How it all started {Homeschooling}

{Clara (5 yrs.) playing "Alphabet Hunt" and taking pictures of things that begin with different letter sounds}

It was the summer before my oldest daughter's fourth birthday.  My husband and I had recently begun attending church.  The next big step to take place in our lives would be for Amera to begin preschool.

I was so excited about her learning new things.  We were so glad that the preschool was just a couple of streets over, just a hop, skip and a jump away from our house.

I had already been teaching her things at home.  I was a regular at the library.  Back then, the library system had no limits on the number of holds you could place, nor on the number of items you could check out.  I kid you not, I would walk out of that library with egg crates FULL of check outs.  I was so excited about teaching Amera.

I read and skimmed books that were full of creative ways to teach the alphabet.  I found ideas for games to play and crafts to make.  I knew that she would be prepared to enter the classroom.

I remember my grandfather's optimism that she would certainly be way ahead of her peers with all the things she was learning.  And so, everything was arranged, Amera would begin preschool in the Fall.  I couldn't have been more excited.

At this point, I wasn't even aware that homeschooling my daughter was an option for us.  But, surprisingly enough, I would come to make the connection that "homeschooling" was what I had already been doing all along.  I was just happy to discover that I would be able to continue what I had started.

I spoke with a mom from my church who was homeschooling her children.  I had already noticed that her teenagers were different, but it was in a good way.  I understand that many people have some memory of a home school family they knew of that was weird and never let their children out of the house.  This family was not weird.  Their teens were respectful toward adults and one of the main things I noticed was that they didn't seem to have a difficult time with different age groups.  They would be seen enjoying their time with adults and small children.  They didn't have this "we are world's apart and I can't relate to you attitude".  All of this was very refreshing to me.  It wasn't long before I began asking their mom questions out of my curiosity.

After she told me that she home schooled, I checked out all the books I could find on the topic from the library.  I wanted to learn all I could about how this might work and I've been learning "hands on" every year after that.  It's a growing and learning experience for the whole family.

We're certainly not perfect and we don't have it all together all the time.

I think that no matter what school our children may attend, every family will have it's share of trials and triumphs.  In future posts I'll be sharing more of my heart on homeschooling.  Not because it's better than what you have chosen to do, but because it's what we do and it is the way God has lead our family.