A Choice to Homeschool

I'm a little late on this posting thread, but I so enjoyed reading why so many of my blogger friends have made the choice to homeschool their children and I want to share some of my thoughts on the subject.

God put thoughts of homeschooling in my mind when Alex was still too young for preschool. I had several friends who were either already homeschooling or were starting on that journey within the next year. In addition to being influenced by friends, I also found myself running into complete strangers, whether at a store, church, or at my own front door, who without prompting would just point out that they homeschool their children. I felt like God kept putting it in front of me and in my heart I knew He was telling me something.

I talked with other homeschoolers, read books and researched the subject online and found that even though it had previously been a non-existent option, it made sense. I'm not going to go into great detail here about the benefits of homeschooling - you can read many good reasons in others blogs or through your own research. But if a family has the desire and is able to make it work, it really is a great option!

I had decided that I would give homeschooling a try by beginning a preschool curriculum with Alex once he turned 3. But my plans changed when at 3, Alex was still unable to comprehend so much. His vocabulary was no where near where it should have been and his speech was unclear and difficult to decipher. Our pediatrician gave us some information that led to Alex being tested. His hearing, sight and motor skills were fine, but much of his other development was about the level of a 1-1/2 to 2 year old. He was recommended for a special education program offered through the public school system. He would attend school for half a day, every day, and would get speech therapy in addition to regular schooling. I knew this was the right thing to do, even though it broke my heart that I would not be teaching him at home. I was also confused. Why had God led me to homeschooling if that was not what He wanted me to do?

Fast forward to the present. Alex still has issues. He is not where most children are at his age. I'm not certain at this time whether or not he will be recommended for Kindergarten next year or if they will recommend keeping him in special ed. But it won't matter. I have already decided we will homeschool this next year. I believe that God introduced me to the concept of homeschooling because that is what I would need to do someday. But first Alex needed help that I could not provide. Now that he has had that jumpstart, I can takeover. I think homeschooling will now be more beneficial to him because he'll get the one-on-one attention he needs. He'll also get a curriculum that is specific to his needs and learning style.

We will take it one year at a time and I will continue to take my direction from God. I know that He will show me His plans - I just have to trust Him.