5 Reasons Why We Chose Homeschooling

Choosing to homeschool your children is not a decision to take lightly. Homeschooling is hard work and requires parents who are ready and willing to take on the full burden of their child’s education. Our family of six decided early on that homeschooling was the right choice for us. It’s not the right choice for everyone, and in the beginning, we weren’t sure it was for us either. After more than eight years now, I can confidently say we made the right decision for our family, and I look forward to the years ahead as we continue our homeschooling journey.

I have a soon-to-be eighth grader, fifth grader, fourth grader, and kindergartner, and people often ask me, “Why do you homeschool?” It’s not a short and sweet answer, but here are five of the biggest reasons why we chose the homeschooling path for our family:

1. I’m a stay-at-home mom.

We have been blessed enough for my husband to have a job that allows me to stay home every day with our children. Being home each day offers me the time and ability to homeschool. Most days, I am with them from the time they rise till the time they fall asleep, and I love it. Not everyone is able to do that, or maybe doesn’t want to, but for me, being able to stay home with them is what makes me happy.

2. I’m able to integrate the Bible into their school lessons.

I incorporate devotional or scripture work every day into their school lessons. There are so many great resources for Christian homeschooling parents out there, including Whole Bible curriculum and curriculum that integrates Scripture and Bible history into every subject for you! As Christian parents, my husband and I want to make sure that we are not only educating their minds, but their souls as well. Homeschooling allows us to accomplish this goal at a very high level.

3. We, the parents, have control over what they are exposed to each day.

I know some of you will not agree with this reason behind why we chose to homeschool, but it is very important to us as parents. With the amount of worldly language and issues that children are exposed to at increasingly earlier ages, we enjoy the fact that we are able to control this more successfully due to the educational choice we made. For example, as parents, we get to decide when our children are ready for discussions like sex education, not the school. And when the time comes, we are able to broach sensitive subjects in a loving, caring, and supportive atmosphere.

Don’t get me wrong. Our children don’t live in a bubble. They are around non-homeschooled, and even non-Christian kids and parents all the time, in our various community activities, extracurricular activities and church activities. But by homeschooling, we are allowed more control over what they are exposed to and when. And since we view our children as a gift from God, gifts that we are fully responsible for, we take very seriously the control homeschooling allows us in their lives.

4. I am able to individualize each child’s education

This is one of my favorite reasons for homeschooling. It allows us to cater each child’s curriculum and lessons to their strengths, as well as their weaknesses. I have two very gifted children, and I also have one who has a slight learning glitch, as we like to call it. That child oftentimes takes extra attention. Because we have homeschooled, she has not fallen behind in the least, and in fact has excelled and continually scores in the top percentiles for her age. I was a gifted child, and I remember many times not being challenged enough in class, bored within minutes of starting a lesson. Because we homeschool, my gifted children are able to take lessons to a new level, exploring skills and topics they otherwise would not be allowed to in a traditional classroom. For gifted children and struggling learners, homeschooling can be a liberating experience.

5. Homeschooling gives us tremendous flexibility in our schedule

With four children, they are numerous doctor’s appointments, dentist check-ups, and the list goes one. Homeschooling allows me to schedule those appointments as needed, not having to work around work or school schedules. We are also able to schedule extracurricular activities and field trips during the least busy hours of the day, missing the crowded offices and busy parking lots. This is so nice when you are toting around four kids! We live out of state from all of our relatives. Homeschooling allows us the flexibility to travel as we need to or want to, and take school along for the ride!

There are so many more reasons why we homeschool–some fun (like the fact that we can have every Friday be “Wear Your Pajamas to School” day if we’d like)–and some serious, but these are a few of the important ones to us.

If you’re a homeschooling mom, and would love some encouragement, be sure to check out the KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible, or the NIV Homeschool Mom’s Bible. They are full of encouraging devotionals just for homeschooling moms.

Your Turn

Are you a homeschooling family? What prompted you to make that choice? Leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

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