As Home schoolers we get asked this question often. Most families have a variety of answers....Mine/ours is pretty simple.

It all started with my Father being in the Coast Guard my whole life and we moved every 3 years. I missed things from school to school and especially somewhere in math! So, I always wished I could be home schooled and technically I was "after schooled"...my parents both helped me with my homework and taught me the life skills I would need!

As a teen I had a wonderful role model in my life (besides my Mom)....and she was the late Mrs. Magruder. She was my youth pastor's wife and a Stay at Home Mother and eventually started to Home school her 2 young sons and then their 3rd adopted son. I watched and learned from her. I thought if she could do it, I could!

So, as Dh and I were married and started our family, I always had it in my heart that we would home school our children. Dh just said, "ok, honey" figuring I'd change my mind when the time came and then send them to school. As I was 8 months pregnant with Fireman and up early one morning I was watching the news. They reported where a Kindergartener had brought a gun to school! I thought "glad we're home schooling"! Then after Fireman was born and I was up for an early morning feeding....watching the news again two 1st graders brought Cocaine to school!!!!! Then I pray "Oh, Dear Lord, I'm so glad we are homeschooling!"

As time went on and Ladybug was added to our family, I was getting more convicted in scripture about 'training up a child'.....and 'teaching them day and night'....etc. I began to contemplate the fact that Dh was in the Air Force and we would eventually be moving around and I really wanted consistency for my children in their education and that I loved them and knew what's best for them!  Not a new stranger every year!

I had started on the preschool thing and Dh still wasn't convinced. He still thought by Kindergarten I'd send them. Until, we were having Ladybug's 1st Birthday party and a pastor friend of our and his family came. They home schooled their 2 boys. He talked to Dh about home schooling vs. public school. Explained the benefits of home schooling. One of the winning thoughts was the fact that kids in public school are there from 7-8 hours a day but after all the class changing/locker time, attendance taken in each class and not to mention discipline problems. The kids really only get about 15-20mins of actual learning accomplished (if that) and then all the rest is sent home for up to 4 hours of homework! (mostly needing parental help or at least supervision to get it done!) After they left, we talked and prayed about it some more and he told me he thought it was the right thing for us to do! I was so at peace!

I thought this would be fun way to let family and friends into our Homeschool! Sharing things we do and learn about, places we go. I will try to add new entries as often as I can! Hope you enjoy! Tracy