Reasons to Homeschool #10
I have had a hard time writing about homeschooling because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I don't want someone to think that I judge them if they don't homeschool. But I have realized two things.
1) I probably will hurt someone's feelings.
2) I probably will judge you.
But don't worry. If your feelings are hurt it is a good chance to ask why. Is it because I am an idiot? Possibly. In that case you can just move on. Is it because you have a spot in your heart that is tender and may need some tending? If so, even better, let that spot into the open and tend to what it is that is bothering you.
If I judge you, it is my fault. Just know of all the people that I judge, I am usually hardest on myself. My judgements are not God's judgements. His thoughts are so much higher than mine. His judgements are perfect while mine are flawed. I wanted to be able to write that I don't judge anyone, but that is not true. I might as well be honest, I think homeschooling is superior to all other forms of education. If you didn't before, you know my prejudice now. In being open about my weakness in the form of a personal disposition to cast judgement, I hope you won't hold it against me. We all have weakness, perhaps you send your children to school and I don't hold it against you. (Kidding, Kidding, well mostly) The important thing to note is that it is not my judgements that matter, there is a much higher Authority, whose opinion is much more crucial. This brings me to my point.
There are a lot of reasons to homeschool or to send your children to pubic school. I have compiled a list of a few.
Reasons to Homeschool:
1. You want to be near your children to have the opportunity to "train them in the way they should go"
2. You can choose any material you want to study, including the Bible.
3. Your children will be able to explore a diverse learning environment, limited only by your budget and your imagination. (Options include, real life job sites, city parks, museums, wilderness areas, historic travel adventures, science centers, hands-on-learning outdoors, ect)
4. You can teach your children to work. (Talk about a skill set to launch your children in any future career!)
5. Socialization. Here are a few attributes I think are really helpful to relating with people, that most children don't learn at school: Kindness, Compassion, Thinking of others before yourself, Sacrifice, Endurance, Longsuffering, Generosity, Healthy Boundaries, Choosing what is right instead of what is easy, Standing up for the weak, Protecting the defenseless, Honoring all men, Respecting Authority. (Don't know Why I Added All Those Caps. Just to Emphasize that Homeschooling doesn't Teach Proper Grammar?)
6. You don't want someone who answers to the state and federal government cramming beliefs you don't agree with down your children's throats.
7. You want to have the best hours of your children's days spent in an environment that fosters love for Jesus and others.
8. You want your family to be your children's closest group of friends.
9. You want to teach your children skills they will use in real life. Cooking, cleaning, how to conduct job site inspections, household maintenance, business essentials, meat packaging and how to create a power grid in your backyard are all some of the things the children can learn. (The power grid in the backyard may have been non-functional, but it was quite the creative exercise.)
10. You are a lover of freedom and want to instill that same love in your children.
11. You love our country and sometimes wonder if what is happening in our government is really something from a novel about the downfall of America. You hope we will able to rebuild by God's grace moving through a society with strong values and the ability to think, both of which seem to have been eroded by decades of public schooling.
12. You think History is awesome and want to instill the love of what some call, "His Story", in the next generation.
13. You think intelligence is not something that can be measured on a standardized test and subsequently think that teaching to a test is absurd.
14. You recognize the difference of God's creation in each individual child and want to be able to construct a model of education around your children's own unique intelligence.
15. You would like to ensure that for no period during the next 12 years your whole house be clean at the same time.
Reasons to Send your Kids to Public School.
1. You will literally go crazy if you don't get a break from your children.
2. You have no other options.
3. You think the best way for your children to mature is for them to be surrounded by 20-25 of their peers all day.
4. God told you to.
5. Your child has special needs that you do not feel competent to handle at home.
6. You need free, state run day care.
7. You want your children to have a good understanding of mediocrity.
8. You are looking for a ministry opportunity.
9. You want to be involved in your community and can find no other way to connect.
10. You enjoy helping your children unlearn behaviors, attitudes and lies they learned at school.
11. You want them to have the same experience you had.
12. You want to teach them about bullying.
13. You believe they are at a school where they are getting a high quality education that will cause them to excel in life.
14. You value a quiet and clean house and an orderly life more than your children.
15. You are exceptionally odd and your children would have no hope for a normal life if they spent too much time with you.
Okay, now before you get too upset by my list. I have a better list for you. If you are a believer, you will be able to completely disregard my list and concern yourself only with the following.
God's list of Reasons to Homeschool:
1. Because I said so.
God's list of Reasons to Send your Kids to Public School:
1. Because I said so.
Ultimately, God's opinion is the only thing that matters. We have to hear God's direction for our family. We have to train our children in the way they should go. Only God knows that perfect way for each child and each family.
So here is my final encouragement. Don't act out of fear. Don't keep them home or send them to school because you think the alternative would be too difficult. Seek God and do what is right for you and your family.
Above all remember Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid: do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
1) I probably will hurt someone's feelings.
2) I probably will judge you.
But don't worry. If your feelings are hurt it is a good chance to ask why. Is it because I am an idiot? Possibly. In that case you can just move on. Is it because you have a spot in your heart that is tender and may need some tending? If so, even better, let that spot into the open and tend to what it is that is bothering you.
If I judge you, it is my fault. Just know of all the people that I judge, I am usually hardest on myself. My judgements are not God's judgements. His thoughts are so much higher than mine. His judgements are perfect while mine are flawed. I wanted to be able to write that I don't judge anyone, but that is not true. I might as well be honest, I think homeschooling is superior to all other forms of education. If you didn't before, you know my prejudice now. In being open about my weakness in the form of a personal disposition to cast judgement, I hope you won't hold it against me. We all have weakness, perhaps you send your children to school and I don't hold it against you. (Kidding, Kidding, well mostly) The important thing to note is that it is not my judgements that matter, there is a much higher Authority, whose opinion is much more crucial. This brings me to my point.
There are a lot of reasons to homeschool or to send your children to pubic school. I have compiled a list of a few.
Reasons to Homeschool:
1. You want to be near your children to have the opportunity to "train them in the way they should go"
2. You can choose any material you want to study, including the Bible.
3. Your children will be able to explore a diverse learning environment, limited only by your budget and your imagination. (Options include, real life job sites, city parks, museums, wilderness areas, historic travel adventures, science centers, hands-on-learning outdoors, ect)
4. You can teach your children to work. (Talk about a skill set to launch your children in any future career!)
5. Socialization. Here are a few attributes I think are really helpful to relating with people, that most children don't learn at school: Kindness, Compassion, Thinking of others before yourself, Sacrifice, Endurance, Longsuffering, Generosity, Healthy Boundaries, Choosing what is right instead of what is easy, Standing up for the weak, Protecting the defenseless, Honoring all men, Respecting Authority. (Don't know Why I Added All Those Caps. Just to Emphasize that Homeschooling doesn't Teach Proper Grammar?)
6. You don't want someone who answers to the state and federal government cramming beliefs you don't agree with down your children's throats.
7. You want to have the best hours of your children's days spent in an environment that fosters love for Jesus and others.
8. You want your family to be your children's closest group of friends.
9. You want to teach your children skills they will use in real life. Cooking, cleaning, how to conduct job site inspections, household maintenance, business essentials, meat packaging and how to create a power grid in your backyard are all some of the things the children can learn. (The power grid in the backyard may have been non-functional, but it was quite the creative exercise.)
10. You are a lover of freedom and want to instill that same love in your children.
11. You love our country and sometimes wonder if what is happening in our government is really something from a novel about the downfall of America. You hope we will able to rebuild by God's grace moving through a society with strong values and the ability to think, both of which seem to have been eroded by decades of public schooling.
12. You think History is awesome and want to instill the love of what some call, "His Story", in the next generation.
13. You think intelligence is not something that can be measured on a standardized test and subsequently think that teaching to a test is absurd.
14. You recognize the difference of God's creation in each individual child and want to be able to construct a model of education around your children's own unique intelligence.
15. You would like to ensure that for no period during the next 12 years your whole house be clean at the same time.
Reasons to Send your Kids to Public School.
1. You will literally go crazy if you don't get a break from your children.
2. You have no other options.
3. You think the best way for your children to mature is for them to be surrounded by 20-25 of their peers all day.
4. God told you to.
5. Your child has special needs that you do not feel competent to handle at home.
6. You need free, state run day care.
7. You want your children to have a good understanding of mediocrity.
8. You are looking for a ministry opportunity.
9. You want to be involved in your community and can find no other way to connect.
10. You enjoy helping your children unlearn behaviors, attitudes and lies they learned at school.
11. You want them to have the same experience you had.
12. You want to teach them about bullying.
13. You believe they are at a school where they are getting a high quality education that will cause them to excel in life.
14. You value a quiet and clean house and an orderly life more than your children.
15. You are exceptionally odd and your children would have no hope for a normal life if they spent too much time with you.
Okay, now before you get too upset by my list. I have a better list for you. If you are a believer, you will be able to completely disregard my list and concern yourself only with the following.
God's list of Reasons to Homeschool:
1. Because I said so.
God's list of Reasons to Send your Kids to Public School:
1. Because I said so.
Ultimately, God's opinion is the only thing that matters. We have to hear God's direction for our family. We have to train our children in the way they should go. Only God knows that perfect way for each child and each family.
So here is my final encouragement. Don't act out of fear. Don't keep them home or send them to school because you think the alternative would be too difficult. Seek God and do what is right for you and your family.
Above all remember Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid: do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
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