I get asked this question A LOT, so I feel it would be best to address it here so everyone can get a glimpse at what is in our hearts regarding homeschooling.
First, we believe we have always been our children's primary educators. This is just a part of our lifestyle as Christian, Attachment Parenting Believers. It is just our lifestyle to love, learn, listen and teach. Here is a summary of why WE have chosen to hoomeschool.
These are OUR reasons. This is what we believe is best for OUR family. These reasons are what we believe are best for us RIGHT NOW (as it can change and we will be prayerful each year with each child and make changes as needed). This does NOT mean we do not support or believe in great schools and great school teachers---we DO! This does not mean we are looking at YOU and thinking you should do what we do---not at all:) OK, enough disclaimers....
1-We believe we are called by God to homeschool our children. This a unique calling we believe we have received and should be treated as such. And, as Attachment Parents, we take our children with us wherever we go, so it fits perfectly with our lifestyle.
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Deuteronomy 6: 4-9
2-We adore our children. We know them best. Each of our children is unique and we strive to teach each one on an individual basis. We want them to have the absolute best opportunity to succeed (we fully expect them to graduate from college). We want their learning environment to be one that is based on the Bible and what God tells us regarding living in this world but not becoming like the world.
Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
3-We believe it is our responsibility as parents to shape our children's hearts, not just their minds. We want our children to be bent towards God and serving people in the love of Christ. We want our children to be {somewhat} sheltered from the influences of the traditional schooling model so that we can filter what their little minds are hearts are absorbing. This will give us the opportunity to mold them into what God wants them to be.
4-We want our children to have a pure curiosity about life and a strong love of learning. We want to expose them to so much more than we ever learned sitting in a classroom. A strong blend of book smarts AND common sense is a good goal to pursue. Our goal is to ask God for curriculum guidance, follow our children's interests and explore the world inside and outside of our home.
5-We want our children to grow up to be what GOD has for them to be. We want them to always pursue their unique and individual God-given purpose for their lives. This includes living a life of purity, self-sacrifice, charity, philanthropy and caring for animals and our earth. This will expose our children to so many more segments of our society than they would get. They will see the elderly as well as the young. Rich as well as poor. Full as well as hungry. People that look differently than they do. Our children will be involved in many Homeschooling Co-ops, classroom-style classes, and church activities and youth groups. Wherever God leads us...
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
6-Healthy nutrition and eating is a VERY important aspect of our lives as well. We love eating natural foods and cooking most of our own foods from scratch! The delight I get in feeding my family healthy foods is unmeasurable and my prayer is to grow our godly girlz into great marriage material some day, lol. We want them to be able to cook for themselves and their future families if God so desires them to be wives and mothers.
A recent study showed that 40% of American childrens' diets is JUNK FOOD on a daily basis. And, we wonder why there is such a high obesity rate and why children are developing Type 2 Diabetes at alarming rates. I just want to provide the best nutrition for our children and keep them as healthy as possible. Homeschooling allows us to do this. I remember trying desperately to trade my "rabbit food" lunches at school but rarely got any takers, lol.
These are just our top 6 reasons, though there are MANY more. One positive example we had in our own home this summer. For 6 weeks after Ce Ce was born, we had a Mother's Helper to assist me in the transition. When we met her, we knew right away she was perfect for the job-little did we know, God has specifically put her into our lives. She could only help us for 6 weeks because she was starting Medical School to become a physician. And yes, she was homeschooled along with her 2 younger *college educated* siblings;)
Our hope is to unfold the lessons on our journey,step by step~with you.
Peace and blessings.
Aria
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We really look forward to reading your comments, and appreciate you taking the time to share the love!
Blessings,
Aria