"Love God, Your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got. Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you & then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall in bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.'
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
I cannot remember the precise moment when first I read these verses, but I do know that they were vividly imprinted upon my heart. Deep within me the desire to educate my children was born...these verses have served as a personal conviction towards that end ever since. My heart is not to condemn nor judge any godly parent that feels otherwise led, but my intent is to encourage homeschooling parents & to answer questions of those who feel led to do so but have some reservations. The Lone Ranger & I have always known that we would homeschool the Darlings & so almost from the minute Goldilocks was born I began researching curricula, methods, school room vs. kitchen table, & so on. To be honest questions & concerns over the wisdom of homeschooling never entered my mind until I began mentioning our intention to others. Their concerns caused me to seek answers, & I was surprised to find that all the answers came from the parents' perspective. Years later as we are about to embark upon this homeschool journey, it dawned on me that the questions need to be asked not of the teacher, but of the student. I have queried homeschooled students with 10 common concerns of parents who are interested in homeschooling. They have been gracious enough to answer me candidly. I will post the 10 questions followed by the responses of the individual. Out of respect for their honesty & candor I will list only their names & the number of years that they have been homeschooled. This will require several consecutive posts. I am making no alterations to their responses, these are their answers just as they responded. It is my hope that for those parents who fear certain repercussions of homeschooling, & for those who feel led to but have yet to make a decision...that these heartfelt, honest answers from a unique perspective will provide you encouragement as well as direction in which to proceed. I have been utterly inspired & awestruck by the responses....be blessed! Here we go!
My first response came from a wonderful, godly young woman. I must say that before I even truly knew her she inspired me with not only her maturity but with her zest for life. I have had the blessing of getting to know Rachel (she gave me leave to use her name), & hope that my daughters grow up to be like her! Here are her answers to my questions!
1. What is your age & the length of time you have been homeschooled?
* 21 and I was homeschooled for 11 years. 2nd grade through graduation according to the Core 40 of Indiana.
2. Name of any curriculum you have used & your opinion of it
*We used Alpha Omega through most of my schooling, but I loved Saxon for math. I really enjoyed algebra because I could comprehend it according to their curriculum.
3. What are some pros & cons of homeschooling...your true opinions
*Pros: 1) Extreme flexibility. When my grandpa was sick, we were able to pack up all our school and stay in Indianapolis for weeks, therefore being with family for support and comfort, and we stayed caught up. 2) Mom was able to give us all more individual and undivided attention. 3) I am fully confident in my ability to use proper grammar and correct spelling . 4) I wasn’t forced to learn the “morals” of a decaying society. I was taught from a biblical worldview and not tolerance. 5) I personally feel more prepared for life in what God would have me do. I have learned how to live will. It may not be the American dream, but the American dream is an empty lie. 6) I have strong beliefs and convictions that are shared by my peer group and have been reinforced because of how I was raised and taught.
Cons: The only real con is that I didn’t get to blow anything up in chemistry, but that isn’t a real con because chem classes are a part of college, so if I really wanted to take it, it would be available. I don’t feel like there were cons.
4. Do you feel awkward in social situations due to being educated at home?
*Nope. I only feel more mature and very sad when I see young kids walking paths that are not what God intended. I have a wide variety of friends and I get along with most people very well. I can carry on conversations with virtually anyone. The only awkwardness is when people may talk about something inappropriate and I have no idea what it means. That gets kind of awkward but I am not missing out at all.
5. Do you feel as though you lack (or suffer from) social interaction: friendships, sports, proms, & etc?
*Nope. I played volleyball in the homeschool group, all my friends were homeschooled, and dances never quite interested me because of what goes on during a lot of them. I feel like I was protected from a lot of negative social interaction, especially with boys. I have never had a boyfriend, nor have I been on a date, and I have never felt pressured to impress boys or try to change my state of singlehood.
6. Do you feel as though your parents were equipped or adequate to teach you?
*Yes. I fully believe that God told my parents to homeschool us and in He honored their obedience and fully prepared and used them for His glory. 2nd Corinthians 3:5-6 says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Basically, I see them being normal people who don’t have their teaching licenses, but God made them sufficient for His purposes. Not only in educating us physically, but spiritually as well, in teaching the new covenant and not religious legalism.
7. Parents (mostly moms) fear their ability to command their children's attention or respect. Was this a problem in your experience?
*If parents start out teaching their children first time obedience and respect, then they shouldn’t have a worry about whether their children will show the same obedience and respect in schooling. The parents have to be the ones in control in order to properly train the children. That also prepares them to be obedient to what God is telling them.
8. Do you regret your parents decision to homeschool you?
*Never.
9. Did homeschooling in any way provoke rebellion or a desire to turn away from your faith?
*No. If anything, it strengthened it. I have an awesome support system that has always been here for me and has always reaffirmed and supported and encouraged me.
10. Would you consider homeschooling your current/future children?
*Without a doubt. I don’t want my children learning that “alternate” lifestyles are acceptable. I want to teach them to stand firmly on the Bible. I don’t want to subject them to bullying, immature “romance”, cussing, drinking, drugs, disrespect, etc. as something that is the norm, because it’s not. As followers of Jesus, supernatural things should be the norm. I want my kids to rise above the decay of our society and walk in boldness and truth and purity.
Sorry about the novel I’ve written, Brianne! I hope it makes sense. I am honored that you are asking us all about this. I’ve been graduated from highschool for almost 4 years. I went to VU for a year and there was no hard transition or anything. I did well in my classes and I made friends there, as well. I have held the same job for almost 4 years and I interact with the public on a daily basis. Homeschooling isn’t the enemy at all. Fear of failure is an enemy. I struggled with that before starting college, but God quickly dealt with that one. He gives the ability to match the occasion. He can do anything. He is so very faithful and patient with me. Thank you again for this opportunity! If there’s anything I can help with, let me know!! I don’t care if you drop names either. I’m proud of the way my parents raised me. I don’t want a career, but I want to love and live well. They taught me about real life. I don’t know everything yet, but they taught me how to learn and listen and wait on Jesus. That is completely invaluable to me Be blessed!!
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