Several times I've had comments left that remark that my column has helped them even though they do not have or teach only one child. I know my column title is "Homeschooling Only One" and I do address our specific challenges frequently, but it also should be stated that whether we homeschool one or twenty, we are still the same at heart. We wish the best for our child. We have specific challenges for that child. We have specific joys and things that do come easy with that child. It's the same for every homeschooling mom, for each child.

Sure there are differences, but it's good not to focus on the differences all of the time. Differences can be used to divide. The homeschooling community does not need to be divided. Just as the church should not be divided over dogma, over the traditions of men; we need to hold fast to what is Truth. There is no one right way to homeschool as there is not only one way to come to Jesus. Jesus is The Only Way to God and Heaven, but should we allow denominational differences divide us away from each other, even though we believe that salvation comes from Jesus alone? The same holds true to homeschoolers. One child or many; teaching with eclectic variety or with traditional text book methods; grinding one's own flour or buying day-old bread at the Bread Store; wearing a dress or jeans & a sweatshirt... are these things to wage battle over? Can I learn from those who have many children? Certainly! Can they learn from me, from my experiences with only one student? Most definitely! We are called to submit one to another and to remember that they will know us by our love. Division within our community does not show love to the world at large, nor can we submit to one another in love if we are too busy slamming doors in each other's faces.

Differences should be addressed. There are times when one is confronted with a problem that is specific to one's situation. For one with one student, it's not going to be the same as that for one with two, five, or ten children. In fact, those with two or three children might need to consult with others who have that many children, since the dynamics change when there is a larger number of children. There is nothing inherently wrong with differences, and we can even exult in some differences. Having only one student allows a truly one-on-one tutorial method, with few if any interruptions. Having more than a certain number of children may allow an impromptu field trip more easily due to a company's policy of minimum number on a tour. However, focusing on the differences without recognizing the unity of our belief system only causes discord. There needs to be a balance between ignoring the differences completely and focusing all our energies in putting the differences under the microscope.

So I guess today's column is a reminder that yes, there are those of us in the homeschooling community who are different by having only one child, or who are home educating only one student. That difference doesn't make us an outsider to the community, just as those with more than five children are not outsiders. We are just different. We have special challenges and concerns, yet we also have the same challenges and concerns that come to those who have more than one child. Appreciate your differences, but also appreciate that we are all in the same community and have similarities as well.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling within the next two years. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One three years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2007 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.