Added benefits.

For me to be homeschooling is a huge leap of faith. I have zero patience, am not a teacher, and I am not even what you'd call a 'kid' person. (Although I love my babies dearly!!) So choosing to educate my kids at home is a decision that 1. has not been made lightly and 2. only happened because we strongly felt it was the Lord's will for us right now.

I had never really thought through the reasons why we wanted to homeschool, except that I knew instinctively it's what I wanted to do if that's where God led us. Even now, when people ask us why we're doing it, I cannot pinpoint one big reason that led us here. It's more a culmination of several different factors, all coming together to form a whole. For example, from our days of public school and me volunteering in the classrooms, I could clearly see how the educational system is geared for girls. I saw how bored my boys were, and how because they are academically able, often got ignored so that the teacher could help the struggling children and move them along. My kids' had amazing teachers who did their best to give equal attention to all their students, but honestly? It isn't humanly possible for one teacher to accommodate 25+ children. She is only one soul and has a limited time frame, budget and resources.  Now, I am not one to single my kids out and say they are better than other kids, or that they need special treatment, not by a long shot. I would never have taken them out of school for this reason alone. BUT combine this factor with a) one of my sons being easily influenced by his peers and b) the curriculum becoming increasingly ungodly and pushing things we are not comfortable with.... and several more which would be too long to elaborate on here, but you get the point. And so, we made that step of faith.

I feel like God's grace is so big. I love how He opens the right doors, and continues to confirm His will as I move along. Although sometimes our days are crazy or discouraging, I have been enveloped with peace. I wake up with my conviction in place and that is what gets me through the daily grind. I have also come across some added benefits that I never really thought of before I homeschooled. These are:

1. Not having to be out the door at a certain time every day, which always turned into me screaming at the kids to hurry up! We're going to be late! Between dragging them out of bed, trying to get them to brush teeth, get dressed, eat, and all of that, there were many days that I came home after dropping them off and just sat and cried. I was turning into someone I didn't know any more. Anyway, I've found that now we can go at our own pace and if a child is particularly tired, they can sleep in if they need to catch up and it is not as big a deal. I still like to get our day under way fairly quickly, but there isn't that pressure to be in time for the bell. Disclaimer: This doesn't mean that I never yell at my kids!! I still do, and am still working on it, and probably will be until the day God calls me home. But at least there is one major trigger point gone that I no longer have to deal with.

2. Having our own schedule. This is huge and probably the benefit I love the most. It kind of ties in with number one, but it also means that usually our afternoons are free. It means that we can eat breakfast and lunch when we want to. It means we can go on our own field trips, visit friends, do groceries when we need to and not what is dictated by the school arrival and dismissal times.

3. Being home more which translates into spending less money. For one, it is less gas I am using up. Amelia and I used to drop the boys off in the morning and we'd be free as birds... free to go get breakfast out together, to go see what was on sale at Walmart, or to troll the mall. It meant that I spent more, not only on gas, but on extra eating out, and random items that I didn't really need, but bought because I was there and saw it. It means that we eat pretty well all breakfasts and lunches at home and most suppers too, since our days are less frantic and I am here to prepare things ahead if we're going to be busy in the afternoons.

4. My boys talk to me more. I used to question them at the end of a school day to see how their days went but they were either too tired, or too cranky so I never heard much. Plus I found at the end of the day all they wanted to do was play with their toys (understandable) but I never really felt like we talked much. Now, we're together so much that we talk all the time. They've been asking questions they may never have asked had they been in school. Like, what is heaven like? We had a long conversation one day about the beauty of heaven and the streets of gold, which would not have happened had they not been here. I notice that one of my boys, who is not demonstrative, has taken to curling up beside me on the couch and leaning on my arm to talk. This might be normal for other families, but it never was for us. Or it used to be before they started school and started to grow away from me. I feel like I am getting to know them again on a whole other level that I missed out on when they were in school. Last week, my oldest boy said, "Mommy, when are we going to go out, just me and you?" Never has he ever said anything like that before. I feel like my kids need me in this way. Other families are probably able to have this kind of relationship with their kids even while they go to public school, but I feel like for my particular children, we need to be together all day, everyday for a true relationship and bond to grow.

These are only a few. I know there are more so maybe I will do another post as they come to mind.

I know some of my friends who public school read my blog and I don't want you guys to think that I am bashing public school because I'm truly not. I realize some families choose public school (We did! For three years!) and the Lord will give special grace to you and your kids just as He did and does for me and mine. Just a little disclaimer from me :)