2021-2022 School Year and Why we made a Change

2021-2022 School Year

    This year our family took a very different route as far as school is concerned. We left public school and opted for homeschool. Sumner attended a home-school co-op called C.H.E.S.S. Academy. Anna Ruth attended a homeschool program with a veteran public school and homeschool teacher named Michelle Wiley. Abigail started her first year of school, too. She went to our church’s weekday program. She was in 3-K and went to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Everyone had a fabulous year. 

When we made the decision to homeschool, I had many people question why. I honestly didn’t have a short or easy answer.  It was an accumulation of several things. Most importantly, it was because Matthew and I both felt it was what God wanted us to do for our family. However, if I had to list out a few of our thoughts and reasons behind choosing to homeschool I think the list would look something like this:

·         *Besides God placing it on our heart, the number one reason we wanted a change is so we could have more time to disciple our own children. Going to school 180 days a year, leaving before the sun comes up and getting home at 4:00 (without extracurriculars) didn’t give us much time to pour into our children spiritually. The Bible says ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ 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. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9.  Before this year, we read a short devotional every night before bed. We took them to church every time the doors were opened. We tried to live our life as an example to our kids on what it means to follow Jesus. We prayed. But disciplining our kids… true discipleship, wasn’t happening. This school year we have been able to have in depth conversations with our kids every single morning about God’s Word before we start the day. Every morning after breakfast we opened our Bibles, read it, talked about, and prayed together.  When their schoolwork was over for the day (which was a lot earlier than it would have been in traditional school) Sumner and Anna Ruth had individual Bible study time. They each had their own Bible study (on their level) they did every day and we talked about it together when they were finished. Then at night we did our regular nighttime devotion/ Bible story and prayers.  I cannot put into words how refreshing our mornings have been this school year. In the past, morning have been so hectic.  Not this year.  The Lord has truly blessed us and I pray the things we have ALL learned by spending more time in His Word will grow forever in our hearts.

·         *The second reason we wanted a change is so we could have more time TOGETHER! I love my family. I could never get enough time with my children. When Sumner started “real school” AKA public school, the part that made me cry the most was because I knew our time together from then on out would be significantly decreased. I remember crying one day eating lunch with him the summer before he started school thinking I wouldn’t be able to eat lunch with him every day anymore. Matthew gets the opportunity to go on several trips during the year with his job. Thanks to the flexibility of my job, we have always been able to go with him as a family.  Once the kids started school, the trips decreased significantly.  Now that we are doing homeschool, we are able to go on the trips and the kids don’t have to miss school. They can do their work anywhere, just like I can with my job. One day my kids will be grown and gone, but until then, I want to soak up as much time with them as possible.

·        * The third reason we wanted a change was because public school curriculum is beginning to look a lot like a crazy social experiment. Praise be to God for the Christian teachers out there in the public school system that refuse to go along with it!!  Not only that, but Satan is working hard and it shows. In my opinion, the more Biblical truths we can put into them, the better off they will be.  By doing homeschool, we are giving our children a Biblical education. Every subject is filtered through a Biblical lens. Especially in Science. That is a biggie for me. Not only is the curriculum from a Biblical perspective, it is not blind to what the world teaches. Often times, they are learning both, but then looking to the Bible to discern which is true. So again, it isn't putting them in a bubble, because they are being exposed to secular things, just through a Bible lens. 

·         *The fourth reason we wanted a change was because we wanted our kids to be able to learn at their own pace.  This year Sumner should have been in third grade and Anna Ruth should have been in second grade. However, both finished the year doing the next grade level’s work and doing it well. That is amazing to me! When they work, they work hard and get it done. There is no “fluff” time. This makes the school day shorter and much more meaningful!

 

What we aren’t trying to do

Put them in a bubble- we talk to them about everything. The difference is, we want to be the first ones to tell them, and we want them to be told at an age that is appropriate. The age kids today are learning things is insane.  Just because it is being talked about earlier, doesn’t mean it is right.  Matthew is having “the birds and the bees” talk with Sumner this summer. We got a recommendation from the leader of our children’s ministry at church of a good book for them to do together, so they will be working through it this summer. We have had discussions about homosexuality, divorce, bad language,  and many other things that could potentially be discussed at school. But instead of them learning it from another child, they are hearing it from us, and we are trying to teach them to look to the Bible for these answers about what is right and what is wrong.

There is no guarantee in this life.  I believe in Free Will, and my children will have the free will to follow the Lord for all their life or not.  I cannot control that, as much as I would like to. But no matter what happens, at the end of my life when I stand before the Lord, I hope to have the peace of knowing I’ve done all I can do to disciple them.

I saw a post on Facebook a few weeks ago and it said 70% of all churched youth raised in Christian homes  reject Christianity before they become adults (I am not sure if the post had accurate statistics). It went onto say if sending Christian kids into public schools to be missionaries worked, it would have worked.  I am sure in some cases it has. In fact I know it has. I have several Christian friends who go to church with me whose kids are prepared and are doing it!!!! Praise the Lord!!!  But unfortunately, that’s not the majority. Unfortunately, for the majority, the world wins. I encourage all believers whose children are in public schools, please make sure you as the parent are putting in the effort to disciple your kids so they will be prepared to be the salt and the light. Sadly, many parents don’t take them time that is needed to disciple them and give them the tools they need to defend their faith.  Another favorite verse of mine (and is very motivational to me) is 1 Peter 3:15-16 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

I want to end by saying that my convictions may not be yours, and that is OK. I do not think it is a sin for children to go to public school. I am a public school teacher and have my specialist degree in education.  I am just saying this is the conviction God has placed on my heart as well as Matthew's. I am so thankful to the Lord for making a way for us to be able to do this and I pray He blesses us as we continue on this journey! 

I know there are many people who would love for their children to be able to homeschool, but can't. My heart feels for those people. My prayer is that churches would start taking a role in supporting the homeschool co-ops and other homeschool groups, so more people would have the opportunity to give their children a Biblical based education without it costing a fortune! Don’t just make it possible for the ones who can afford it, but especially for the ones who can’t!! What a mission field it could be!