When our family decided to abandon the ideal of traditional school I was MOTIVATED. I knew exactly why we needed to homeschool. As time went on, however, (and the realities of homeschool sunk in) I needed to remind myself why we had chosen this path -- why we had chosen to swim upstream.
Because let's face it -- when you homeschool you are doing something different. You will find yourself swimming upstream in so many ways.
Why do you homeschool?
I posed this question to the Homegrown Learners Facebook and Instagram communities and received many insightful, heartfelt, and passionate responses.
I pray this list will encourage you - lift you up on the hard days - and serve as a reminder to you why we do what we do for our precious children.
(And at the end of the post I've included a printable list so you can put these reasons somewhere you can see them on a regular basis!)
One mom in our Facebook community put it so beautifully, and I needed to share her thoughts with you. This mom is living inside MY head and MY life - because these are my thoughts, too.
“I never would have dreamed I would homeschool my now ninth grader. It kept coming to my mind and heart for two years straight before I even considered it. I know now that God was pressing it on my heart to prepare me. My child had wonderful teachers. He was a very good, well behaved student at school, yet something was crushing his soul...I could not put my finger on it...I just felt it at a gut level. I could see his eyes turn bright as we started any holiday from school. His curiosity and love for learning flourished at home. I could see his spirit dim each time it was time to return to school. I had a epiphany as I dropped him off at school one morning. As he walked away, it was in the sad way he carried his shoulders. I decided in that moment that I had to listen to my heart. I had to get out of the panic of the all or nothing thinking. I knew we had to try. I had to ask myself; what if we try it a year, and it does not work? The world won’t stop turning. That was going on four years ago. It is the best decision I have ever made. It was a very personal decision, but has opened doors for growing our faith, growing our family ties, and opportunities for interest led learning that a public school setting could not do. It was a gut thing. For the first couple of years, I said we will see how this year goes. We are in for the long haul now. It has become a lifestyle. It suits us, and my son is thriving in every way. It is daunting sometimes, and brings me to my knees regularly. So very grateful and blessed that we gave it a try.”
Don't you love that?
Following are 25 reasons - compiled from moms all over - to homeschool.
I pray it will encourage you -- and don't forget to print your list for extra encouragement!
25 Reasons to Homeschool
1. Children are glorious square pegs that don't fit into schools' round holes.
2. Your kids are worth it!
3. Our children deserve to enjoy their childhood without any added pressure to grow up too quickly!
4. We want kids to be who they are, not who their peers tell them to be
5. Common core has no place in our children's education.
6. FREEDOM!
7. Time. Time for family. Time to enjoy learning.
8. It keeps coming to your mind and heart for years before you even consider it.
9. Children's curiosity and love for learning FLOURISH at home!
10. More time to spend with DAD.
11. It opens doors for growing our faith, growing our family ties, and opportunities for interest led learning that a public school setting cannot do.
12. To raise children with a Biblical worldview
13. So children can meet new people, travel to different places, learn at their own pace, learn to love God and others, and learn to serve.
14. Children can more easily develop their own identities.
15. NO BULLYING!
16. Children can more easily develop a love for learning.
17. It is safer for children with severe medical needs/allergies.
18. It is the parents' responsibility to train our children in the way they should go, loving and disciplining them all the way through.
19. You've been teaching them since birth. Why stop now?
20. SAFETY
21. You want MORE for them.
22. To be with your children for every daily triumph and tragedy
23. So much learning occurs through field trips and hands on learning - only achievable through homeschool!
24. To let BOYS be BOYS!
25. To have the freedom to play outside all day on the beautiful days and spend all day curled up with books on the rainy ones.
The day will come (and it WILL come, believe me) that you will be discouraged on your homeschool journey. You may consider sending your child to school. You may question the value of all of your sacrifice and swimming upstream.
Please print this list to encourage you. Keep it in your school area, in your homeschool planner, or somewhere you can see it DAILY.
We often need reminders about WHY homeschooling is the right thing to do.
Download the 25 Reasons to Homeschool Printable
This download is 2 pages.
