We started homeschooling unofficially-officially last week. I thought that doing a dry run would be a good idea, to get me in the habit of doing lesson plans, and keeping a journal. Monkey is only 3, and we won't really have to register him with a HSA or the state until he is 5, but he is like sponge and picks up so much, so easily right now that we wanted to get him started with a Pre-K program. We chose the Sonlight Curriculum to use, as that will be the curriculum we will try to use throughout their schooling We are super excited!! I have enjoyed planning and preparing for the crafts and the different lessons of the day. To monkey, it is just play or story time. To me, its more like spending quality time with my son! I feel blessed to be on this journey.
I didn't start this way though...
It was a very easy for Mr. Handsome and me to decide to home-school our kids before we had them. The idea was still do-able after Monkey was born. We started from barely weeks old, singing the ABC's to him as entertainment, reading books to him as long as he would sit still, counting things, pointing out colors, etc. It didn't become frightening or overwhelming to me, until after Butterfly was born. She was more needy than Monkey had been. Now, instead of one.. I had two little people that needed my attention. Butterfly's infant needs, and Monkeys needs.. Monkey seemed to go backwards, which I know is normal when a new baby comes around. He wanted to suck her pacifier, he wanted to play in her swing, exer-saucer, swing, whatever ... So now, he too needed more attention, more one on one time than he had previously. As his 3rd birthday approached and I began to seriously look at curriculum and requirements for home-schooling, I felt like i was about to climb Mount Everest without any gear!.
Mr. Handsome and I had prayed many MANY MANY times about the decision to home-school. We KNEW that we KNEW that we KNEW that the Lord wanted this for our family. Although I fully believed that whatever God called me to do, He would equip me to do.. I still felt scared to death.. I STILL FEEL scared today!! I mean, here are two little souls that I am responsible for educating in the normal math, reading, science, and other subjects, but also in spiritual things as well. Even though I knew I wasn't alone, that Mr. Handsome would be as supportive as he could be, and that God almighty would be right there beside me each step of the way. In my mind, I held their fate in my hands! If they were gonna succeed in the world, go to college, dream BIG dreams, reach for the stars, become well educated, well rounded adults, then I had to teach them. If they were gonna become giants of the faith, godly children/adolescents/young adults/adults, then I had to teach them!...
The fact was though... I was giving myself too much credit on one hand, and not enough on the
God has asked me to home-school our children. That means, God will give me what I need to do it. Patience, Wisdom, knowledge, love, time, materials, resources, and the list goes on. Not only that, but if I give HIM my best and my kids my best, then He will bless my efforts!! Beyond that, God holds my children's fates, not me! I can do my best, my kids will make their own choices, and its all in God's hands!
More on the home-school journey later!
TTFN
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