Our family started homeschooling for quite a few reasons but I guess the biggest was that our dc never saw their dad.  At the time my dh was performing all over the place with different circuses etc.  He was gone lots of weekends and evenings.  We tried pull our son out of school so we could all go along and be part of the shows (ds was only in school from k to 2).  The schools really had a problem with this.  Oh, they enjoyed the idea that they had a "circus family" at their school but they sure didn't want to put up with us coming and going.  On one long trip around PA with a stage show my ds was doing his work backstage and my husband said "why are we paying $2500 a year to a Christian school when we can do this so well ourselves?"  We had a few dear friends who were homeschooling and so we had someone to talk to and get resources and guidance.  We've been happily homeschooling ever since.

I guess another question is why do we keep homeschooling.  Now that we've pretty much left the "on the road" life and dh is teaching at a residential program for troubled teen boys our kids (now 4 of them) could easily go to our local public school.  We keep homeschooling because homeschooling works.  It is achieving our goals for our children.  We want them to be Godly adults who view family as a team.  I see so many traditional educationed kids who have no connections whatsoever to their siblings. They are trapped in a system that has convinced them they can only socialize with kids their own age. 

We also desire for our children to be adults who can think for themselves, know how to find answers, be creative and not afraid to be different.  Our goal is to have our children be leaders, not followers.  I've never been so outspoken about how I feel about government schools but I must be honest.  Our government school system is turning out people who cannot take care of themselves or create a future for themselves.  They seek to only "fit in" not make a difference.  As Christians I believe we are called to be different in order to make a positive difference in our world.

I have been told by Christian friends that by homeschooling we are not allowing our children to be "salt and light."  I find it interesting that the Bible is pretty silent about Jesus's growing up.  He was not called to minister until he was 30.  I think that says quite a bit about what is expected from our children in a public arena.  I am not saying that our children cannot be used by God to bring others to Him but I do think they are not ready to face the temptations the world has to offer until they are adults.  I don't believe in sheltering my children but I do believe in protecting them.  That is one of my responsibilities as a parent.  By homeschooling I can give my children experiences where their integrity is tested in a safe environment or a little at time.  I can talk to my children about different lifestyles or belief systems but I don't have to take them to a place where they will have drugs, sex and alcohol offered to them and hope they are ready to refuse it.  I know lots of adults who are not that strong.

Lastly, we homeschool because we believe we are called by God to homeschool.  God has a special plan for each child's life and His plan for our children require the preparation that only homeschooling can provide.  Our children are used to being different.  They are comfortable with their uniqueness and can celebrate it.  I am excited to see what God has planned for them and I am blessed by all that homeschooling brings to our life.