Why We Homeschool

When we began homeschooling, it was because our daughter was experiencing some vision problems, which had resulted in reading issues that we felt could be better addressed in a one-on-one situation.  The bigger reason was because God kept speaking to me with the following verses:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

We continue to homeschool because God has not led us to make any other decision. We do pray about it often. We have also come to realize that homeschooling allows us to

• work at our own pace
• travel
• know one another and extended family members
• to cater to our special needs child and the allergies of some of our children
• to allow our two oldest children to pursue their interests of drawing, photography, and writing

We see no reason to stop homeschooling now, outside of God calling us to do so. We are totally sold on this way of life!

Why Others Homeschool

There are many other compelling reasons to choose homeschooling over public or private schools.

• Your child has special needs, such as food allergies, giftedness, learning delays, or a diagnosis such as Autism or Sensory Processing Disorder. While many children living with the above challenges do attend public or private school, families are increasingly choosing homeschooling as the best educational choice for them!

• You feel called by God to homeschool. I can attest to the fact that obedience is the best choice when you hear God speaking to you. And though the road may not be an easy one, He will travel with you the entire journey!

• Your family desires to travel and the ‘traditional’ school schedule would inhibit your freedom to do so. Many families have taken time to travel the country or even the world, learning through life as they explore their immediate surroundings. What better way to learn than through complete immersion in a culture and its foods, history, and people!

• Your child has a deep passion for a specific sport or artistic pursuit. Homeschooling will allow your child to immerse herself in that pursuit in a way that traditional schooling will not.

• You desire to spend more time with your children. There is nothing quite like being home with your family all day. Yes, there are difficulties, but the rewards far outweigh them in my opinion! My youngest children know their older siblings in a way that they would not if my older children were heading off to school each day. I find much joy in the delight on my little girls’ faces as they greet their siblings each day.

• You or another family member suffers from an illness. Homeschooling could be an option for you, as well. Many families still homeschool even they have been diagnosed with cancer, heart disease, or some other life-threatening ailment.

Why do YOU Homeschool?

There are likely even more reasons families choose to homeschool.  What is your reason? Will you share it with us in the comments below?

Please join me again next week for my post,  HOW do I Homeschool?