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Will we ever regret homeschooling our children? That’s a valid question. We all come to this homeschooling journey full of hopes and doubts.
I don’t know the reasons why you chose to homeschool your child, but I know mine. I want more for my children! I want the best I can offer them and the best God has for them. I’m sure you do too.
By now, I know that homeschooling requires sacrifices and the biggest one for me was to become complete selfless. Homeschooling is definitely not about us. I left my career and step back from full-time ministry as a pastor to care for the most important flock God has ever entrusted me – my own children. Homeschooling it’s all about them and what is best for them. Although, I have to say that nothing has molded my character more than homeschooling my children did.
It wasn’t easy. It was painful at first. I was very insecure. Was the sacrifice worthy? Absolutely! Day after day, I’ve been seeing the fruits of homeschooling in my family and I know you will see it too.
4 Reasons To Never Regret Homeschooling – No Matter What!
Here are some of the fruits I see today and why I can tell you why we both will never regret homeschooling.
1 – Time Spent With Our Children
The gift of time is irreversible. Time is something we have now but we don’t know if we will have it tomorrow. The Bible says our lives are but a vapor (see James 4:13-14). As a mom, you fully understand what it feels like to want to go back in time but you can’t.
Time with our children today is the most precious gift we can ever have. Ask a mom who lost her child. All she wishes for was to have spent more time with her child and we don’t want to live with regrets.
Time is precious. Time to love them intentionally, time to say thousands of “I love you”, time for hugs and kisses, time to teach and correct, time to praise them for their achievements, time to just… spend time together. And this alone is one of the greatest reasons why I and you will never regret homeschooling.
2 – Homeschooling Develops A Strong Family Bond
In these past six years, I’ve seen my children becoming best friends. They truly have each other’s back. They have become a team, a beautiful team. Always willing to help each other. Yes, they have their not so loving moments too, but these have become rare moments in our house.
I also see how my heart is complete with them around me all day. And to the mom who is reading this now who thinks she can’t be sane around her kids 24/7, I want to say that it is not easy some days but I’ve become a better mom, because of it. Homeschooling is God’s sandpaper, I heard once.
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14
Let love be the core of your homeschool and the glue that binds your family together. The family bond is one more reason we will never regret homeschooling.
3 – It Builds A Firm Faith Foundation And Moral Values
No school will be able to build the same strong faith and values foundation you believe in and stand for in your child – no school. Only you, the parent, can teach them diligently with love and guidance the values that are fundamental to your family.
Homeschooling is discipleship. It is not just academics but an opportunity to teach your child as a whole person, investing in their faith and character training. You, homeschool parent, are their greatest role models. As you spend time with your child teaching them, they will be watching your actions, reactions, and words on a daily basis.
There is no greater mission for a parent than to fulfill the greatest of all commandments.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” – Deuteronomy6:4-9.
This is our ultimate priority in the lives of our children. And another reason you will never regret homeschooling your children.
4- Give Our Children A Custom-Made Education
If you have more than one child you know that your children are completely different from each other, right? They are different in their personality, in their taste, and in their way to process and learn things.
Here I have a little engineer who spends most of his time building, he loves math and hates writing although he loves reading. I have a ballerina who will dance her way around the house doing pirouettes, who loves music, playing the piano, singing, doing crafts and writing her own stories. And I also have the future medical doctor of the house, she is soon to be seven years old (but it’s already convinced to become a doctor), who absolutely loves all things science and is fascinated by the human body.
Three children, same parents, and oh, so different from each other! Becoming a student of my children have taught me a lot about their interests, natural gifts and talents, and learning styles.
By carefully observing your children you will custom make their education in a way that they will engage and delight in learning. Since our children are not cookie cutters and are all different, finding the way they learn will help you to teach them in a way they will understand and enjoy.
Your children are unique. They have brilliant gifts and talents you can gently help them develop in their day to day learning experiences. Training them the way they should go is certainly a great reason to pour into their lives and never regret homeschooling.
In Conclusion, Because of These and Many Other Reasons I Will Never Regret Homeschooling. What about you?
I only mentioned four reasons for never regret homeschooling, I am sure there are a lot more. In fact, I believe that the same reasons you decided to homeschool are the reasons you will never regret it.
Last year I wrote a list of 31 reasons I love homeschooling. Having that list handy always reminds me why I started and why this is the best decision I have ever made for my family.
Have you ever made a list of all of your reasons for homeschooling? Why did you decide to homeschool? Let me know down in the comments!
A version of this post was first published on Sonlight Blog.
strong family bonds indeed. It’s a wonderful part!
I think with advancement in technology, more and more parents will be able to work from home, which means, there will be a huge surge in the number of homeschooling kids. There is no comparison between the level of attention a parent can give and what teacher handling 12 children can give. Homeschooling will only get popular with time.
Hi Ana, great list here!
Each of the things listed here shows that the sacrifices are well worth it and homeschooling is an option seriously worth considering, even those who haven’t thought about it yet should look over these as they may not have thought about it in this way.
I feel that more than ever homeschooling is becoming more and more valuable as the traditional education system becomes more and more outdated, and less practical for kids. That’s not even including the fact, as you rightly point out, that the system is set up in a cookie cutter way and is not tailored to the needs, strengths, weaknesses etc. of the individual.
When the time comes my partner and I will almost certainly be homeschooling – posts like these reaffirm this decision. Thanks so much for sharing!
Absolutely, James! In a generation where everything is been custom made to fit our wants and needs, why try going with one size fits all, right? And what better way to raise and educate our children then to consider their unique gifts, interests, and learning styles.
Thanks for the great comment!