Change is Good

The parade of American flags lining neighborhood streets is a reminder that July is already here and like June will be melt into memory faster than my son's afternoon popsicle. With August rapidly approaching, I am reminded that sooner than later it will be time to announce our family's pending adventure. A is already creatively dodging the question, "Where will you be attending school next year?" with a sweet shrug and sidelong glance cast up at Mommy for confirmation of her next move in the conversation. This is followed by a shrug from Mommy and an incoherent mumble of "We're homeschooling next year."

"You're what?"

"Home..mmm.sch....mm.ooling?!"

"Oh, I see."

Depending on the receiver of this groundbreaking news, we're either met with raised eyebrows, a disapproving shake of the head, a gaping stare followed by an awkward moment of wordlessness because apparently, there are none, or a noncommittal, "That's nice." The question that has given me the most pause in answering is "Why?" "Why?" Let's see, well, hmmm, why does anyone homeschool? The reasons are, I'm sure, as varied as the parents who decide to embark on this journey. So it is for my family.

When I began my tutoring business two years ago, I didn't know the difference in an LLC and KFC except that one had excellent mashed potatoes and gravy. Both, it seemed, had a secret recipe that no one was willing to share with this novice entrepreneur. After several slow months, though, business picked up and before I knew it, I was working seven days a week for two month stretches. What began as a way to contribute to my family’s waning income in a down economy had suddenly become a full-time business competing with my favorite priority, full-time mommy-hood.  While I relished the opportunity to be home full-time during the day with my toddler son, I was missing precious time with my daughter.  Our afternoon routine consisted of a whirlwind rush of settling in from school, beginning homework, then Mommy rushing out the door to work as soon as my husband walked in the door.  Knowing that I needed to work, not willing to put C in full-time daycare, but realizing that this arrangement was not going to work for mine and A's critical mother/daughter relationship, I was at a loss for how to change our situation.  Anyone who was close to our family could see this routine was taking its toll on both A and me, yet a reasonable solution did not seem to exist until I had the opportunity to work with a delightful homeschooling family.

What struck me most about this family was how confident, self-assured, intelligent, in a single word, delightful, each of the children seemed to be.  I admit I had a preconceived, unfounded vision of a homeschooling family portrait, and this family didn’t match the painting I had in mind.  This encounter planted the first seed of “what if?”  What if this is the solution my family has been seeking, the opportunity to be home during the day with both of my children, building relationships, learning, enjoying our life and me working in the evenings once my husband got home from work?  Of course, “what if?” was immediately followed by a rush of self-doubt and self-consciousness.  What would the neighbors think?  Would my husband even entertain the idea?  Would people think I’d finally gone off the deep end?  So, I wrestled with the idea discreetly for several months; that is, unless you had access to my library record and could see the dozens of homeschooling books suddenly being checked out to my account.

“What if?” slowly began to morph into “why not,” as I began to research homeschooling and was met with a wealth of information on just how beneficial this style of education can be for families and students.  I was surprised by what I learned, much of which I plan to share in the months to come, so my husband and I began discussing both the positive and negative aspects of this possibility, united in finding a solution that would work best for our family’s situation.

So….back to my original question of “Why?”  Well, in a word, “Because.”  Because, right now, it is what is best for my family.  Because, we can.  I realized through all of the research and soul-searching and prayer that I’d always been a proponent of homeschooling, and the idea was something I’d actually entertained for years.  The idea of sending my six year old off to school for seven-hours-a-day, ten months a year has always been a difficult one for me to accept, and while I realize it’s been that way for parents for a hundred years, it didn’t mean that it was an arrangement that I had to accept because it was “just the way it is.” Recent Supreme Court rulings and homeschooling laws have given parents more freedom in deciding what they believe is the best educational path for their children. 

As I continue to research the history of education and homeschooling, I find great freedom in understanding that, as a parent, I have the choice to decide how I want my children educated; that realization is both empowering and liberating.  Of course, I understand that homeschooling isn’t for everyone nor should it be.  If there is anything else this decision process has taught me, it is that each family’s ministry and place in this world is unique.  The Holy Spirit gifts us each differently, and in matters that aren’t contrary to the authority of Scripture, the Holy Spirit convicts us each in a way that is unique to God’s purpose for our families.  I have spent a great deal of time praying about this decision, specifically for confirmation, which has come in the form of unexepectedly being placed in the path of many homeschooling families over the past few months, of support from family and friends, and of seeing the excitement in my daughter when we discuss the upcoming school year. I've never felt convicted to give up tutoring and continue to receive affirmation that my business also serves an important ministry.  The idea to homeschool has become an ideal solution for my family's unique situation.

One of my greatest fears has been that others would see my decision to homeschool as a condemnation of their choice to send their children to public or private institutions.  On the contrary, as a professional educator, I encourage all families to take advantage of the freedom of choice offered to them concerning their children’s education and to fight for even more opportunity.  As a business owner, failing my customers would be unacceptable; it's time to hold schools and the powers that govern them to the same accountability. 

As a born-educator (my siblings and I turned the intercom system in our family home into a school network, complete with classrooms and a principal’s office), I am also giddy with excitement over the prospects that await A and me.  Once the gut-wrenching decision was finally made, I immediately began discussing curriculum options with my sweet girl!  We have turned the education section of 2nd and Charles into our home away from home.  Learning is seamlessly being woven into the fabric of our everyday life.  How cool is that!  The excitement doesn’t completely assuage the moments of self-doubt or the anxiety of fielding questions, albeit well-meaning ones.  So, I invite you all to join my family and me on this journey.  I’ll be chronicling our adventure and addressing the changing landscape of education on my blog.  I look forward to sharing the ups and downs of being a homeschooling family!