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Reclaiming Our Children:
Why We Started
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We are new to homeschooling (only 3 days old) and just thought I would tell why we started. I have 3 boys 10, 6, 4 (4th grade, 1/2 day Kindergarten and Christian preschool 3 1/2 days a week).
My oldest son was SOOOO frustrated
in school. He is very gifted in math (8th grade level) and reading (12th grade
level) but is challenged in writing and spelling. He is dysgraphic and ADD.
He was dying in public school. He has never loved school, and we have tried
all avenues including IEP's, special ed, and the gifted program. I was getting
calls from the school that he was depressed and needed to be on an anti-depressant!
(That wasn't the case at home!) The problem was that in general, the public
school system is not equipped to look at each child individually but what works
for the class as a whole. I certainly understand that! But...it was really frustrating
for my son. He started praying that God would change my heart and I would homeschool.
I have to tell you that if anyone told me even 3 months ago, that I would remotely
consider it, I would have thought they were crazy! I firmly believe that God
must CALL you to homeschool. I was looking for an audible voice! That didn't
happen, but he made it pretty clear anyway! When I started to check into it,
I found that kids that are homeschooled do very well, academically, socially,
and emotionally! I have been very impressed with the character of the children
I know that are homeschooled. The reasons I am excited about homeschooling are:
| -No
more homework (that was a 3 hour nightmare with an ADD child). -My child works at his own pace (he did extra reading and math today, cause he wanted to!) -We have freedom to study whatever we want, I have the opportunity to see and correct inappropriate behaviors . -We get to study the Bible together. -My child is MUCH happier, I am learning, too! -There is no concern over what the "teacher" expects. |
I guess I have the same reservations
about having a witness in the public schools. But...not at the sacrifice of
my child's spiritual well-being. My child was not ready to be a witness, and
when he was, he was ridiculed. The peer pressure even in 4th grade was not positive.
For instance, my son sat at the cafeteria with other 4th grade boys. They were
being gross and doing spit balls, food fights, etc. He got up and sat at a table
by himself. The school counselor noticed and called me-wanting to meet with
him about his "isolation behavior." I was livid!!! Here I have been
trying to teach my child for 10 years to "flee from evil" and she
has the nerve to want to counsel him. She was concerned about his lack of "tolerance."
Now this was not about someone else's beliefs, but about inappropriate behavior.
I told her I was very proud of my son, cause we didn't "tolerate"
inappropriate behavior at home, and I had always taught him to remove himself
from bad situations. If she really wanted to make good use of our tax dollars,
she could "counsel" the boys with the inappropriate behavior!
Anyway, didn't mean to drone on..just this is a fresh decision for us. We don't
by any means think that God has called everyone to make this decision, but if
it weren't for the support of Godly women that I found on sites like this to
answer my questions and concerns, I am not sure I would have been obedient.
Hope this helps someone!
Please feel free to email me directly
if you need to chat or I can help in any way at
In Christ and still learning!
Amy B
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