It is finally official . . . we are a homeschooling family!
This definitely was not a decision that came out of thin air. In 2006, our oldest child had a horrible kindergarten experience with a teacher who was inept academically and scarring emotionally. I began my homeschooling research then, as well as visiting area schools.
I was intrigued by the possibility of teaching my own child (I already had experience as an instructor of college undergraduates.) Homeschooling was a definite consideration until we fell in love after a visit to a local private Christian school.
That school was all we could have hoped for (and more) for the first two years. As Grace began third grade, some concerns arose, but we did not immediately feel the need for change. As the year progressed, it became clear that the school was not meeting our needs, and we once again started the research process.
As soon as I revisited the idea of homeschooling, I found answers to my troubling questions. Teaching Grace myself would of course mean that I could fill in the academic gaps, but other areas were much more important. I saw the opportunity to help restore her flagging self-esteem, and I prayed for the return of my happy-go-lucky, willing-to-try-anything little girl.
The affirmation came when we told our daughter our plans for the next school year. Her smile was so big and wide that I am surprised her face did not ache! She has embraced the change with so much enthusiasm, and within a few short weeks, the sweet child I knew has reappeared.
I am not naive. I know there will be bumps in the road. After all, I will be teaching a fourth grader and a kindergartner with a busy eighteen-month-old at home. There will be days they will drive me to drink. And there will be days when they take all their frustration out on their mother/teacher. I am willing to hold on to all those times in between, when I get to witness their faces light up with excitement over a new discovery. In the end, their happiness, both through academic success and emotional encouragement, is what led our family to this adventure.
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