Thinking of Bringing Your Children Home to Home School?

I personally attended (well, hosted!) a Support Group Meeting last night.  It was a full house!  About 15 of us present with a couple *wanna be* home schoolers in attendence.  They have children in school and are thinking about bringing them home to home educate them.

BUT you know (and you do know!) that it is a hard decision to make.  I have learned to not push anyone towards home educating their children.  It has to be *their* idea and driven by them. 

It was a hard decision for Richard and I to make.  We agonized over it for almost 6 months.  I prayed about it constantly - asking God for wisdom and direction.  I knew it would change our lives - mine, in particular.  (smile)  I didn't want to go against the crowd or to be different.  I wasn't sure I could handle having the kids home all day, every day long.  I wasn't sure how we would do financially, either.  We all need to face those hard questions and answer them personally. 

Last night, our topic was What would you tell yourself then, if you knew what you know now?  Kinda of a clumsy question - but the idea came across.  We all enter Home Schooling our children with *thoughts* of how it should be - and almost all of us were public schooled, so that is how we think.

I opened saying that deciding to Home Educate our children was one of the best decisions Richard and I have ever made.  That one decision has changed our lives.  It changed the way we look at education, the way our family dynamics are, the people we connect with (I know SOOOOO many kindred spirit home educators!  They are blessings in my life!), and so much more. 

It is a huge decision.  And I kinda am an all or nothing kind of person.  If I choose to do something, it's pretty much with all my heart.  I home school our children will all my heart.  It is a way of life for us.

But perhaps don't look at it as an all or nothing kind of deal.  Why not just look at your child and ask yourself the question - Would they benefit from being home and home schooling for the rest of the year?  What about for one year?  Why not try home schooling out for a time?  I know people who tried it out over the summer and by the fall, they knew they could do for a year.  And they just went on from there.

And I will say, to the parents of children who are NOT doing well at school - I would encourage you to do whatever it takes to bring them home.  I strongly believe it is our responsibility to protect and bless our children.  If their spirits are being destroyed, or they are in a bullying situation, or being crushed from an academic failure, or __________ (you choose the situation), bring them home.  Ask God for wisdom.  Find some Home School Support.  If you need to - email me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I will try to help you, too. 

*Please note - if you are bringing your child home *during* a school year (Sept - June), you MUST notify with a Supervising Agency (also known as Willing Non Resident Boards).  Go to that link and phone a few of them - there are a 2 or 3 that probably will accept you mid year, because they *believe* in the parent's right to educate their children (They get no funding for children that notify after the Sept. 30th deadline.  You don't get any funding either BUT you get to bring your child home!  AND if you do bring your child home during the year, think about notifying with them for your next year of home schooling, because they were there for you when you needed them!)

I will also say I was surprised at the vehemence in the room last night when talking about bringing children home out of a hard school situation AND *just fine* school situations.  A couple moms added in that we would also be surprised at how our children who are doing *just fine* at school, would also appreciate being home and home schooling.  It is something to think about.  I know they were sharing personal stories of how individual children were doing *just fine* academically, but were struggling in other areas - perhaps hidden bullying, or peer pressure to grow up faster, or _________ (again, you fill in the area).  One mom added in the pressure for young girls is immense - dressing older, not playing with dolls after grade 2, makeup, boys and more....

*Please note that I am not putting down Public Schooling, but this is a blog for Home School support.  That is what I am addressing.

I will also share a link to I want to Home School BUT I Don't Want the Responsibility  Excellent, excellent article.  A Must Read!  (She shares that Home Schooling is not for cowards!  And it isn't.  It does take guts and determination to take a different path.  To choose to live on one income, perhaps.  To spend day in and day out with your children.  To Home School.  BUT it is all worth it.  All of it!)

(Oh, and my answer to what would I change?  Smile - over and over again last night, ladies were saying they would have relaxed more.  I personally would try harder NOT to bring *school* home.  The first six months of our home schooling - well, I thought the only time Natasha was *home schooling*, was when we were sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by workbooks.  Then it hit me - nature walks, baking, reading on the couch, and so much more - all of those activities are learning times, too.  And I relaxed a little bit more....  smile){jcomments off}