Why I home school!

I saw on a friend's blog her post about why she home schools. I loved it. I thought some out there might want to hear my thoughts on it since we just took Samantha out of what some may have seen as the perfect place. I always wanted to home school. When Samantha was little and school was starting I didn't have any solid answers to why, so we decided she would go to public school. Little did I know then you don't have to put your kid in school at age 5. Anyways, by the end of 1st grade I still wanted her home. Jeff finally met other parents at church who felt the same way and had better reasons then I. He agreed and we pulled her at once. I have been home schooling ever since. It was until recently though that the whys of home schooling have fallen in to place. I use to worry about her not being at the same level as other kids her age. I use to worry if we missed a day the world would end. I use to worry about what everyone else would think. Last year was hard for me. I had a ton of guilt because of all of the above thoughts and the fact I was pregnant with twins and not wanting to do a lot else. I also began to listen to non home schooling people tell me I needed a brake. I feel in to the lie that kids are a burden not a blessing. How wrong that is! My chilren are my biggest blessing. I was taking on to much and there would be no way to do it all with the babies and the toddlers. We got a scholarship at that time for Bellingham Christian. We felt that was what the Lord wanted. All summer long I mourned the loose of home schooling. The more I talked to friends who were about to start their year at home the sadder I got. Then school started for Sam. It was a rough start, but I began to understand why I wanted to home school. It took me 9 days exactly to decide BCS was not where Samantha or any of my kids were meant to be. So why do I home school? Its simple really. I want my kids to have a firm foundation when the go out in to the world. I want their days to be influenced by Christ's love not their peers opinion. I want my kids to know that doing your best just means trying your best not getting an A on a paper. I want them to see me living a Godly example of a wife and a mother. I will pause to say here I know may example is flawed because I am a sinner and will never be perfected until our Lord comes back. I want my heart to be for my kids. When they have struggles I want them to know where to turn for true comfort. Do I care any more if they read at the right level or multiple as fast as every one else. No! That is not important! Do I want my kids to learn to compare themselves to others? No! I know that my kids will grow and go out in to a world full of sin and corruption. When they do this I want to rest assured that they have been equipped to handle it with Christ in their heart. I also will take a pause here to say I know that just because I home school and am a believer doesn't mean my kids will turn out to believe. This I will leave in Gods hands, but will try my best to disciple and be a living example full of prayer.