Before I started homeschooling, no one in my family had ever done it.
In cleaning out my old blog, I found a Q-and-A post from 2008.
NOTE: The following questions and answers are exactly as posted when I had only one child, then 7 years old.
1) How much do your children interact with kids of their own age?
Very often. We have neighbors we play with who attend public school, we have the silly homeschooling cousins mentioned above, and quite a few homeschooling friends who live nearby. We try to get together at least once a week or so for most of the afternoon at a park or the pool (when it’s hot!) so they can play. We do occasional field trips together, and sometimes participate in co-op classes with other homeschool families. At church, my daughter attends Sunday school with kids in her grade, too. We’ll also be starting rehearsals for a community play next week as well.
2) Will they go to school as their educational demands are increased?
Not likely. As always, I’ll do what I feel the Lord leading me to do, so I can’t say with 100% certainty that I’ll homeschool all the way through, but that is currently the plan. One of the delightful things about homeschooling is that I get to learn, or re-learn, as we go; therefore, I feel confident that I can indeed keep up with the educational demands of the higher grade levels. If I had to begin at high school level, I admit that would be harder. There are also some wonderful homeschool programs available in our area, including a fabulous one at our church, offering middle and high-school level classes (including school credits for them).
3) How do you feel about their transition into a less wholesome atmosphere and how they are equipped to deal with that when it is inevitable in this world?
I think it’s always scary as a parent when we send our kids off “into the world,” whether that’s in kindergarten or college. But homeschooling allows me to be there to explain as worldly ideas are presented to my child, rather than allowing classmates to be the voice of authority on such things. I can also reduce the number of worldly influences at a young age so that they won’t be an issue until she is ready to deal with them.
4) What about the question of interacting with ‘the world’ so that your kids are out there being a light for the Lord?
How awesome that you have such a strong network of support in this area. I would love to have family members that homeschool.
Yes, it is so nice! We don’t do as many field trips together as we did then but still get together for things sometimes, and the kids just knowing that others in the family also homeschool helps them feel more “normal,” I think.
Love this, Jamie! I love how you gently and kindly dispel the myths. I tend to get emotional and defensive. Your approach is much better.
Well said. Homeschooling offers such a strong foundation of family and faith so that when the time comes for our little ones to step out into the world, there is always, Lord willing, a physical safe haven to which they can return for renewal and support as needed.