Oh my goodness, sorting through old blog posts both published and unpublished I stumbled across this cute little gem ….look how tiny they were! Looking back at these pictures I am reminded of how quickly they grow up. I am reminded that all the curriculums in the world can not compare to ‘play’ at these young ages.
I have read posts, counseled, conversed, and literally spent hours with concerned parents – ‘are we doing enough’? “What if I keep my 3 year old home for preschool – will they ever make it into college?” I get it! I’ve been there! That fear of ‘are we enough’ sweeps in like a raging storm. That fear can be crippling but, one should never be afraid to fail – one should only fear not trying. The fear of ‘damaging’ our kids through homeschooling is an insecurity brought forth by the very system in which saw us through our own school days – are we smart enough, good enough, wise enough?
7 years later in our homeschool journey – I’m still asking those same questions.
As if, our own doubts weren’t enough – there are/will be the inevitable ‘curious cat’s “;
“So, do you plan on doing this ‘homeschool thing’ forever?”
“So, what about high school? I mean it’s fine for elementary but, what about the upper grades?”
Sometimes these questions and comments come across as curiosity, genuine concern, plain old noisiness, and sometimes they are just shear antagonistic. My response varies but, it normally sounds something like – “We started this journey as a family; one day, one year, and one kid at a time…and that is the path we will continue to take.“
Choosing a life of virtue, wisdom, nurtured curiosity, and self expression for our kids is something to be embraced not something to be shamed out of doing. You are giving your child a gift. Whether you homeschool for 1 year, twelve years, or are simply supplementing your traditionally schooled child’s education there is no curriculum for an ‘atmosphere, a discipline, a life’ yet to be explored.
I am in no way opposed to traditional school options: I have certainly looked into, and been intrigued by the option. At the end of the day it is a matter of heart – what is best for your family? Curriculum is a tool and ‘school’ is a location – the real question you
should be asking is; “What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Let your faith be bigger than your fear and do that!“
We alone are not enough – never have been and never will be!
If you are in need of a little ‘mental’ homeschooling boost; here are a couple books I highly recommend! (*affiliate link)
