Homeschool

In just one week our spunky little lady is going to start her first year of preschool! She is so excited and so is her teacher. 

Her teacher being ME! 

The decision to home school our youngest children was so simple for us.  As a teacher for 17 years, it feels nice to be excited about teaching again.  The freedom to ACTUALLY teach and have fun with teaching is something I haven’t felt in a long time. 

The decision to home school our youngest children, has definitely NOT been well received by some others and while I accept their opinion based on what they know about homeschooling, we respectfully have a very different view.  

I saw this post the other day and thought it could not have been better written or fit our current life any more perfectly. 

Work as a chef, own a bakery: Way to go!

Cook for your family: You poor kitchen slave.

Work in fashion or own a clothing store: Slay, Queen!

Mend or make your family’s clothes: Are you Amish?

Teach 35 children in a classroom: Such a servant and a gem!

Teach your own child: Backwards weirdo!

Fold men’s and children’s clothes in a department store: Way to go earning your own money!

Fold your husband’s clothes: You poor oppressed woman!

Run a lunch truck: Support women businesses!!

Hand your husband his lovingly packed lunch before he heads out the door: 1950’s patriarchy!

Getting paid to push papers isn’t better than managing your home budget.

Wiping down counters in your own shop isn’t more valuable then quietly cleaning your own bathroom sink.

A paycheck doesn’t equal worth.

The world’s praises aren’t the ones that matter. Achieving personal success isn’t the way to glorify God.

Pretty sure the verse doesn’t say, “Whatever you do, do it for a paycheck and high esteem in the eyes of the world.”

Your work matters. 

It is valuable. 

It is sacred. 

It is important. 

It is God honoring.

Go ahead and study how to slice and dice even if you’ll only use the skills within the walls of your home. Go ahead and learn the science behind sourdough, even if you don’t plan to start a side hustle.

Learn, grow, serve, give, sweep, teach, love, submit . . . 

And do it cheerfully.

Do it to the glory of God.

~ Bloom Wild Schoolhouse

I love this so much because I didn’t always feel this way.  I can go back over several moments/decisions in my life and I know I made them because that’s what other people expected or accepted.  Maybe it’s my age (my doctor recently called me middle-aged… What?!)  or maybe just a better understanding of what I value in my life and for my children’s lives and our family, but I’m really ok with what people think about our life decisions either way. I know we are “learning, growing, serving, giving, teaching, loving, submitting” willingly and cheerfully for the glory of God.  At least we sure are trying to! And to that end, God’s is truly the only opinion that matters.

We know that once G is finally home, what he will need to learn first and foremost is bonding, trusting, and being part of a family.  But observing Josie at school definitely won’t hurt him since they will both be the same chronological age. (Two preschoolers!!! 😲) And having flexibility with schooling will also be helpful given his medical needs.  

This life we are living right now is my dream, being home and present with my children, filling them up with positive experiences and values and faith, raising them and teaching them…these babies that we are so blessed to be entrusted with, it’s what I’ve always wanted from the moment I became a mother.  It’s not glamorous,  and there are certainly already days of frustration, but I am beyond thankful to be living out what my heart most desires and this beautiful path God has paved for all of us.    

We are so stinking excited and can’t wait to see how this will look when G comes home.  We have a schedule, a lesson plan, a curriculum, and most importantly….excitement!  The majority of our home school plan is immersed in reading books, playing, crafts, and exploration – because isn’t that how kids learn best?

And what about our social little girl? 

A beautiful momma I follow on Instagram (@raisingcarswells) said this just the other day when she was asked about being worried about her kids socialization with being homeschooled, and I felt like I could have written the same exact words about our littles. She said,

“…if the only socialization your child is getting is in five days a week at school, then that’s a problem too….”

and 

“…I would much rather have a ‘socially-awkward’ child that can stand on their own beliefs than a child that is swayed to and fro by whatever someone tells them to think…” 

How perfectly said is that? 

I’m ready to get this adventure started, J’s been asking everyday if she gets to start preschool yet, I’m thankful that I will be able to give G the one-on-one academic and developmental attention he deserves.  And you know what? If it doesn’t work out for us, we will learn, grow, and modify to always do what is best for our kids and family.  

I’m not worried though, just filled up with grateful anticipation.  Let the school year begin!! 

Much love to you all! 🧡