Well, here I sit, day three of this new adventure called home schooling.  I still can hardly believe it is not a dream.  I had contemplated taking this leap of faith for years but never actually thought I would do it.  As the last year progressed, it seemed that God placed reminders in my path at every turn.  I would open a newspaper and find an article on the success of home schooling.  I would find myself sitting next to a chatty home schooling mom in Burger King at lunch time.   A home schooling book found misfiled in the cooking section of the library.  I tried to ignore the obvious and spent months stressing over where I would put my son for 1st grade. 

     I lucked out for his kindergarten year.  A wonderful, Christian, woman who had home schooled all her kids through high school, was teaching Kindy. at a local charter school.  I had heard nothing but wonderful reviews on her teaching abilities and I was able to secure my son a spot in her class. The whole year was just wonderful.  The teacher, Mrs. V., and I clicked and my son flourished.  If only I could have talked her into moving up to 1st grade, all would have been well.  But, alas, as the end of the year neared, my stress over the available choices for 1st grade grew.   One morning, Mrs. V. shared with me her convictions that I should be at home teaching my son.  She expressed remorse at not encouraging me to pull my son that year and home school but shared that she had been reluctant to do so because she so enjoyed working with me in her class and teaching Steven.  She then shared that she was praying that no matter where I looked, I would not find what I was looking for and that I would finally accept what God was leading me to do.  What a friend!! LOL.  I shared with her the pull I felt  home school and my fears of not being disciplined/organized/qualified to do so.  With her encouragement I signed up to attend a state home school conference. As the date neared, God continued to place hints in my path.  By the time I arrived at the conference, I knew I would not be leaving without curriculum in my hands.

     I went to the conference fully intending to get a straight forward, workbook based, do this today and that tomorrow type curriculum.  But again, God had other plans.  He skillfully led me to the KONOS booth and  into a few seminars given by KONOS reps.  It wasn't long before I realized that KONOS was exactly my style.  I ended up buying the first volume along with MUS and Explode The Code.  These, along with many resources left over from my days as a public school teacher, have become my new favorite reading material. 

    So, here I am, day  three.  Thus far, things seem to be going well.  Both of my boys seem to be truly enjoying the lessons.  I am enjoying the freedom to pursue interests that would otherwise not be followed up on.  I struggle with feeling like I am just "playing school" but then I remind myself that I am just as capable of teaching my  own children, if not more so, as I was of teaching an entire class in the public school system.  Society says different, but I know I am doing the right thing. 

      I know we are only on day three and that many trials are sure to follow, but I trust that God will not  lead me into something that I can not handle.  I pray daily for wisdom, patience, and a playful spirit with which to teach my children.  I look forward to watching them grow and blossom and to seeing the blessings God is going to bestow upon our family.

• Comments (2) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link