home schooling ~ how we began this wild and wonderful way of life!
We are a home schooling family, but we did not set out to educate our children. Homeschooling was never even a blip on our radar screen but God, in His sovereignty, was setting the stage for us to bring our kids home.
When our twins were completing K-5 at a local public school in Alabama, my husband felt God's leading to provide a Christian education. At the time, our church hosted a Christian school. We completed the applications on the last day for early registration for church members. The children were accepted and began first grade at the Christian school. After 7 months into first grade, my husband accepted a promotion to Chattanooga, TN. During our visits and house hunting, we located a Christian school and then found a home in close proximity. The twins completed first and second grade at the school, and our youngest completed K-4 and K-5.
The following school year, 2002-2003, we were led to consider home schooling. Neither one of our sons was accepted for who they were. Our older son had autistic tendencies which kept the other kids from interacting with him. Our younger son had a speech delay and wasn't thriving in the school atmosphere. The teachers weren't able to give them the time needed for them to flourish in their acdemics or their social interactions. During this time, God had placed us in a church for 1 ½ years with a large number of home schooling families. We had already formed solid relationships with them and had learned the good, the bad, and the fun of home educating.
After a focused time of prayer and many discussions, we decided to home school our children. Our youngest came home in September with the twins following in early October 2002.
We are currently on our 9th year of home schooling. It seems the time has just flown by. I look at my 3 teenagers and wonder where it went. Weren't we just cutting and pasting, spending time at the local aquarium, and enjoying picnics at one of the parks?
I have loved spending this time with them--- working along side of them with difficult concepts, and then watching the light bulb go on! Wow, what an amazing time we have had! My twins are currently in their Junior year of high school and looking at college testing and college visits this year. My youngest son is a Freshman and is slowly acclimating to the level of work required for high school.
This has been an amazing ride. I thank God daily for His provisions and leading us to home school.
