Deciding to go with homeschooling my youngest a grade level higher really seemed like the best option for us simply because we also had our oldest daughter to teach lessons to. It just seemed like the best way to save time, and I figured if it did work out then it would be a lot of fun for them to do school together.

Since my youngest was really only at the preschool level (4 years old) I figured there really wouldn’t be any harm in trying since our state doesn’t even require the kiddos to attend school until the 1st grade. We decided to make Kindergarten our trial period, and now we are ending our 1st grade year and next year my 6 year old daughter, and 7 year old son will be entering 2nd grade. For us teaching my two youngest at the same grade level has worked out very well, and I would love to pass along some things that have helped us in the process of teaching my youngest a grade level higher.

This is a guest post. Please scroll down to learn more about the author.

My son Jackson turns five in March. (Wow- I have to take a deep breath just to type that.) A part of me is a wee-bit sad that my baby is getting to be such a big boy, but I’m very excited about what new experiences this will bring him and our family.

Also, Kindergarten is just around the corner. I have been prayerfully considering homeschooling for my children for a few years now. Actually, the thought of it crossed my mind many many times before I ever had children of my own. And I have saved information dating back to 8/10/07. I have dug into my bible looking for a clear answer. Josh and I have spent time in prayer and have had many talks about whether or not this is something that would be best for our children and our family.

After all of this we have decided that I should continue to stay home and should home school. This may be for a year or for always. We will follow as the Lord leads us in this direction. I realize home school is NOT for everyone and will possibly be looked down upon and or not completely understood, maybe even among family and friends, but ultimately our goal is to please our Father in heaven and do as God leads us to do. I want to go into much more detail and share with you the major reasons why we are choosing to home school.

Also, the later post will address a few more reasons, but we’ll get to that sometime in the near future. (Please Note: These are our personal convictions for our family situation and it in no way reflects what we think others should do with their families. Every family has different needs and circumstances and certainly should do what they feel is best for themselves. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to which ever route you choose.)

First, I know we will only have our children for a short time and I feel it is our responsibility as parents to nurture, train, instruct, discipline, and educated them. (Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.)While they are children, spiritual training is in our hands and to me is even more important than academics. (please know that I take academics very very seriously and in no way am I undermining the importance of a great education.) Having said this, I also know spiritual growth does not just happen. It is only achieved through intentional efforts. When I ask myself if I should home school, I have to ask which route of education best accomplishes my goals for my children. Since spiritual and personal growth are at the top of the list, we feel the best way to accomplish our goals is through home school.

Second, I really have a problem handing my child over to virtual strangers for the majority of their waking time and having them influenced by peers whom I know nothing about. Proverbs 4:23 comes to mind.”Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Just the other day a neighbor girl was telling us how much she and her friend gets teased on the school bus, being called names and cussed at. The punishment is separation on the bus, yet it is still happening. I feel Jackson is still at a very young and tender age.

I know it is my responsibility to guard Jackson and Jordan’s precious little hearts as much as possible until they are equipped to do so themselves. At home, my children will be less likely to have their beliefs ridiculed, mocked, and contradicted before they are fully prepared to join in the battle. In society, children are exposed to a lot of anti-Christian ways. Also, morals in our society are on the decline.

Children are exposed at younger and younger ages, to sex education and many other things that I don’t think is appropriate at the young ages they are being taught, not to mention I completely disagree with some of it. They may be told that homosexuality is simply an “alternative lifestyle,” that abortion is acceptable, and sex before marriage is normal and healthy. That can completely set a child on a path of destruction. This may not happen in kindergarten, but soon there after. I recently found out about a little girl who is ten years old who goes to a small country school who has been watching porn videos and material on the internet for over six months, both at a friends house and her own home. How does this happen? What does this mean for this little girls future? Who influenced her, friends, family, maybe both? T.V. Who knows, but my heart is breaking for her. I’m sure this is very far from being an isolated case.

It is very likely children will adopt the values of those they are around the most. It is so important that they are able to absorb as much of what the Scriptures say as possible. With all that being said, I personally know several VERY Godly teachers and I realize there are many many more moral and Godly teachers and staff in the public school system. Many of them I would be proud to call my child’s teacher, but the problem is their hands are tied in so many areas. In general, I feel children are more exposed to more non-christian views and attitudes. It just seems to me like it really would confuse some young children to be around students, etc., that use profanity, don’t believe in God, and have wavering morals. I want my children to have a biblical worldview rather than a secular one.

Third, Academically, children who are home schooled tend to do much better than their peers. Even the most Godly, caring teacher who has the best interest of her students at heart is still restricted by what she can do and say and is only able to touch so many kids. (which many do a great job of spreading their love around to many)But, really they only have some many hours in a day. In a lot of schools, the teacher to student ratio’s are pretty high. I can give Jackson and Jordan one on one attention and encouragement in any areas they are struggling and help them to learn more in areas they are thriving and enjoying.

A concern I have addressed and the biggest argument I have found against homeschooling is socialization. This is an obvious concern to me because I understand the need for being able to be “normal” and function in society, so I decided to take this a step further. I took some time to think about what exactly is socialization? To me, the gist of socialization is being able to interact with other people in appropriate ways. I went ahead and looked up the definition and this is what I got:

The process whereby a child learns to get along with and to behave similarly to other people in the group, largely through imitation as well as group pressure.

This verse immediately comes to mind. Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” After really pondering this definition and reading my bible, I honestly don’t want my child to be socialized in that way. Falling into peer pressure is usually not a good thing. I think I will home school and get our “socialization” through church, play dates, sports, story times at library, family outings and/or field trips, parties, other family members/friends, even home school groups. I think there really are plenty of ways to learn to interact in society with out truly being “socialized.” My goal is for my children to learn to interact and communicate well with all ages and types of people in a loving and effective way. I know we can achieve this and still do our schooling at home. )

This is by no means an exhaustive list of why we are choosing to home school, but in closing my children’s spiritual growth, character, socialization, and education is something I take very seriously. I am excited to see where the Lord takes us on this journey. I’m excited about what I have learned already and all that I will be learning as we continue through this next year. I encourage anyone who has had the thought of home school to pop in their head, to at least do some research on what it is all about. There is loads of information available. A good place to start is by doing an internet search on reasons to home school.

About the Author:
Jaimi Edwards lives in Northwest Arkansas and has been a stay at home wife and mother for almost five years. She also just released her first children book, Silly Sock. This fall she will begin homeschooling her son.
You can visit her blog at: http://everydayedwards.blogspot.com/

Actually a homeschooler will have more time to socialize than a child that attends a traditional school setting. In all honesty, parents closely monitor the type of socialization that a homeschooler gets, unlike when they are in a traditional school setting. In a public school or private school setting, there are bullies, unstable individuals and teachers you would not want your child socializing with. It is unfortunate that children in a traditional school environment have to be subjected to the negative type of socialization such as bad behavior, rumors and bullying, to name a few.

There is also a misconception that a child should be subjected to the regular, negative, social interaction often seen in public schools in order to learn how to handle conflict. However, like I said, this is just a misconception. Most children who are home educated usually learn HEALTHY ways to resolve conflict. Being bullied is not a means of learning conflict resolution, instead it is a means to cause insecurity and a lack of self confidence.

Homeschooled children have the opportunity to get involved in after school activities such Boy and Girl Scouts, 4H Clubs, and many church activities. There is no shortage of opportunities to interact with children their own age. Children also have the opportunity to get involved in team sports such as soccer, baseball, and cheerleading, which will increase their ability to interact with many other children.

There are also homeschool groups where children will interact with other homeschooled children. Parents have the opportunity to plan group activities with other homeschooled families, such as field trips, meet and great activities and community service projects. As the children get to know each other, the parents get a well deserved break as well and an opportunity to socialize themselves.

The notion that homeschooled children have no socialization skills is far from the truth. Homeschooled children do not spend every waking hour at home; they are involved in many activities that involved children their age. Finding friends is not and should not be a concern for them.

The Christian homeschooler is at ease when teaching their children about their faith. The freedom to teach and practice your religion is one of the main reasons Christians choose to home school their children.

The Christian home school environment is one that involves the entire family. One parent is not teaching the children; instead it is accomplished together keeping the family unit intact. This type of homeschooler abides by the required course studies as well as incorporating Bible studies for a well-rounded student. The children are taught respect, responsibility and love for life as well as social and community issues from a Biblical perspective.

Many parents will choose this route because although the public school system will explore many different religions, these parents feel that they would rather study in depth their own religion. This is not to insult other religions, but to emphasize the importance of their personal beliefs to their children. Also, some Christian curriculum’s DO explore other religions, however it is always from a Christian Biblical perspective. It is wise to also point out that a Christian homeschooler is not drilled on the Bible all day. Their religious beliefs are given a place of importance that can’t be attained in the public school system.

Respect is taught from day one and is part of the training.

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

The bible verse above is a very powerful one and for homeschoolers. They believe it is meant to teach your child at home. It is believed that the Lord is directing us as parents to train our children in the ways of the Lord. As mentioned above the training begins from the moment of birth and continues until your children will begin their own journeys through life.

As parents we are always learning and praying to the Lord that He will guide us and help us face daily decisions and choices. The way we live our lives and the choices we make are the models that our children will learn from. Not all is learned from books but most often the important values are learned by example and actions.

As parents we are responsible for the upbringing of our children, which is why so many decided to take on the responsibility of homeschooling. For many it is what they believe is the best route for their children to learn. They will be taught the subjects at the time you as the parent will find are appropriate. The lessons they learn are those that are similar to the ones we ourselves are learning in our own attempts to obey the Lord. We are responsible for our own actions before the Lord.

Training our children to be responsible for their actions and to keep their eyes focused on the walk with God is a great lesson to be taught. It is important to teach our children to be obedient, to respect authority, and to do all to the glory of God and not men as well as to stay focused on what is pleasing to God. When you have done this, you have set the foundational issues that will stay with them forever.

Many believe that in order to educate your child a degree is necessary but that is not true. The only requirement is patience and love for your child. With love and patience all else follows and the learning process will be a smooth path. As a parent, you know the abilities your child has and can develop a curriculum designed for their unique needs. This in essence is perfect for your child instead of the cookie-cutter curriculum offered in the school system.

If you are considering homeschooling your child you will want to be familiar with the requirements within your state. Each state has different requirements such as having a licensed teacher evaluate your child at the end of the year as well as yearly scholastic aptitude testing. Some may simply require a portfolio of what your child has accomplished throughout the year. All the legal and state qualifications can be found online or by contacting the school system in your area.

It is important to prepare your paperwork and choose a curriculum that will fit your family. You can either design your own curriculum or purchase a curriculum package. There are packages that are set up by grade, as well as Christian and secular based. A Christian curriculum will include Bible studies as part of the curriculum and have a faith-based curriculum as a whole. Many of the packages will also include grading services such as items needed for record keeping, report cards and other services.

Simply put, YOU ARE qualified to home school your child. Persistent parents who care for their children are not intimidated by rules and regulations. The education and safety of your child far exceeds the frustration that may be encountered.

When making this very important decision you must determine what will work best for you the parent, and the child. Sitting down with your family and making this decision is a must as well as praying over the decision as a family unit. Involving the family will make the homeschooling environment a more pleasant one.

Once the family is all in agreement then you can enter the world of homeschooling. It is a great and adventurous one and can be as simple or as difficult as you choose. It is important to remember to make learning fun and all else will follow. Choosing the correct curriculum that will suit your beliefs and your children’s understanding is also very important. There are many sources to obtain Christian based curriculum that will teach your child the needed courses from a biblical perspective.

It is wise to tailor your home school environment to one that will be pleasing to the entire family. Scheduling, courses, activities and projects should be researched to determine if they would fit your Christian based curriculum. Too often, one parent will make all the decisions, which is not only stressful but also unfair for the parent and the family.

A family that is faithful and learns together is one that will be happy and successful in their homeschooling adventure. Remember that you are never alone and relying on your faith will take you a long way.

One thing I’m really excited about is my 4 year old is doing very well with the K-5 curriculum. I wasn’t sure if she would do well or not, but she really is a smart little cookie. So I think we will teach my 4 year old one grade ahead until she shows signs that it might be getting to difficult for her. But for right now, I just can’t see teaching K-5 again next year when she is thriving with the curriculum so well this year. We will just have to take it one year at a time. One thing I LOVE about homeschooling is that we have this option to teach ehr one grade ahead. In public school she would simply need to be placed in Kindergarten next year because she is required to fit in with their structured system. At least with homeschooling she can learn at her own pace and level.

My 11 year old has been doing great with getting up in the early morning and getting ready for school. Last year this was a bit of a struggle, I’m glad to see she has grown out of being difficult when it comes to waking up early, lol. She loves getting done with school early in the day, so I think that’s what motivates her. She is having a bit of a difficult time getting back into the groove of things when it comes to Math, so a little extra time will be spent on refreshing her memory.

How is your home school year going so far?

I wonder why I am so excited this year? It’s a little upsetting because my little man is growing up, but he is such a thinker and his brain is running a mile a minute. I think I’m just excited to teach him stuff and watch him soak it all in like a sponge! That’s always fun and exciting to watch.

Ever since we started homeschooling my oldest a few years back the new school year has always been met with a little bit of apprehension. But not this year, and that is a welcome surprise. It’s nice to finally be settling in to the homeschooling lifestyle. I certainly appreciate the blessing that it is to be with my kids everyday and watch them grow and learn.

This year I plan to buy one of those Flip Video Cameras and record a lot more of our days together. Especially the school days. How exciting is it to be able to record my little mans very first day of REAL school? I wouldn’t be able to do that if I were putting him on a school bus this fall, and THAT certainly is a BLESSING!

One thing I have learned through this homeschooling process -is it’s just that, a process. Don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to find your homeschooling groove. It may take a few tries here and there, but it’s worth it. The best thing about homeschooling is that you can certainly fit it around your lifestyle.

I remember all to well sitting on my bed, opening the Abeka 3rd grade teachers guide to math, trying to read and UNDERSTAND what I was suppose to do to teach my child math, only to burst into to tears wondering what in the world have I done.

A couple things I have learned since that dark moment on my bed:

• Don’t look at the math curriculum first, lol!! Start with something a little more simple like language, then approach the math lesson plans.
• It takes TIME to adjust. We get so caught up in how we were schooled within a classroom we don’t realize that homeschooling isn’t suppose to be like public school. Yes we need to give our kids an awesome education, but homeschooling allows for more flexibility than traditional public schooling.

I could go on and on about how homeschooling has been a true blessing to our entire family, but I just wanted to share a few thoughts on the excitement I have towards the upcoming school year.

What are you looking forward to this upcoming year of school?

Many teachers will often speak about the importance of maintaining a good parent/teacher relationship.  While the public school system continues to undergo reorganization, the No Child Left Behind Act has ensured that every single child will be given every opportunity to excel in school.  Having said that, there are situations in which some parents do not address these issues, nor take part in their child’s educational career.  Some parents never attend conferences; answer letters sent home, or take an interest in their child’s education. It is only at the end of the school year, they frantically question why their child is failing.

Teachers can only do so much during the course of a school day. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure their children have good study habits, complete their homework assignments on time, attend school every day, and fully engage in classroom dialogue.  Parents who communicate with teachers not only show their interest, but contribute to the learning process as well.  There are parents who frequently call teachers; attend every conference and Parent Association meetings, and become involved in every facet of their child’s education. They are an essential component in ensuring that enough materials are available in the schools, such as books, paper, writing implements, maps, and any other resource needed by teachers.

In addition to communicating with teachers, parents also talk with Guidance Counselors; school psychologists and social workers to ensure their child is receiving the best possible support in achieving success.  While this system is not perfect, the parents along with teachers and support staff can completely turn a school around by networking, communicating, and reaching out to other support systems to ensure the school and its faculty is providing proper educational techniques, standards, and curricula.

Every parent knows why communication with your child’s teacher is important. So too, every parent must ensure their child understands that without a proper education, their chances of moving on to high school and college could be jeopardized. If you have a child in school, read every piece of material that is sent home; whether it is a newsletter, a communiqué, or your child’s progress report. If you have not seen any of this information, ask your child if it was received or call the school to find out when it was sent home. Most of the information is either mailed or sent home with your child. Make sure the school has your correct address and telephone number, in case of emergencies. If you receive a letter in the mail and you need clarification, contact the teacher. They are there to answer your questions. Being intricately involved in your child’s education will ensure a successful road ahead.