Why We Homeschool

Are you a newbie homeschooler or you've been in this journey for some time? No matter what season you are in your homeschooling, it is important to know WHY you do what you do. Homeschooling is more than the list of to-dos and boxes to tick, it's a way of living, a lifestyle.

They say, the eldest is usually the guinea pig in the family and it's true with us. We pushed early academics with our eldest son, Gabi because I knew no better back then. At age 4, he is already reading and writing well. He got accelerated and skipped Kindergarten 2 in conventional school. He was doing well academically, not to mention he is always part of the Top 3 in class.  

But it's not always in the seventh heaven...

Since he is younger than his classmates, first grade wasn't going well for him. Academically he is ok but he is losing interest in learning. He was constantly stressed out and he just lost joy in learning. His teacher would tell us that he doesn't want to do his seatwork and would beg to draw or play during school hours instead. He couldn't sit still, and we're all aware that it's an expensive recipe for trouble. He is a very active child and he always wants to move around.

I met a homeschooling family in our church. God used this to start giving me the desire to homeschool and we felt God is leading us to this route. So after much prayer and confirmation from our first child, we finally made the decision to take the leap of faith and there's no turning back.

We had such peace the moment we pulled him from the school and he was so happy too. In fact, if you'll ask him if he ever wants to go back to conventional school, he will protest.

Since we are homeschooling for FIVE YEARS now, I listed FIVE Reasons why we homeschool and will continue to homeschool unless God tells us otherwise:

We are called to homeschool

While homeschooling is not for everybody, we believed it is God’s calling for us. If you know that God is calling you for an assignment, the right response should be to obey. We are called to raise our kids right and we are not going to outsource that.

Instill faith and principles in their lives

I believe it’s my God-given responsibility to raise them and teach them God's word. We want to stress and pass-on our beliefs and values to our kids, to build character and make disciples. Home discipleship can happen all day since I am with my kids all the time. Although homeschooling will not save our kids (because only Jesus can), it is our best attempt at leaving a legacy of faith.

Be intentional, spend more time and develop strong bonds

We cannot be intentional with our kids if most of their time is spent with other people.  We wanted to be the ones influencing them for most of the day. It is said that the more time you spend with them, the more you influence them. Homeschooling gave us the opportunity to be with our kids most of the time. I also want to be the one they come to if they have problems or struggles. I love my kids and they will only live with me for so long then they will move out. I want to spend as much time with them as I can and to build authentic relationships with each of them.

Freedom and flexibility

With homeschooling, we can always have the freedom and flexibility. We can have breaks and vacation at any time. They can have more play time, enjoy their childhood and pursue their interests. I don’t want them to be trained to sit for 8 hours a day and coming home absolutely exhausted! We can also help them develop life skills that will be beneficial to them as they grow.

Customized Education

No one knows my children better than I do and the Lord. No one is going to be more invested in my kids' education than me and I believe I could offer them so much more than the public school system ever could. I can choose what curriculum to use without pushing test scores so much. I wanted them to love learning and be able to do so at their own pace with no homework or 'busy work'. We can be out-of-the-box and I have the liberty to present them with a generous curriculum where they could feast on ideas. I am not to teach them what to think, but how to think and so they will know how to act.

....and the list goes on and on.

This coming September will be our sixth year into homeschooling and we are grateful to God for revealing this better road to our family. I still feel God’s guiding hand in our journey! Homeschooling is not easy, it is both sanctifying and challenging. I cannot do it in my power and there are so many times I think about giving up. BUT God's grace sustained us.

Our Homeschool Mission which the Lord impressed in our hearts long before embarking on this marvelous journey will always be something we will hold on to.

Home education, child rearing, and household management - I’ll consider it my life’s greatest work as a wife, mom, and homeschooler.