People often ask me why we've made the choice to homeschool. I wonder how many people who send their kids to school get asked why they've made that choice? Although there are many reasons we've chosen to homeschool--and I plan to write about some of those in subsequent posts--I think the main reason we educate our children at home, is because we don't have a good reason not to.
It seems natural to me that as much as possible, children should learn from their parents. No one thinks it's weird when parents potty-train their children, teach them to use a spoon, or how to tie their shoes. Why is it so different for a parent to teach his child to read? "But I don't know how to teach my kid to read." I'm guessing you didn't know anything about potty-training either--I know I didn't . Teaching my son to read was a cakewalk compared to getting him potty-trained.
I find it a bit odd that for most parents, it's automatic. Your child turns 5, so it's time to buy the "Dora the Explorer" backpack and lunch box and have a tearful good-bye outside of the kindergarten classroom. Why is it the "default" to send our kids to school? Why is that in order to homeschool, I need some special reason; some special "word from the Lord"? But if I sent my 5 year old away for 6-8 hours a day, no one would even question it?
Whether you educate your child(ren) at home, or send them to school, ask yourself, "Why am I making this choice?" Have reasons. Be intentional.
Great post Kim!
ReplyDeleteMark Cundiff
I'll add that one reason that we chose to homeschool (it's hard to remember, but there was a time when private, Christian school was our only thought) was because Kim Barnes told me and showed me that regular people could and do it very well.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I might have said that, but you're definitely not "regular people".
ReplyDelete