I usually don't post about our homeschool happenings, only because I don't think they're that interesting...

Today my thoughts are on the socializing aspects of homeschooling.....It still amazes me how many people ask me about this. Even though home schooling has gotten so popular that most people know about it, or know someone who is homeschooling. Home schooling has proven itself to work time and time again. The numbers are rising , parents all over America are interested in Home schooling. When I first started home schooling, I felt "different" and out of place...today, not so.

I am very passionate about homeschooling. I Praise God for this wonderful opportunity. I try not to make people feel bad if they don't...while I think everyone is capable of homeschooling, I don't think it's for everyone...That said:

I love when people as me about testing...I can see this line of questioning..I understand that they want to see if homeschooling really does give the children a "Better" education. I usually explain to them the testing that is required, I have high schoolers, so mine are tested yearly at this point. I also explain to them that unlike public school or even private Christian schools, that with home schooling you not only teach them, but you teach them to teach themselves..you are able to help them develop a love of learning. I know that sounds idealistic and I have a son that does NOT love to learn...Again, because of homeschooling, we have been able to hone in on his talents and gifts. He isn't grouped into a "category" or made to fit into some "box"..so in the end the education is better, but it's also different.

The question that stumps me and the one that hasn't diminshed over the years is the "Socializing" issue. I don't understand the interest in this one area. Most of the time when people ask me I just say..."well, sometimes socializing in a school setting is over rated"...at that point the person usually breaks into some story about how bad the schools are and then shares a bad socializing story...

We do socialize...ALOT!! For those of you who know me in real life, you know that we socialize.

I will pre-empt the rest of this blog by saying that we are on the "Liberal" end of homeschooling. While I did homeschool my children and I did try to watch what I could as far as influence, we did allow certain influences that were not always desirable. This is what we , we being my hubby and I, feel is part of real life and we allowed certain experiences for them to help strenghten their walk with the Lord. Sometimes this was good and sometimes it wasn't.  We've made many mistakes so I'm not giving parenting advice...I'm just mentioning this so you know where I am coming from.

I have a daughter who is 16 going on 17 and my son is 15...both of my children are very , very , very, social...very!!

Right now my daughter is on another missionary trip...this year it's Italy and Spain...last year it was New Zealand and the year before that she was in Mexico. The trips are about a month long. She does all the fundraising herself and has about 3 churches that support her, including our church www.calvarychapel.com/Goshen

She also works , is part of two youth groups and attends and teaches at the highschool Bible Club.

I would say she's busy and social!  (Shes a good kid, now if I could just get her clean her bedroom...she's a "pack-rat"..oh well, You can't have it all!)

My son is 15, has been working since he was 14. He is also getting ready for two mission trips. One is local , an Orange Cty mission trip and the other is his first official mission trip to the Bahamas. He paid for both by himself. We make him save half his paychecks and tithe. He has lots of gifts from the Lord and is only beginning to realize them.( Again I praise God for homeschooling..If my son was in ps he would get lost in the shuffle. ) Right now my son is in Maine with his friend, helping him and his father open up their lake home.

Someone asked me about socializing  at Walmart this week. I replied..."You can ask my daughter when she gets back from Italy and Spain."...they had a sense of humor and laughed. They proceeded to ask me about testing...

So when people ask me about socializing....For the next 4 days I'll be saying..."Well, I'll ask my daughter when she's back from Spain and I'll ask my son when he's back from Maine".

"Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from you heart all the days of your life, and teach them to your children and your grandchildren"

Deut. 4:9

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from It"

Proverbs 22:5