Kairos Moments
Have you ever had one of those God given moments in your life when you just knew your course was about to change? Throughout my walk with the Lord, I’ve noticed, it’s in the quiet, or unexpected times that this has happened to me. It’s usually immediately followed by my mortal fear that conflicts with my spiritual faith in God. My humanity knows that whatever He is calling me to, is far greater than I can do on my own. This is the place where destiny is conceived. Where we feel everything about to change. Where we can see ourselves actually doing the thing we’ve always wanted or maybe even never expected to. It reminds me of this scripture,
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love him. But God revealed them to us through His Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
Sometimes the ideas that are birthed into our spirits, can only come from the One who knows us best and loves us most. Keep reading to learn a time when this moment happened for me, and how it relates to homeschooling.
Divine Direction
About three months after my first child was born, my husband and I were in a situation and we needed to speak to a financial consultant. As we were discussing all the technicalities with him, one phrase stood out to me more than anything. Regarding the time it would take for our debt to be paid, he told us, five years. My first thought wasn’t, Man, that’s a long time. It wasn’t even can we really afford this? I blurted out exactly what I was thinking to my husband.
“Cam will be in school then!”
My stomach dropped, as I immediately felt shock and sadness. As strange as it may seem, throughout my whole pregnancy, and even through preparing for birth, the thought of school hadn’t crossed my mind. I guess I subconsciously assumed he’d just go. But that day, the realization of letting my son be separated from me at such a young age, carried so much weight in my heart. I’d been blessed and privileged to be with him everyday since his birth, and right then and there, I decided I couldn’t send him. Crazy right? He was three months old, and was already most likely be homeschooled. I say ‘most likely’ because I wasn’t confident enough in myself to believe he would definitely be homeschooled. I just knew I couldn’t send him to public school. Now, don’t get me wrong, both my husband and I went to public school. I have nothing against the dedicated teachers and coaches that truly care and pour into kids. This is not a public school bashing post. It’s about being called to something different in this world, by the creator. I’ve know other kids who were homeschooled, but it still didn’t enter my mind for my own kids…until that day, when I was forced to look ahead at our future.
Doubt
Even though, deep down I knew this prompting was from the Lord, I can honestly say, I doubted myself. The decision to homeschool didn’t come easily, nor was it without a lot of thought…maybe too much thought. But, when it comes to our children, making the best decision for them can often weigh on us. Since my son was so young, I had plenty of time to keep asking the Lord, ‘are you sure?’ and double checking that He meant what was checked into my spirit. So, years before my son reached school age, I started researching! I joined Facebook groups, (which was the biggest help of all! I still learn from these parents!) I also watched YouTube reviews, and googled articles just to see what others were doing and to get an idea of just how this could be done. I’m the type of person who loves to have a laid out plan, so the more I researched beforehand, the more prepared I would be. For me, the doubt didn’t leave until we actually starting homeschooling. So if anyone else can relate to this in any way, trust me, many homeschooling moms have been there. You don’t know what you’re capable of, until you just…do it.
Questions & Answers
- Can I do this?
- What about socialization?
- Will I fail my kids?
- Can I do this?
- Will they learn enough?
- How will they measure up to their peers?
- Can I do this?
Along with my doubts, there were a lot of questions…which is completely normal. I listed a few common ones above, and yes, I realize ‘can I do this?’ is listed three times. The reason being, is that no matter what answers I resolved, this one question always loomed in the back of my mind. It stayed until I actually started teaching. Maybe some of you reading this, are thinking of homeschooling as well. The desire is there and you want to be with your kids more…but…there’s a but. Can I tell you something? If you have the desire and are questioning yourself or wondering if you can do it…YES, you absolutely can. You are more than capable because no one knows your kids better than you. Is it easy? Not always. Is it worth it? 1000%.
What about socialization? This is a big one for a lot of people that homeschool and an even bigger concern for those that don’t. So, let me start off by saying, I have two kids and I have always spoken to my kids on their level. We read books together. They’ve been taught manners. Even at their young ages, we have always had open communication with them, at a child appropriate level. I feel, if a child has basic manners, they will be just fine socializing with people. They mimic what they’re taught at home, and mine have been taught to get along with each other.
On the other angle of socialization, the town I live in is big enough to where we aren’t the only homeschool family in it. As I mentioned earlier, I’m part of Facebook groups where businesses offer homeschool days at skating rinks, bowling alleys, and gyms. Music and art are offered through community programs. Parents organize field trips often, so there are opportunities to visit our favorite places, make friends and get group discounts! It’s win-win! If your child has any hobby they’re involved in, they’ll make friends along the way, and so will you! Homeschool kids can even be part of school sports teams and clubs if their district or state allows it. A lot of families in homeschool communities form or join co-ops, where their kids can get together a few times a week, and parents take turn teaching various subjects. You can do as much or as little as you choose. It’s all about what works for you, your child and your family, and that is the beauty of homeschooling.
Will I fail my kids? Asking yourself this question, means there is a good chance you won’t! You already take care of their day to day needs, right? This is just another element. If the curriculum doesn’t work out, sell it on one of the many reselling platforms, and try again! What makes us parents most qualified to teach our kids is that we don’t give up on them! We are committed to our children. So because we are committed, we don’t give up on helping them learn. We find what works, and more often than not, we learn together. They learn math and the alphabet, and we learn to give them and ourselves grace.
Will they learn enough? A very important benefit to homeschooling, is that your child can learn at their pace, their way. It’s not a one size fits all for learning. For example, before buying curriculum for my son, I figured out his learning style. He’s very hands on, and has always loved Legos and building new things out of what he calls ‘scrap metal’. He hated writing right off the bat. So, I found hands on curriculum that catered to his learning style instead of forcing a general one onto him and causing frustration for the both of us. My daughter has just started kindergarten, and she loves writing! I made sure her curriculum fit her needs as well. It’s rewarding when they enjoy learning!
How will they measure up to their peers? This is a great question with an even better answer. Your child doesn’t need to measure up to any other child. They have from kindergarten to senior year to learn what they need to. If it takes them longer to learn to read, so be it. As long as they get there. If it takes two years for your child to get through a learning ability, while it takes another child six months, that’s okay. They will get there, because you’re committed to helping them learn. If you want to track to their progress, there are plenty of testing resources, just like there are in public schools.
Pandemic Ready
In my state, kids have to be registered for school by the time they are six. I decided to wait until my son was six to start…just to be sure we were both ready. At the same time, we still did the work to prepare him for when it would be official. With homeschooling, it’s common for kids to do different grade levels of work because they go at their pace. So specific grade levels can be a technicality until middle school or high school graduation time. Ironically the year we registered to officially start school, was the Fall Semester of 2020. Since the Lord had already prepared me to teach at home, we breezed through without a hitch. My kids were unbothered by what was going on around them. I did need to do a curriculum change, but it was smooth sailing compared to the rest of the world. I don’t say that to brag on myself at all. But I will boast on God and the results of trusting in His guidance. To be honest, schools shutting down and the pandemic was my final confirmation that I was being lead in the right direction, at the right time. But don’t worry. Since then, I’ve learned that God doesn’t have to show me such drastic signs and wonders, to get me to say yes.
You got This!
If you’ve been thinking about homeschooling and doubting yourself…you don’t have to. It’s possible, especially with God in your corner. Just check Philippians 4:13! Your child can thrive learning from you! If you’re considering taking the leap, the first thing I suggest potential homeschool parents do, is to review your state laws. See what is legally required. We want to do this the right way! I always refer to the HSLDA website for all things legal. Click on your state, and go from there!
Support
Keep in mind that you already have support! There are tons of homeschool Facebook groups that provide information. Ask questions and join the fun! There are even homeschool conventions that help motivate, prepare, and equip you for the journey. They have speakers for various topics, children’s programs, and curriculum vendors for you to purchase in person! Many vendors offer discounts as well. It’s a great time of refreshing, and encouragement for both parents and kids. Before we began our homeschooling journey, we went to a convention that was only an hour away, and I’m so glad I did! You won’t be alone.
I pray, that if you truly desire to spend more time with your kids by educating them at home, that you won’t let fear stop you. Has this helped to ease your mind about it? Or if you’re already homeschooling, when was the moment you knew it was right for you and your family? Let me know in the comments! As always, thanks for reading!