We’re moving this summer. I cannot wait to share with you those details, I promise they are coming! So much change is happening and while it’s been a year of preparation, we still feel the anxiety of moving.
One aspect of life we’ve been praying over since having children is the idea of homeschooling. I know I’m a trained educator. I know I am capable, but am I really capable of teaching young children, especially my own? I’ve only formally taught middle schoolers.How will I transfer my high expectations onto my children? Will I have grace? Will this work?
When Dietrich was three we decided to put him in preschool two days a week for two hours a day. He wasn’t talking much and needed social support and more formal classroom structure than I could provide at the time. He excelled and learned so much that year so we continued. He was in preschool a total of three years before starting Kindergarten at 6 years old. Dietrich continued to stay at the same private school through Kindergarten and first grade. I appreciated so much at that school. Being in a big city, it was a place of small-town community from which I come.
Daylan attended preschool there for two years, as well. The first year was a great resource for us to prove there were developmental issues we needed to attack. The second year she grasped so much, but we also fought her every week. By day two of the week (she attended 4, 2 1/2 hour days), she was whining and complaining giving me reasons she couldn’t to go to school. As I sat mouth gaping, I mean how can she not LOVE school?!, I realized more and more what my gut intuition was– it’s time to homeschool.
When we decided we were moving, we knew homeschool was the step for her, too. We went to the Great Homeschool Convention and I felt it was very purposeful for me. I didn’t go to any of the sessions, I went where I belonged… in the expo hall touching and feeling the curriculum. As a person with a master’s degree in teaching, I was in love. I went with the idea of what I wanted to teach, a homemade spreadsheet of questions, curriculum I was after, etc. When I got there I saw exactly what I wanted. I ordered. We were set.
I know this is the right decisions for this year. Did you catch that? I’m not saying I’m homeschooling forever. I’m homeschooling for one year. This will be a year by year basis. We will assess where we are, what our needs are as a family and for each individual child and go from there.
For those who think homeschoolers are weird, I get it. I’ve known some weird ones. We’ve already faced criticism about homeschooling our children next year. I’ve already put people back in their own lanes and out of mine. Especially those who don’t have to see my child struggle every day. Or those that didn’t see her face light up in excitement when her curriculum arrived at home and she was ready to start school immediately. What I do know, is I am an involved mom and will continue to be. I’ll hone my gifts in and take care of my family first. 2018-2019 will be a year of hunkering down and focusing on what is in front of us.
Some important positives for us to homeschool specifically:
1. Individualized education support
2. Up and travel whenever we want
3. Less out of classroom time due to Daylan’s appointment schedules
4. Individualized discipleship
5. Being open to serving
6. Less exhaustion from the day and less of the worse of us in the evenings
Our new house will have a homeschool room/ office. The curriculum has already been ordered, organized, and planned for the first 200 hours of instruction. Our first break is planned after the first 200 hours are done.
By taking on a move, a new home, and homeschooling my children, it means I will be letting more things go off of my plate and yet adding something so important– discipling my own children. I am guilty of putting the importantance of discipling others above discipling those in my home. The ones I’ve been gifted and given responsibility over. The most important and most rich environment to reach the next generation is right in my own home.
Living the life I say I believe: I want my children to know they are loved by me, but loved more and better than I ever could by Jesus. I don’t want them to be thirty years old and say, “Well my mom loved me the best she knew how.” I don’t want them to ever question my love for them, my sacrifice, nor the want of them individually. Our way to creating a family wasn’t easy. We’ve had to fight for everything important– Our marriage, our children, and relationship with Jesus. I want my kids to know that the fight is worth it. They are worth it. This family is worth it.
Curriculum we chose:
I will update this and/or review how we like each about 6 months in.
Horizon’s
Math, Spelling, Reading, Phonics, Health
LifePac
Science (Dietrich only)
Positive Action
Bible Curriculum
Write the Word Kids
Devotional
D’Nealian
Handwriting
Other curriculum needs will be met with resources from the ODOE, and other curriculum as we get settled into routine.
