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I sort of “fell into” homeschooling. I tell the story a lot, yet bits and pieces of it still remain a mystery to me. I’m just not really sure how I got from lady who can’t wait for the yellow schoolbus to pick up her kid to homeschool mama.
My guess is I’m not alone.
The fact that you don’t know how you got here is the exact reason why it is imperative you become a purposeful homeschooling mother. If you don’t figure out WHY you do this, someone else will…
and they will be wrong.
Every time you say the words,
I homeschool
assumptions are made. More often than not, the assumptions are wrong or skewed because as mainstream as homeschooling has become, it still remains a mystery to the general population. Worse than that, their assumptions tend to be rather negative.
That is why if you don’t know who you are as a homeschool mom, it won’t take much to convince you that you are doing an inadequate job of homeschooling your children.
So, what does a
purposeful homeschool mom look like?
Let’s go to Titus 2 first…
…admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
~Titus 2:4-5
Because this post is about being a homeschool MOM, the admonishment I want to pull out is this one:
to love their children
Your number one obligation to your children is to love them. You MUST homeschool them BECAUSE you LOVE them. If you are trying to homeschool children you can’t stand to be around, you will FAIL.
Learn more when you read the ebook!
Jamerrill @ Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling says
There have been seasonings where I didn’t “feel it” with homeschooling. However, I stayed the course. During those times I prayed for the Lord to “give me HIS heart for my children.” He is always faithful 🙂 Great post!
Lecia says
Wonderful post! I am printing this out and reading it often to remind me to be purposeful in my homeschooling. Loving our children and homeschooling to raise our children for the glory of God is what gets us through the tough days.
Sheila Gregoire says
We fell into homeschooling by accident, too! I was trying to convince a friend why homeschooling was a bad idea, and as I listed all my reasons, I realized they were stupid. So we decided to homeschool!
The one thing I never quite understand is when parents say, “I couldn’t stand to be with my kids all day”. But they’re your kids! I love being with my kids. I always have. And I’m not superhuman, and my kids are not perfect. It’s just that I love them, and the more time we spend together, the easier it gets.
I think people just start to believe the culture’s message: “parenting is hard. Kids are a pain.” And don’t really think about it. Because kids are really quite fun!
Sheila at To Love, Honor and Vacuum.
DonnaJ says
Great post! Homeschooling is so much more than an educational choice…its a lifestyle choice. I love the family closeness it fosters and the talks throughout the day with my children ~ the book learning is just icing on the cake.
Amanda says
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I SO needed to hear this. I’ve hardly even begun homeschooling my 5, almost 6, year old, but I was ready to send her to school a few weeks ago. We are SO much alike – strong willed, opinionated, and want to do it my own way. I just didn’t think homeschooling will work for us. Life happened, and we decided to take a few weeks ‘off’ and I think I’m ready to give it another try. We, at one point, started talking with her about going to school, and preparing her for that, but I just cannot come to peace with that decision.
I guess what I am trying to say is, Thank you for saying that loving your children isn’t always something that just happens. I mean, yeah, I love my kids, but do I really LOVE them? I need to work on that. Its so encouraging to know that its okay for this to be something I need to practice.
Selma says
I appreciated this today. My husband and I are getting ready to attend the Homeschool Convention this weekend. I’m mapping what I want to see and do, while there. This is my week to be strengthened in purpose for homeschooling. Thanks!!
Tonya @ Live the Adventure says
Great post Amy! I don’t know how many times I hear people exclaim that they could never do what I do because they don’t like to be around their kids. They don’t realize that I used to feel that way too. Now my kids are teenagers and there is noone I’d rather spend time with. And I used to think all teenagers were evil! Imagine that. 🙂
Lyndsay says
Thanks for this post!
I am striving to find my purpose right now. I love being with my children and homeschooling. However one of my arrows has been grating on my nerves lately. My patience has been wearing thin. I feel like a failure somedays. I am hoping this is just a stage that this certain child is going through. It is so frustrating and I keep asking myself where I am going wrong! :o( this child does things and says things that we have taught them to know better. Maybe it is an age thing. I am not sure.
I need to be praying about this…I need more purpose. Help!
Becca says
I am so excited to keep reading this series. It can be hard keeping your focus with the negativity from strangers and family. I love that I don’t always have to FEEL love towards my kids, but I need to act in love and PRAYPRAYPRAY. I appreciate your encouragement.
Teresa says
We fell into homeshooling as it appeared to be the only option. My oldest was then 2 1/2 and was reading. He knew all his numbers by sight and was starting to do addition. We called christian schools near us and had him tested. He was ready to start, but was not potty trained. So they would not let him in. He did not start to potty train well till he was almost 3, so I started teaching him even more at home than I had in the past and we just never stopped.
He is now 12 and in 9th grade. Our 11 year old has caught up with him so I teach them together now. But out 8 year old is at more of a normal 8 year old level. He is the one that always has to be pushed to accomplish anything.
I have found with the youngest two (3 & 1) that I have not worked as much with them as the oldest. Guess I have to step it up this summer with them. They have a huge vocabulary but still don’t know the ABC’s or to count above ten. I used to sing to the oldest everywhere we went, but the older ones don’t like mom sing ABC in the grocery stores. And when we are in the car we listen to Bach and other classical music over the kids tapes the oldest used. I guess I can be happy that my three year old knows who Bach is:), even if he has no clue about what color something is.
Harter says
Great post! I’m a homeschooling mom because after years of dealing with the public school system I figured that the worst I could do was be as bad at teaching my kids as they were… I might not be the worlds best teacher, but I have taught both of my boys to read in one school year, where the public school system couldn’t do that in 4…
Corrie says
Thank you for such a well written, encouraging post. I needed this today!
Amy says
I loved the statement that we have to have a PRO outlook, not an ANTI outlook. I’ve always said that I’m very pro-homeschool, not anti-public school. That statement has put friends (who’ve chosen public school) at ease, allowing more open, non-judgemental dialogue about school options. Having homeschooled 9 years, having a pro-outlook also gets me through the rough days.
Clara says
This is so true, I enjoyed this post very much, Amy. I honestly don’t understand parents who can’t stand to be around their children – I almost can’t stand to NOT be around them (apart from brief shopping trips etc while my husband babysits)… I would be a liar if I didn’t confess that I have had the occasional thought about what it would be like to have them at school, freeing me up to run a home-based business to make finances easier on my husband… But when it all comes down to it, I really can’t stand the thought of NOT being the one to be at home with the children. 🙂 Thank the Lord it is possible for me to be home with them and homeschool them. I love the whole lifestyle involved with being a homeschooler, and even though I personally went through the public school system and knew *nothing* about homeschooling when I began, it has been a positive journey for us and I’ve gained some confidence (which I completely lacked when I began) – not in myself, but confidence that the Lord will continue to guide me and help me (am I the only one who finds patience running very thin sometimes?)…
Desi says
Amy, I love this post! I’m going to print it out and let a friend of mine read it who’s been struggling with reconciling their desire to homeschool with the fact that it means her children are HOME all day… You’ve said it much clearer than I could have! Thanks!!
Dana V says
Excellent as always Amy! It always makes me sad to hear parents make comments about not being able to stand being around their kids. Like it is an ok or normal feeling. Everyday is certainly not “peachy” but it is life. And I would not have it any other way.
aurie says
Thank you for this! We are going to start Homeschooling our oldest in the fall and I am really nervous. I have lots of questions, and the top was what I would say to people – and my answer really is that I love my girls. I want to be around them all the time. I want to teach them how to live a Christ filled life.
Thank you for the encouragement that I needed today!
Heather Anderson says
This was a great post. For anyone who has home schooled for any length of time, they know there are days that only that strong sense of purpose can keep you going. We all need to be refreshed in our purpose on occasion.
Michelle says
This is a wonderful post. Although I haven’t officially started homeschooling, I have a tendency to be the ANTI public schools type of person.
We must be mommies who purposefully love our children and purposefully choose to keep them at home where we can spend time with them, growing them, nurturing them, and bringing them from blunt-edged babes to finely sharpened arrows who also have purpose!
This quote can really help be a reminder and to keep things in perspective.
Desiarae says
I will begin homeschooling my son in the fall, and have been following you for quite some time. In preparation for my first homeschool convention I have begun to feel very overwhelmed, wondering if I’m doing the right thing. I want to thank you for this and all the posts in this series. You are an inspiration!!
Amy says
I’m just here to pass on what the Lord is teaching me! Many blessings,
Amy