Thanks for this post. It is very interesting, and I have enjoyed reading it. Here is my story.
Before I was school age my oldest brother came home from public school and told my mom and dad to shut up. When he was asked where he learned that, he told them that his teacher said it. They decided that they would not send him back to a public school in the fall. Unfortunately, before school started in the fall, my father died unexpectedly. My mother was suddenly a single parent, with no money and 4 kids. However, she decided that this was something she would not waver on. Even when she did not know where the money would come from, she sent us to Christian school. This dedication to trying to give us the best education in a Christian environment even though she had to sacrifice a lot, planted a seed in me to want more for my kids than public school could offer.
School was ok. My teachers, for the most part, were great. There were a few that I could tell horror stories about, but those were the exceptions
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I was not popular, and I did not feel like I ever really fit in. But by the time I graduated, I had known most of the 19 people in my class most of our lives, and we were kind of like family. My education was better than that in a public school, and I was more prepared to go to college than some of my friends from the public school system.
By this point, I was in favor of Christian school although I knew that was not a perfect option. Then I started working in the public schools as an interpreter. Because of the type of work I did, I was in the hallways with the kids. I looked young (in fact, got mistaken for a student in middle school several times), and so I got a different perspective of schools. I was "in" school as an adult. The teachers were nice, but did not accept me on the same level as themselves, and the students would often forget that I was older than they were.
During that time, I became very burdened for our kids. I have worked in elementary, middle and high schools, and my eyes were opened. One of the reasons I hear about Christian parents sending their kids to public schools is to "be a light" to the others there. Over and over I saw that was not happening for the most part (I am not saying it never does). I could elaborate here, but I won't. That seed that was planted way back when my mom chose to do what she felt was best, began to grow. I still thought Christian school was the only option.
Finally, I began to see the homeschool movement. More and more people I came in contact with were choosing to keep their children at home. I thought back to my own school life, and the feelings that I battled, and I decided that should I ever get married and have kids, this was what I wanted.
Well, I did get married, and my husband was in agreement with the homeschooling option. My desire to homeschool grew as I got closer to having children. Then, when my first child arrived, I realized that God had this all planned long before I knew what was happening (as if that should surprise me). With my oldest sons special learning challenges, I have been assured that he would go to the EC classroom. He would be labeled, and he would be in trouble everyday. Here, at home, we have the ability to find what works for him (and each child for that matter) and we don't have to sit in one spot all day. He is testing well above grade level on most everything, and he is able to really focus on things that interest him. It is not always easy, but I know it is best. My children can be children, and most important, I can teach them to know and love God, and as they grow teach them why we believe the way we do.
There is a statistic that says that 8 out of 10 (or more by now) kids that grow up in the church will deny Christianity before they get out of college. I want my kids to defy that statistic. I want them to know why they believe, and I truly believe that the best way to do that, is to keep them home, and teach them....then when they leave, maybe the will truly be ready to be a light in a dark world.
