At the beginning of my homeschooling journey, I was a purist. In my enthusiasm and conviction of our calling to homeschool, I thought everyone should homeschool their children. I enjoyed staying home and teaching my children so much that I was convinced everyone should do the same.
After a few years of homeschooling, my husband and I were asked to take over the leadership of the local support group. The founding leaders were moving away and wanted us to fill their place. I didn’t think we had homeschooled long enough, but they had confidence in us. God put it on our hearts to accept.
We served in that role for about seven years. During that time I got to know many homeschooling families, and several became friends. I also worked with the state organization as a local contact for those interested in home education. Usually these people called to ask questions because they were frustrated with public school. I learned through all these interactions that families’ situations are widely varied. Not just in their unique dynamics, but also regarding their challenges and sometimes very difficult problems.
Maybe I had temporary amnesia, forgetting that my own childhood included significant dysfunction with divorce and alcoholism. In my purist viewpoint, I didn’t think about single parents, or chronic illness, or unemployment, or other difficulties that seem insurmountable, let alone potentially incompatible with homeschooling.
I think it’s important that we be careful to remember, that for some, it is just not possible to homeschool full time. This does not mean that children cannot do well in traditional school when their parents are actively engaged in their education. Parents can do much to participate in their children’s learning, helping them along the way. Especially in the body of Christ, let’s encourage one another in our parenting, no matter how we choose to educate our children.
I leave you with a view of the Santa Catalina Mountains, rising above the Sonora Desert. Taken last week while hiking.