Why I love homeschooling

Why do I love homeschooling? Here's my list:
1. We don't have to get up at 6 am to have my kids ride on a bus for an hour to get to school.
Before, they were on the bus a total of one hour and forty-five minutes a day!

2. I know what they are learning about, so there is no worries that they are being taught things
contrary to what we believe. We do teach them about other beliefs and religions, but with the
purpose of how to present the Gospel to them in a way they will understand.

3. They get so much more individual attention in a class with a ratio of one teacher, me, to six students, their brothers and sisters, compared to one teacher to about thirty students in a public school setting.

4. School does not consume our whole life. While they were in public school, there was always some meeting or group that we had to go to school for. It took up our whole lives, we didn't have time to do anything else. We are always learning, whether we are doing school work or out in the community. In our family, God comes first, therefore a church activity will take place over a school activity. Most of the time, though, church activities count for school time in one way or another. I see families who don't have time to be a part of church activities because they have too many school activities or lessons. It makes me sad. God is our first priority and we strive to show it by our lives and how we use our time.

5. If there is an emergency or a change in plans, I don't have to pull the kids out of school or wait until they come home from school. My husband was working in Sprinfield when he lacerated his thumb. We were just about to eat lunch. So we threw everything in the car and headed up there. Had the kids been in school I could not have gone up there to be with my husband. Our family really does have things happen that require us to leave at the drop of a hat, so having my kids right there makes it so much easier.

6. My children are best friends with each other. Yes, they do have their fights from time to time, but most of the time they are playing together, helping each other with school work, and playing games together. They do have friends from church and our homeschool group, but they are all friends with each other. In public schools, you'll find alot of brothers and sisters have different friends, and as a parent, you can't know them all personally or their parents. I know all the kids my children are friends with, and I know their parents well. That helps me feel secure letting my children go over to their houses, knowing they won't get exposed to all the "stuff" that is out there. I tell my children, they must learn to be friends with each other before they try to be friends with other people, because family comes first. You may not always have the same friends, but you will always have the same family.

7. My most favorite reason: I get to spend all day, every day with my children. My focus is on teaching them, not working at some job. My interest is in their futures, not spending my time running around to shopping, getting my nails done, doing 5 Bible studies, going to the gym, etc. I am not saying those things are bad, but compared to my children's futures, they are no comparison. As I teach them, I also am re-learnig the things I missed out in my public schooling. I love history and science. I read all the books they are reading along with them. After school is done, each of the kids gets a 20 minute turn to do whatever they want with me, like playing a game, or drawing, or practicing magic tricks. I would not be so close to my children and have the strong relationships I do with them if they were at school for 8 hours.

Maybe you agree or disagree with my reasons. Post a comment and let me know. If you homeschool, why do you love it? Tomorrow I will write about struggles I have in homeschooling.

Here's a verse to think on: Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth."

Our joyful tip for today: I am joyful as I draw near to God and allow him to show me the truth in my life and about my life.

Until tomorrow,
Jenn