Ok - So why do we homeschool...well, you may think the answer lies in the sometimes corrupt school sysem. Not exactly. Perhaps it is the fact that I want to shelter my children and not expose them to the lies of the world...not entirely. Maybe I am one of those people who believes that my faith is the right faith and only my God is the true God..Well..yes I am. But that isn't why I homeschool. We homeschool because right now we feel that is where God is leading us. It is that simple. When we feel the urge from God to move the kids to another way of schooling - we will.

Is homeschooling easy...never. We struggle daily. We never gets breaks away from each other. Having the same person as mommy and teacher is rough some days. Having the same person as child and pupil is sometimes harder. However, the struggles are growing us. Growing us together with God. Yes, I do like the idea of sharing my religious views with my children and no, i do not think that right now they need to be exposed to other religions on a daily basis. Oh..another hard-headed, "my way or the highway" Christian...YES! No other religion actively teaches their kids that the other may be rght or better suited for that kid. But only Christians are thought of as hypocritcal and close-minded. When it comes to my God...I guess I am closeminded.

I don't want my children exposed to it all just yet. They are randomly exposed to a lot. Going out to the store, at church with their friends, the TV...all of these entities bring questions to their minds and concerns to my heart. However, when the questions come I answer them...not liking the idea of the "Let's talk later" defense that results in the topic never being approached.

Have I lost friends due to homeschool? Sort of. I have friends who were once close but their views on homeschool are very apparent in the way they talk about my kids or other's. That wall gets built up stronger and stronger until I face the fact that I am no longer comfortable with that person. I don't like the way they look at my kids as inferior or pity them because they are so far behind their own brilliant child. When one child falls behind their answer is to stick them in public school so they can get "the help the need". When my child excels past their child, then I should put them in school so that their abilities are encouraged correctly. HELLO???? If I did, I might end up being their teacher...I am certified. Would that be wrong? Should my child not go to the school I teach at? I do get my feathers ruffled, don't I?

We homeschool beacuse that is what God has planned for this period of our life. I hope that if your kids are in public school, that they are there because it is God's plan and not just because it is easy for you. If your child is in private school, I hope it is due to God's planning and not because you feel it best. if God is not at the center of such a BIG decision...pray about it. It may be that you are doing right but you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Or, your life may take a dramatic turn.

Homeschool for us is difficult. It carries more tears, uncertainty and heart aches than you can imagine...but it is the path for us right now. I pray that my friends can accept it. Oddly enough...I think they have the idea that I feel I am better than them because we homeschool. They react in a negative way which gives me the idea that they feel superior...if only we could just accept that God has different things planned for us all.