"How do you homeschool?"

I was recently asked again, "How do you do it? I could never homeschool my children." I hear this quite frequently. I believe many are interested in homeschooling but are intimidated by it as well. I have about 5 friends who said this same thing to me and now they are all homeschooling! In the beginning, I did not think I could homeschool either. I was looking forward to educating children with special needs in the public schools and sending my children to school. But soon I started feeling someone ever so gently urging me to homeschool my son. I thought to myself, "What Lord? You want me to do what?" I had always planned to work when my children started school. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? I had felt led to get my degree in special education, so I assumed He wanted me to teach in the schools. Slowly, God started showing me that this was not His plan for our family.

The first thing I noticed was how I felt after coming home from teaching. I was tired, yet I still had to cook, clean, take care of the kids, be a good wifey, and then plan for the next day of work. By the end of the day, I realized I was giving more to the kids at school than I was giving to my own children. I felt my relationships with my husband and children were not as close as they once were.

Next, we started seeing changes in my son. His teacher and I were fairly close and she started telling me how my son was displaying nervous habits, such as biting his nails. Then, he started acting out inappropriately in the classroom. We were shocked and confused by his actions. Later on in the school year, I discovered why. A friend of mine informed me that my son was being bullied. He was being physically bullied by older kids at school and he was not telling us. Because he was being taught not to tattle, he kept  this all to himself and in return, started acting out at school. I felt sick when my friend told me this. How could this happen right under my nose? At 5 years old, I felt we were not doing a good job of protecting him. But, I know all things happen for a reason and that God would use these things for the good. I felt He was using these experiences, among other things, to show us what he wanted from us and lead us down the path He was choosing for us.

So, I prayed, prayed, prayed, and spoke with my hubby about the option of homeschooling. We decided that homeschooling our son was what God wanted for our family. Throughout the entire first year, I thought, "Lord, do you want me to homeschool for just this one year?" As the year progressed and I started teaching my daughter as well, I felt God showing me why He wanted me home with my children. Our family and spiritual relationships started growing closer. We were having fun learning together and we seemed to have more time to do things we had never done before. As a homeschool mom, I started learning more than I had ever learned.  I really started to get excited about planning and starting the next school year. We moved to a new place and started actively getting involved with a terrific homeschool group. I had been creating my own curriculum the first year and then started with unit studies the second year. I started experimenting with different curriculums from that point on. Things were going great. And with every passing year, I was realizing all of the benefits and could not imagine them ever going to school. Every year, we do ask our children if they want to continue to homeschool, but in the end, it is our final decision. We're not sure if God will have us homeschool our children through high school, so we just take it one year at a time - allowing God to lead the way.

I believe homeschooling is a calling from the Lord. If you are feeling that gentle nudge like I did 6 years ago, listen - really listen, pray, and spend time with God. Let Him decide if this is what He wants for your family. If it is truly God's will, then He will show you and direct your steps. You may feel overwhelmed and unsure of your abilities. I personally do not feel you need to be a teacher to teach your children; you know your child better than anyone else. I am in awe everyday that He trust me to teach His precious children. Now, I am not saying that it will be easy and your kids will be perfect little angels, because our family is far from perfect. I am telling you that God will help you through it if you ask and if this is His plan for your family. Be patient and don't have high expectations of yourself your first year of homeschooling. Enjoy your little ones while they're little. Start researching homeschooling and find a support group within your area. Attend a homeschool meeting even if you are not currently homeschooling, go to one and chat with the moms and ask questions. You may find yourself homeschooling very soon and loving it! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear or help in any way I can. We want to bless others as we have been blessed. Blessings!