I get the "required" number of days done each year to satisfy the state's requirements, but I prefer schooling year-round, which allows for some "give" in our schedule, as well as a continuation of structure to our days.  So, even though we won't necessarily do a full curriculum load through the summer months, we will still school.

John Wesley will be a high schooler next year!  That fact has had me researching high school requirements and evaluating curriculum choices. Honestly that's the reason I haven't blogged in so long.  I have spent most all of my online time researching and ordering curricula for next year.  I am pleased with the array of available possibilities I found, and I have made most of the final decisions for his (and the other children's) books for next year.  I have ordered some of them already as well.   It may seem early to start buying for next year, but when you consider that homeschooling our children costs well over a thousand dollars (closer to two actually) per year in curricula and supplementary materials (lab equipment, manipulatives, educational games and software) starting early makes sense.

Most of the books I have chosen present the subject matter from a Christian standpoint.  I have to be careful, though, because although I DO want them to have an education presented from the standpoint of a Christian worldview, I don't want to leave out information that isn't necessarily "Christian" in nature--dismissing it purely because it doesn't further the cause.  There are things they NEED to know, if for no other reason, than to understand how to defend their faith and how to minister to others who have been taught to believe differently than they do.  I am a firm believer that as Christians, we shouldn't stick our heads in the sand regarding issues that challenge Christianity.  Those issues should be presented to our children.  They should also have the information about what we as Christians believe and more importantly, WHY we believe such and so.  I hope to give them the tools to help them understand and defend (if necessary) their beliefs.

I love homeschooling.  It is a privilege I really never expected to have--and it isn't something I take lightly by any means.  It is a huge responsibility--truly one that can seem nearly overwhelming sometimes.  I will admit that there have been days when I think how much easier it would be to send my crew up the hill to wait for the big yellow bus.  Just think of how many more hours that would add to my day! I could get a job to earn some extra money for the family and not have the heavy weight of the education of my children on my shoulders!  It would be someone else's responsibility!  But I usually get just about that far in my reverie before it comes to a screeching halt.  Before I explain, I need to make a disclaimer.  I have lots of friends that are good teachers; family members that are wonderful teachers; indeed, had I chosen to finish my last year and 1/2 of college, I would be a teacher (oops, I *AM* a teacher--and SO IS EVERY MOTHER and FATHER).  I will even be the first one to say that we have very good schools here in Johnson county.  But...the truth is that there isn't a single teacher in any of these county schools...or any other school, Christian, or otherwise, who will care about and feel personally invested in my children the way I do--just because they're MY children.

Schooling my children is about WAY more than academics.  It's about their hearts as much as their minds.  And I know that no amount of money from a job and no amount of "me" time would be worth abdicating the responsibility of meeting the needs of my children on a daily basis.  Yes, there are things we don't have.  We stretch things out, make do with things that aren't quite perfect, we live in a much smaller house than we might choose to otherwise.  There are lots of corners that are cut to make every dollar Harold earns go just a little further.  But honestly, when I think of the alternative of having things we think we want and living in a bigger house, what would be the point if my kids (and I) were gone for all but about 4 hours of our waking time each day?  I look at the big beautiful houses that we pass when we are out..and there is never anyone at home.  Dad AND MOM have to work to meet the payment, the kids are at school and then after-school programs and lessons so Mom and Dad can work till 5:00.  If they are lucky, they're all home by 6:00.  Dinner, homework, and bedtime for the children by 9:30 or 10:00 --would leave us no time to enjoy that bigger house, much less each other.  When I look at things from that perspective, contentment comes easily!

Our days seem to fly by, often leaving at least a few (and often several) details from my to-do list undone.  I can't imagine how it would be if we weren't even at home for most of our days?  How and WHEN would I deal with those heart issues that so often need to be worked on in my children (and in myself)!  Every day when we are sitting around our table for "Morning Meeting", studying our Bibles and praying together, always on my lips and in my heart is a prayer of thanks for the privilege of spending my days with my children.  And when I hear the yellow bus pass us by, early in the morning while my beloved ones are still sleeping snug in their beds, I say a prayer of thanks that in a few short moments I will be the lucky one to witness those moments when they "get" that new math concept--not to mention that I get to BE the one who helps them "get" it!  (What a thrill and a privilege it was to hear children whom I had taught to read reading their first words!!!)  I will get to be there when a grain of truth from God's Word is planted in their hearts--or better yet, to see the fruit of previous plantings.   I wouldn't miss it for the world!

So, if you've read this far, I'm impressed.  I went a little long, there.  But, hey, it IS MY blog, after all!  Now, you know everything you never wanted to know about what motivates our homeschooling.  I realize there are folks who are adamantly opposed to homeschooling, and that doesn't bother me.  What works for me obviously won't work for everyone, just as what works for someone else won't work for me.  God made us all differently--what a boring world this would be if the only flavor was vanilla, right?  Thankfully, the Lord saw fit to add a few nuts (like us) to the mix!  :)