Proverbs 31:1, “The sayings of King Lemuel–an oracle (spiritual, wise counsel) his mother taught him.”
Thinking about homeschooling? In today’s Wise Tip Wednesday, we are going to discuss the homeschooling adventure. We are now in our 13th year of homeschooling. WOW! It is hard to believe it’s been that long. It seems like we were just praying about the decision to teach our children at home. Since I’ve been homeschooling for a while now, many people approach me with questions and advice on whether or not they should homeschool.
Homeschooling was a big decision for us. It wasn’t a tough decision because we sought God and studied His Word, through which we found direction. Even when I was a child, I dreamed of being home teaching my children, and that was before I even knew about homeschooling. I don’t know if it was a calling from God, because I think in many ways we are all called to homeschool. the Bible references the importance of parents teaching their children. However, I hear people say that all of the time that it’s not something they’ve ever been “called” to do. I want to ask if they ever considered it further or just took it as a fleeting thought and quickly dismissed it. That doesn’t mean we weren’t called to homeschool. I won’t get into all of my beliefs about the responsibility of parents to teach their children, because I know it is a touchy subject for many and that is not even what this post is about.
Anyway, if homeschooling has crossed your mind don’t throw that thought out the window. Seek God for more direction and wisdom. Pray. Research. You’ll also need to look at the homeschooling laws in your state. The laws vary from state to state. Here are the laws for homeschooling here in South Carolina.
After I researched the SC statutes, I began to wonder exactly how to homeschool, what that looked like from day-to-day since I grew up in public schools. I researched and uncovered these helpful homeschooling resources:
These resources will help you get a feel for exactly what homeschooling is and a general idea of how you will be able to incorporate homeschooling into your lifestyle, forging ahead on this amazing journey. I found these books very beneficial when starting out, and I still refer to them today.
Search online for homeschool accountability associations and support groups in your area. Many are happy to answer any questions you have. Some offer periodic seminars on getting started.
Homeschooling really is easier than you think, and the best part is you have the freedom to make it what you want it to be. Homeschooling isn’t necessarily moving school seat work from the public school setting to home or like virtual school. If you recognize that children are individuals and their learning should be individualized as well, then you know there is so much more to homeschooling than book work at home or memorizing facts for a test. Homeschooling is daring to make learning fun, hands on, a real-life experience, individualized, personal, rewarding, faith-based, and unifying for your family.