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Well, my oldest is doing WG for her freshman year this fall. I've been extremely unconfident in our decision, since there is a huge part of me that wants my sweetheart to experience some of the fun and opportunities from school that I can't offer her at home. But she loves HOD and is firm in her decision to continue down the homeschool path. I'm half in agony and half elated. I can't seem to get over these feelings because this is a four year commitment.

Since WG is rather costly, I broke it down into three installments, and ordered the second portion last night. I'm excited for our books to arrive. I was looking at the manual, and I think this is doable. My biggest challenge and dread, is that I will now have to grade the assignments and start building her transcript. I hope once I get into it, that it will not be a problem.

Any words of encouragement as we start our high school year?

You can do it!! My oldest did not do HOD in high school, but I think it would have been easier if she would have. She graduated this past spring and is off to college this fall.

You can do this! Having everything scheduled out like Carrie does is a huge help. As far as the grading my one advice is don't over think it and don't over grade. For many of the assignments Carrie has it where they get full credit if they follow directions and do what is expected. Go with that and don't feel guilty for not grading every piece of paper or for giving them 100% for just doing it. Remember schools don't grade every single little assignment and they even give participation grades. Also for the first logic book I learned about partway in that I wasn't supposed to be grading every answer. For the first book it is about exposure and if he missed things we just talked about them and went over it together. For the second book I did grade each question. In bible and BJU lit don't expect them to have everything little thing that the teacher's guides include in the answer. I don't think there are very many students who would have all that the teacher's guide gives as answers.

I think as parents we put so much pressure on ourselves as far as high school goes. We think that if we do something wrong then their entire future is ruined. I often have to remind myself that God is much bigger than my ability to grade papers or schedule the right classes. Reminding myself that God's plan for my son's life doesn't depend on me helps me not to stress myself out.

Most of all enjoy these highschool years! They really are precious times. I loved the time I spent with my daughter getting to know the adult she was becoming and I am enjoying the same thing with my son. I love the conversations he and I have as I get to know where his heart is, what his opinion is on things, and what his struggles are. Parents who have kids in ps often don't get to experience these conversations as much. My daughter was in public school through 9th grade and our interactions were very different once she came home for school.

Lynn,

Thanks this was very encouraging!
Stacey

I just have to mention this. Our second WG box arrived, and we had so much opening the package. I love the way Carrie's son wraps the books up in the brown paper. They're practically gift wrapped.

Thanks for the tip on not over thinking the grading, LynnH. I was very encouraged by your post, and will probably refer to it as needed throughout the school year.

Thank you, Rumkinmom, for your kind words. Hope your daughter does well in school college this fall.

Hi! I want to encourage you to lay all of your worries aside and trust God that He will give your daughter whatever experiences and "fun" she needs in her high school years. He will provide everything she needs! That is so freeing! It is not up to you to make sure she gets to have all the "experiences" you want her to have in high school. I speak from living through the very questions and upheaval you are currently going through. I know exactly what your fears are. I lived them. And now, with my oldest having just graduated, I can say with all confidence that it is SO WORTH IT! It isn't easy, but it's worth it! She will miss some "fun", but it's worth it! She won't have every single experience, but it's worth it! She will have the experience and fun that God intends for her. And I promise you that so much of what seems like "fun" in high school is not. The fact that your daughter WANTS to stay home is huge! Enjoy that! It is the very best thing. Mine really struggled with staying home, which made the decisions so much harder.

Having completed high school with our first, I can tell you that the relationship, the trust, the experiences we have walked through together - is SO worth it all. There is nothing like it. I know it is possible, but it is so much harder to maintain that relationship when they are in school and with their peers all day long. My husband commented the other day when we were picking up our oldest from a two week conference, that he immediately noticed the difference in my relationship with our daughter than so many of the other moms. She was whispering in my ear, pointing things out, we were giggling about things together. Pretty rare. I know we would have lost that if we hadn't chosen to focus on our relationship during these very crucial years.

So, yes, I encourage you - lay your worries aside, trust in God to provide what your daughter needs, and rejoice in the fact that she wants to do high school at home! God can be trusted to be who He says He is - in your life and in hers!!

Tiffini,

Tiffini wrote:

So, yes, I encourage you - lay your worries aside, trust in God to provide what your daughter needs, and rejoice in the fact that she wants to do high school at home! God can be trusted to be who He says He is - in your life and in hers!!

Thank you so much for your heartfelt response! This is exactly what I needed to hear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My oldest has spent a lot of time with our church youth group this summer. I thought it would make her question her commitment to home school, but it only made her resolve stronger! We will start school the beginning of September. I know the next four years will be a blur, but I also know my children will receive a good, Godly education.

Thank you and God bless!