Why We Homeschool Part 1

I found this image here.

A while back a friend asked me to explain WHY we felt that homeschooling is best and WHY I felt being a stay at home Mom is best. I decided to answer that question here in my blog. The best way for me to answer that is to share how we came to the conclusion to homeschool, how we feel about it, and the things we see in it.

DISCLAIMER: First of all, before you go any further I want you to know that it is not my intention to condemn anyone for their decisions. In the same way many women feel very strongly that they need to work or that their children should attend school I feel just as strongly about what we are doing. This in no way makes me think badly of others. This is what we feel the Lord has led us to do so of course, we feel very strongly about it. When you feel strongly about something like this you think everyone should do it. However, we realize that God hasn't led everyone to do the same things as we do. We know that God has different plans for everyone and we are not all the same. Know that I will be saying a lot of good things about homeschooling so if you think that will offend you stop now. I DO NOT WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE. If you are reading this you may very well be a valued and precious friend or family member. That is a group of people I love dearly so stop if singing the praises of homeschooling will offend you.


I felt the same way about nursing my baby. Before I had my first child I was convinced that breast-feeding my baby was the best thing. It was obvious with all the research (and the fact that God made it this way and HIS way is always best) that you could come to no other conclusion. While I felt a bit like a pioneer (I had never known anyone that did this) I was convinced 100% it was the right thing to do for my baby. It was awkward and difficult a lot of times (just like homeschooling!) and I knew that a lot of people probably didn't understand. At that time people were not real accepting of it. I am by nature a shy & modest person so I was pretty paranoid unless I was sitting in a tent. Of course, there aren't many times when you can sit in a tent so that made it difficult and made me very self conscious. I kept doing what I felt was the right thing and the best thing for my baby. Over time I began to get over some of the paranoia. The longer I did it the more I knew it was the right thing to do. During that time I was well aware of the fact that a lot of women didn't make the same decision I made. I knew it was not practical at all for a woman that worked. I knew there were circumstances that made it difficult or impossible. I also knew that there were many good mothers out there that just didn't have the same convictions as I did. I realize the same thing about homeschooling. I have seen some really good mothers that really love their children. They don't have the same convictions as I do but that doesn't mean I think any less of them. To be honest though, when they tell me of difficulties in school I can't help but think "that is the great thing about homeschooling". Whatever the issue is I know that it wouldn't be an issue or it could be much less of one if the child were homeschooled. Having said all of that now I want to address homeschooling, why we do that and why we love it.

Our decision to homeschool was mostly economical. When that little baby I mentioned above was getting close to her 5th birthday my heart began to ache. I knew that it was almost time for her to go to school. I couldn't imagine my darling little angel being whisked away from me each morning only to return several hours later. She would be all alone! I wouldn't be there with her. Won't she be frightened? What if she needs me? I have always been there for her and with her. How can this work? The more I thought about it the more I thought, "this is just how it is, this is what I have to do, everyone else does it". What choice did I have? She had to go to school! But she was only 5 years old! It just isn't right to rip a 5 yr. old from her Mother's arms!

It's unnatural!

My husband and I didn't see public school as an option at the time. We felt that our little angel would do better in a Christian School. That made me feel better about leaving my daughter with a bunch of strangers. At least, it would be strangers that had similar convictions and would care about my girl. My heart ached a bit less but it still ached.....

Click here for part 2.