Are we really that strange?!?

School begins in the morning. I know, I know...I already blogged about it, but I am just so excited!!!! People think I'm totally nuts. At church I was telling everyone how we 'get' to do school in the morning. They looked at me like I had a disease. That makes me laugh! They don't get it, so I just ignored their strange looks. They don't realize how fun school can be. Why do we love homeschooling?? For those of you who don't understand why, here are a few reasons out of hundreds......

• It's fun to see the kids 'get' a new concept.
• We love to wake up in the morning, eat breakfast while doing devotions together, then walk 10 feet into our school room in our jammies, to do school...no, we don't wear jammies every day - but we can if we want to and you can't do that in public school!
• I get to learn things I 'thought' I learned in school already but never truly did. I call it the 'duh factor'. ("Oh duh, why didn't I understand that when I was in high school?")
  
• Daddy is home from work in the middle of the week and we get to spend the whole day with him, sometimes going on day trips - just for kicks!
  
• The field trips are awesome - as a family or with close friends - we plan 'em all.
  
• Christ is the center of our classroom - try that one in a public school!
  
• Going out during the day (while kids are 'in' school) is easy since there are no crowds.
• Time - we get so much more time together as a family.
• Learning is actually fun because we are having fun while learning.
• Socialization (gasp!) - homeschool kids are generally more social with people of all ages!! They actually enjoy spending time with adults. Our children love being with friends, but would choose to spend time with family over friends...that's huge!
• Books...books...books - need I say more?
  
• We know our children better than anyone, and we know how they learn best.
  
• Knowledge is great (they get that part) but they also learn morals, values and work on improving their Christian character...which is so much more important than book smarts!
• No peer pressure! I had that when I was in school and back then (waaayyy back then) it was hard - I can't imagine what kids go through these days!
• Our children get to learn at their own pace, not at the pace of the school system - which tends to dumb things down and give lots of busy-work that isn't necessary.

I could go on and on...but you get the idea!

I love this quote by William Butler Yeats: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." We want our children to love to learn! We want them to explore concepts and ideas on their own...to pick up a book and read it, just because. We want them to be good examples to others around them. We want them to be the best they can be - for Christ!

Many people assume that we keep our children home for school because we think the schools are unsafe. Yes, that's a bonus, but to be completely honest with you, that really never crossed our minds 10 years ago when we made the decision to began our journey. Our children are not locked away all day or kept in a bubble. We can honestly say that we are doing what God wants us to do - educate and lead our children at home. We chose to homeschool in obedience to the Lord for the sole purpose of raising and training our children in Him. We want them to be smart, but we want even more so for them to be wise, and to always keep Christ in the center of all they do and say.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the
peace of thy children.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Are you feeling my excitement yet?? I am...and if I don't get to bed soon, I'll be too tired to start fresh in the morning. Have a wonderful day!!

One more thing...my intention in this post is NOT to make those of you who have children in public or private school feel bad. I respect your choice for their education completely. Many public school people I have spoken with tend to think that we homeschoolers are very judgmental about school choice. It's the total opposite in fact! We choose to homeschool for us and do not think it is for everyone or that everyone should do it!! So breathe easy...your decision is totally yours and it's none of our business...I just wanted to share my excitement for our choice to homeschool with you.