Homeschooling: why we do it

A young woman approached me recently and asked me why we decided to homeschool. She is newly pregnant with her first child and she explained that her and her husband are just beginning to think about such things.

There are many reasons we school at home, and there are so many benefits to it, but this is the main thing:
1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
~ Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Homeschooling provides us with more opportunites, more time- simply by nature of the fact that they are at home for those daytime hours- to impress God's commandments on our children's hearts.

I am so thankful for the privilege to do it!

9 comments:

  1. Amen!!

    I have been thinking about this verse a lot lately as I've also had people asking me this question.

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  2. It is good to have your answer ready. I often find myself tongue tied almost in response to this question because the reasons are so many.

    Curious. What answer do you give when they say that they can do this very thing even while they are going to school: "impress while they rise, lay down and walk." Because most Christians who send their kids to school feel that they are obeying this verse.

    I have been thinking a lot lately about the issue of placing Christian children under the authority of a worldly institution and also the issue of "yoking" them to the world via school.

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  3. Amy~

    Yeah. I used to feel a little overwhelmed by the question, too- for that very reason! But now I say "...though the reasons and benefits are many, this is the reason why we decided to do it, and what continues to be our main reason."

    As for your question: What do I say when they respond that they are doing this very thing even while their children are in public school?

    That's a good question, and one that bears a thoughtful response.

    I don't think anyone has ever asked me that directly, but if they did, my response would be: "Great!" ....because in no way should I be the judge of what they have chosen to do, and that may very well be what God has called them to do.

    I trust that if God wanted a different schooling option for us, or for that individual or family- the Holy Spirit would convict our hearts and minds and move us in a clear direction.

    So while I can share our hearts for homeschooling and how much we love it and the benefits of it for our family and our children's hearts, I wouldn't try to convince anyone to do the same, because it's between them and God.

    Does that answer your question?

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  4. Yep. Good thoughts. It's a tricky one that's for sure.

    We should hang out sometime. :)

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  5. An AMEN from me as well!

    I surely believe that parents can consistently teach God's commandments to their children even if they go to school (and I don't attempt to think that I know how God leads other people), but I think you said it well when you emphasized that homeschooling gives us MORE time and opportunities to follow this very important command. I love that homeschooling allows me all those extra minutes to teach and experience God alongside of my children.

    I've also been so thankful lately for the opportunity homeschooling gives me to strengthen relationships with my kids. The world will attempt to devour them, and at some point my kids will have the freedom to choose a life with Christ, or a life without him. Ultimately, I just hope that Jace and I can maintain strong relationship with our kids so we can walk the highs and lows with them. Relationship is what Jesus is all about, and I believe it's the primary vehicle God gives us for winning people to Christ. Being at home, again, simply gives us MORE time to invest our love, respect, and interest for our kids.

    Great discussion!

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  6. This is definitely one of the main reasons we homeschool too. It is such a privilege.

    Not to mention the fact that I am getting an education as well!

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  7. I wonder if Charles Ingall's thought he was disobeying that verse when his children would walk to "public" school every day. I find it very sad that "homeschooling parents" can be so judgemental to a Christian parent who sends their child to public school. I appreciate your answer Stacy very much, however, just fyi for your friends...strong, mature Christian parents can raise Godly, God-fearing, spiritually mature children and still have them attend public school.

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  8. Anonymous~

    I can't speak for anyone else, but I can say that I agree wholeheartedly with your assertion that "strong, mature Christian parents can raise Godly, God-fearing, spiritually mature children and still have them attend public school."

    Case and point: My parents raising me.

    I am sorry if you've been hurt by homeschooling parents- and their judgments- in the past.

    I am not without sin in this area, either. It's easy for me to embrace homeschooling and all of its benefits and how much we love it and just want that good thing for everyone else, too. And it's just a small step from there to think: "Well, I'm convinced this is best, now why don't they see that, too?" In enters pride and judgment, and there you have it.

    God has been working on me in that area, specifically, and for that I'm grateful.

    I think we need to give one another- always, as fellow believers- a whole lot of grace for our failings. We're all sinners, every one of us. We've all got our "pet" sins and areas of our lives where we struggle with pride.

    Wouldn't it be freeing to just love Jesus alongside of one another, encouraging each other along the way- and stop looking to the right or left of us to compare or judge or criticize another?

    May it be so.

    Thank you for taking the time to comment.

    ~Stacy

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