Help! I’m Considering Homeschool

Posted by Renae | 0 comments

I’m thinking about homeschooling. My husband and family keep talking me out of it. I never considered the possibility before, but since putting my daughter in preschool she’s become angry. I don’t even know how to begin homeschooling. Your views would be helpful. ~J.K. in FL

Dear J.K.,

First of all, I want to encourage you. Homeschooling isn’t as scary as it sounds. So many messages in our culture come against the idea, but, especially in the early years, homeschooling is pretty simple. I didn’t say it’s easy, but it is simple.

Your child needs to learn to read.

Because homeschooling is very centered on family, I would not try to do it if my husband wasn’t in unity. Is he open to trying it? What are his concerns? As you explore this option, continue praying and communicating about it.

Another thing to consider is your state’s homeschooling laws. It looks like you have more restrictions than I do in Idaho. However, you don’t have to start any formal education until your child is 6. You may have a year before state requirements come into effect, and by then you will have found support.

Honestly, I think homeschooling during the beginning years is more crucial than later. It is a time of laying foundations.

While our children are young, we need to teach them, not their peers. Then when they are older and capable of discerning good from evil, they have a foundation to stand on.

I hope this helps. You have already been teaching your child. And no matter where she attends school, you are still her most important teacher.

Peace to you,
Renae

What would you have said?

Renae Deckard has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her three children for over seven years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.