| Homeschooling your children can sometimes be a | | | | information until it sinks in. However, in secular |
| controversy among parents. Most parents believe | | | | school, the teachers are forced to keep moving |
| that children do not have proper schooling, unless | | | | along whether the children understand what's |
| they are socialized every day with other children. | | | | being taught or not. |
| Most parents believe that a mother or father is | | | | Furthermore, with homeschooling, your children |
| not capable of teaching their children at home, | | | | are receiving one-on-one attention, rather than |
| unless they have a teacher degree. Most parents | | | | competing with 30 other children in a classroom. |
| believe that children do not get all the | | | | And I cannot tell you how many times my son |
| extra-curricular activities like sports, arts, and | | | | would come home from school when he was in |
| music, unless they are enrolled in a secular school. | | | | secular school complaining that he needed to ask |
| My husband and I believe that that is simply not | | | | questions about what they were learning that |
| true, and I will attempt to in the next few | | | | day, and he said the teacher didn't have time to |
| paragraphs to prove my point. | | | | answer them! How frustrating that was for him. |
| Our children have been both to secular school and | | | | Also, our school days are not as long as the |
| also homeschooled, so I have learned from both | | | | secular school. We typically start our school day |
| sides of the coin. My husband and I based our | | | | around 8:00 a.m. the same as secular school, and |
| decision to homeschool for five years on what | | | | if the day goes smoothly by the children |
| we've seen on both sides. | | | | understanding each subject allowing us to move |
| First of all, children get socialization from adults as | | | | on, our day ends around 2:00 p.m. with no |
| well as other children while homeschooling, and the | | | | homework except a little reading on their own. |
| wonderful part about that is you know who they | | | | That's the beauty of homeschooling, and also my |
| are socializing with. When they are in secular | | | | children's favorite part. In secular school, the |
| school for six and a half hours or more a day | | | | children are there for six and a half hours a day, |
| away from your home, you have no idea what | | | | and then come home with extra work to do for |
| they are doing or saying and with whom. We | | | | about an hour or so, sometimes more. In my |
| have to "trust" the school system to monitor | | | | opinion, enough is enough. |
| their actions, and with so many children, it's almost | | | | Thirdly, our children do not lack in extra-curricular |
| impossible to do a thorough job. With | | | | activities, even though they are not in a secular |
| homeschooling, you have control of who your | | | | school system. As I mentioned earlier, we belong |
| children get together with and befriend. | | | | to a homeschool group with at least 40 other |
| My children and I belong to a Christian homeschool | | | | children, and we have soccer, basketball, baseball, |
| group made up of about 20 families that also | | | | tennis, and even co-ops for science, writing, |
| homeschool. We all believe in the same priorities | | | | music, and art. Yes, of course, not everyone |
| for our children and want basically the same ideals | | | | belongs to a homeschool group, but for the |
| for them. Schooling is not just about an education | | | | encouragement and fellowship with other parents |
| of academics, but also a character-building in our | | | | and children, I highly recommend it. |
| children. What is most important for my husband | | | | Our children can also learn from other parents |
| and I is that we help build strong character and | | | | what you as a parent lack in education. For |
| good attitudes in our children by teaching mostly a | | | | example, science and history are not my best |
| love for others, good work ethics, and | | | | subjects, so the other parents that are more |
| responsibility for their actions. Academics are also | | | | skilled in those subjects, through a co-op, actually |
| important, but don't take center stage. When the | | | | teach my children how to understand and flourish |
| children are in secular school, the teachers do not | | | | in them. As a homeschool group, we all help each |
| have the time or the desire as a parent does to | | | | other to give our children the best education, not |
| care about the character or attitude of the | | | | just academically, but in all aspects of their life. |
| children. | | | | In closing, if you are contemplating schooling your |
| Secondly, my husband and I believe that we do | | | | children at home, don't just take my word for it. |
| not need a teacher degree to school our children | | | | Do the research online and find out about what |
| at home. There are so many opportunities with | | | | other parents are using for curriculum, for |
| different curriculum to have the ability to school | | | | activities, and for social groups. I guarantee we |
| your children at home. These curricula basically | | | | can make you a believer in homeschooling when |
| walk a parent through day-to-day lessons in math, | | | | you find out the benefits of it compared to what |
| science, language, social studies, history, art, and | | | | a secular school system can offer your children. It |
| even music. If you have a diploma from high | | | | could mean the difference between a |
| school, you are simply learning everything all over | | | | well-balanced, well-educated child compared to one |
| again along with your child; and if your child is | | | | that was just shuffled through school and left |
| having trouble understanding a certain subject, | | | | behind academically. |
| then you can slow down and reinforce the | | | | |