Still, Why Homeschool?

I still encounter people who ask why we homeschool, as if it’s a step backward or a step in the wrong direction. Well, I’ve written a few articles about the perks I’ve experienced so far. I’ve also actually written about why we homeschool, but it’s not like I can just direct people to visit my blog to read my answer so I wouldn’t have to go into detail. So here’s the short answer. I found it while I was reading up on some quotes.

“True education does not consist merely in the acquiring of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but in the development of character.” – David O. McKay

While it used to be that academics was the only important thing, the only thing that mattered in a young person’s life, it is no longer so. At least for us. We are after the building of our children’s character. Danae is 7 and Noelle is 4. They are like sponges, absorbing and learning everything they are exposed to. We’ve been to regular school and though it had its benefits, we didn’t like what happened to our eldest child’s character, even to her vocabulary and her behavior. While they are in their formative years, we want to build strong Christian values in them, and the best place for that right now is HOME. We are not perfect role models for our kids either, but we are more willing to take that risk than to knowingly push them into an environment where unnecessary exposure to many worldly influences at too young an age is inevitable.

We are aware that we cannot protect them completely, which is why we do more than just protecting at this stage. We are EQUIPPING them for the world. We want them to grow up prepared — prepared to stand up for what they believe in, prepared to say no to ungodliness, prepared to love God and love others even when it is difficult, prepared to go and make disciples for Jesus. This is our hope, as we do our job as parents and as we allow Jesus to transform our children.

I am a pastor’s wife and maybe some might think it is most convenient and most affordable for us. The latter may be true, but let me just tell you that there is nothing convenient about homeschooling. While there may be perks (relative to how one perceives it of course), it is not easy. It takes hard work, planning, time, effort, discipline, tons of patience, creativity, and a great deal of LOVE. Who better to love a child? Who better to labor for a child? Who better to teach a child, fueled by that great unconditional love and the immense desire to help them know and love Jesus, than his or her own parent?

I think that even if I were not in ministry, I would still homeschool my kids. There’s just no getting around that hope, that love, and that desire to help them know and love Jesus. 🙂

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.