Why I'm Homeschooled - Part 1

After reading an interesting post called, "Why I Do Not Homeschool," by author and blogger Tim Challies, I thought that it'd be a great idea to talk a bit about why our family does homeschool. Our family is not the norm in our neighbourhood (or our church for that matter). And though homeschooling isn't the typical choice for most families in North America, it has grown in popularity recently. People homeschool for a variety of reasons that range from religious beliefs to hatred of the public school system. Other people choose not to homeschool also for a variety of reasons that range from fear that their kids will become anti-social to the desire to have their children use the public school as a mission field. But this is why our family chooses to homeschool ...

1. Beliefs and Convictions

For us, public school had always been a way of life. Both of my parents went to public school, and Travis and I were placed in a public kindergarten and planned to graduate from a public high school. But all those plans are fine and good when you're in elementary school, but as I neared the end of my elementary school days, junior high loomed before us like a monster we had never prepared for. Starting in grade seven, I'd be learning (excuse me) getting indoctrinated on the topics of sex education, evolution, religion equality and more. My parents had started thinking and praying and seeking what God wanted us to do. Should we look for other options? As my parents continued praying and thinking and praying and thinking some more, their decision was made very clear to them. It stemmed from Deuteronomy 6:6-7a, which says, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children." This is the Lord speaking to the people of Israel. He's just commanded them to "love the Lord their God with all their heart and soul and strength" in verse five. Then right after this, He says, "You've got to teach what I've told you to your kids!"

My parents took this as a wake-up call. The public school system was not commanded to train up Christian kids in the way of the Lord. Parents were. My parents didn't want us to get taught that evolution is the only option and that as long as you practice safe-sex it's okay and all religions are good and equal! They wanted our curriculum to be based upon the Word of God. That's why the number one reason I'm homeschooled is because we believe the Lord has called Mom and Dad to train Travis and I up in home-education.

Now, before I go any further, I want to distinctly point out that we are not public school haters. We do not hate families that choose public school. There are many good, Christian families that choose to send their kids to public school for a plethora of reasons. They have some good arguments in certain cases, but our family has chosen to follow our convictions. Other families follow theirs. Salvation is not based on whether you home-school your kids or not. The reason I wrote this post was not to bash the public school; I simply wrote it to inform you why our family has chosen to homeschool. 

2. Public School and Pressure

When we were in Texas, it all came to a head. We had only been in the public elementary school for nearly five months, but over that time, it was obvious that the school wasn't treating us right. Because the school was not in the best neighbourhood, there were a lot of kids who came from broken homes and who didn't have the love and support of two Christian parents, like my brother and I had. Most of the kids in my classes were on their second or third year of fourth grade. Fourth grade!

So when the teachers saw Travis and I, they saw the opportunity to push us more. Suddenly Travis and I were pushed like we had never been before: an hour or two of homework when we got home at three-thirty, math competitions, writing competitions, science fairs. The teachers began setting personal goals for the kids. If they made their goals, they got a party, but if they didn't, they had to sit by themselves, while everyone else had the party. By now, I was a stress-case. I was going nutty! My goals were all in the 90s, and if I got a 92 on my test instead of a 93, I would have to sit at the "losers" table. My parents couldn't stand it anymore. Travis and I were so stressed, we didn't even have time to be kids. There was no time to play outside with hours of homework and training for competitions we didn't want to be in. My parents finally decided that 'nuff was enough. So that, coupled with the fact that we believed God wanted Mom and Dad to home-educate us, became the second reason why we decided to homeschool.

Stay tuned for part two of this post, as I uncover the last reasons why I'm homeschooled ...