It has been a very exciting week at the Rahar Ponderosa! We have an announcement...
We are the newest homeschooling family!!!
That's right, folks! My husband and I (actually) agreed to withdraw the boys from public school during Christmas break. We felt it was a great time to make a natural break for them.
I'd like to say a few things...well lots, actually, but I'll do my best to keep it short.
1. I am convicted to not have my children in public schools. While I do not believe sending your children to public school is sin, I do believe that homeschooling is a Godly principle with blessings, should we follow His instruction.
Psalm 1:1,2: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
2. I LOVED their teachers! I do not believe public school teachers are any more evil or corrupt than I am. I have values I want taught to my children based on God's Word and I cannot trust the school staff to teach those values or even to support those values. If they are not supporting my values and authority, they are against it.
Jesus said something similar: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." Matthew 12:30
and Solomon: "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain."
3. Contrary to my opponents' beliefs, I am qualified to teach my own children. While I do not hold a four year education degree, I have raised my children for the past seven years. I taught them to walk, talk, sing their abc's, eat with a fork, write their name, use the toilet, make their beds, and many other things. I am too sorry that I did not have the opportunity to teach my oldest two to read. Statistically, homeschooled children score better on academic tests than public or private schooled children, regardless of race, income, the parents' educational background, and even state involvement. I am confident God will equip me.
Solomon reminds us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowldege..." Proverbs 1:7
4. My children still have friends, still see their 'school' friends and even get to make new friends.
I already had a lady ask the boys if they missed their school friends. We live in a town of 1100 people...my kids see their friends. We live in a neighborhood with many of their friends and they usually congregate at my house after school anyway. Now that they aren't spending 35+ hours a week in school, I allow them to spend more time in sports and recreational activities than I did before.
5. I will answer to God for how I raised my children. This ties in with how God has convicted me. He says to "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..." Joshua 24:15.
I am to "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
I want to teach them to proudly profess His name before men, and not be ashamed. Romans 1:16
And when I stand before God and He asks if I helped my children or hurt them, if I raised them up in His Word or let them be taught contrary to His Word, it is my prayer that He will be pleased. You see, God takes the care, love, and training of children very seriously. He says at least three separate times in the New Testament that "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea." Mark 9:42
With relativism and humanism taught in our schools, evolution, and other teachings contrary to God's Word, it is my conviction that public schools certainly set up a child who believes in God to stumble. THAT is on me!
6. Sometimes my children get on my nerves. Just because I voluntarily choose to be with them the majority of their time, doesn't mean I'm not just like any other parent. I am, and I fail daily, hourly if someone is keeping score. Here's the thing, I am called, by God, to be a mom. While I teach my kids to try to do all things without complaining (Phillippians 2:14), I am learning how to do the same. I'm also praying that the way I intentionally raise and teach my children, they will grow into adults who love and serve our Mighty God (Proverbs 22:6).
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
I have no greater calling than to raise my children in the Truth. For my family, that means doing it outside of the public school system.
7. My children may not always be homeschooled, but I will fight, hard, to ensure they are, and to ensure their education centers around the fear of the Lord.
I have not even touched on how we will 'do school', but I wanted to tell you WHY it will not be in the public schools. Hopefully, we will get into a routine soon and figure out what works best for us. After all, one of the benefits is getting to choose how we do things, what works and what doesn't.
Justin and I do have friends and family who are not in agreement with our choice to homeschool, and that is fine. Those people have chosen a different path for different reasons. We do ask, require, that a positive attitude is kept regarding our choice in front of our children. I understand how it can be difficult to be excited about something you don't agree with; I have had to do it for the past year and a half. I had to be excited about public school for my kids even though I thought it was a stumbling block for them. I pray those in opposition to our decision will know that we are doing what we think is best and what aligns with God's Word.
If homeschooling is anything you might be interested in, I urge you to spend an afternoon researching statistics and methods.
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