Homeschooling. Preference or Conviction?

For us, it's a preference that can change based on our childrens' needs. Right now homeschooling is the best choice for my family. I do not hold to homeschooling as a conviction, nor do I believe it is always the best choice for all Christians in all situations.

When looking at schooling, we had to decide what was best for our daughters' learning styles, spiritual development, and physical and mental well-being. Our local schools are inadequate or not compatible with our standards in these areas, so we homeschool.

 

My four children all attended and graduated from our Baptist school. When my grandson came here to live with me, he was way behind in his studies as he had been moved from one school to another in the public school sytem.

He was in 4th grade but didn't test out that way. I homeschooled him for two years and he got caught up, and even moved ahead. I then enrolled him in our Baptist school.

I'm with Rebecah, it is a preference with me, and it depends on what is best for your child/children. Each one is different...

 

We homeschool for several reasons. We do feel convicted that God has given us our daughter to raise, and we believe that means we are responsible for educating her. We feel that homeschooling is the best option, not that it is simply the only alternative. We feel that academics, spiritual and moral issues as well as safety have all played a role in making that decision. My daughter also has Down Syndrome and we have found that homeschooling has its benefits for special needs situations as welll. While we have been convicted that this is the best option for us, we do however, have a great amount of respect for parental rights and believe that every parent needs to make the decision that they think is best for their family. One thing I love about our church family is that it consists of several homeschool families, Christian school teachers and students as well as several public school teachers and students. We all respect each others choice and know that we are ALL doing what we think is best for our own family situation.

 

We homeschool for several reasons:

1. If we sent our children to the government school in our county, they'd spend three hours a day sitting on a bus. That's three hours they could be spending studying or playing.

2. Our local government schools don't teach several subjects we believe are vital to our children's future, including theology, philosophy, economics, rhetoric, etc.

3. We can do it better.

4. We don't want our children exposed to the sex ed, the negative peer pressure, and other things that go on in government schools.

5. We just like spending time with our children.

 

SEveral reasons

We homeschool for a number of reasons:

1. want to avoid the children being indoctrinated by worldly and often anti-Christian theologies.

2. provide a supportive environment for our three children, each of whom have special needs...the two boys have Asperger's Syndrome, our daughter is dyslexic. I can modify the curriculum and the length of lessons/school day to avoid undue frustration, while at the same time avoiding putting my kids on meds.

3. I love to have them home so we can incorporate our Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect of our schooling.

4. Encourage a good work ethic...we have a small homestead which balances the kids' day with animal/garden chores and schoolwork.

Beth

 

I currently homeschool because we are in Eastern Europe and don't have access to English speaking education. Our kids went to a school here for a while to learn the language, but a lot of the children here are vulgar so we pulled them out.

 

We have our kids in school here in South America for the very reason that it is not an english speaking education. We want them to learn the language well. Our plan is to supplement some at home so we can give them a better english education and teach them Bible (currently we are working through a Baptist Catechism).

I have no problem with HS. I was partially HS. At this stage in our lives, my wife and I feel it is best for our kids to be in an actual school. It has given us good contacts to minister to others which was one of our goals in putting them in school.

 

I for one never thought I'd homeschool...but here we are in our fifth year and lovin' it! There are many reasons we have chosen homeschooling, but I wouldn't say we have a conviction that it is the "only right" way to educate children. So, I guess I'd have to say that homeschooling is our preferred method, based on our situation, location, academic and spiritual ideals, schedule, ministry, children's needs, and desire for flexibility and independence. How's that for a complicated answer to a simple question? :laugh:

 

By the time our daughter graduated from high school she had over 18 years of homeschooling and 13 years of public school. We started with books before she could read. We bought workbooks for her and many other books to read. In addition she had the studies from the public school to do. While she was in high school she played tennis and started the political awareness club. She is now in college and has straight A's.

So I am in favor of doing both and not relying on just the public school or homeschooling.

 

We're a mixed family with some children who public school and one that I homeschool. So I make my decisions based on:

1. I am responsible for raising my children and seeing to their education.

2. The simple fact is public school is not the best for every child

3. What is best for the particular child

 

When I look back at the numbers who were educated in atheistic schools under communism I also see some of the strongest Christians I have ever met. I have asked myself some serious questions about what a real education is. I have came to the conclusion that it has almost nothing to do with where they went to school. Most of the early church (98%) could not read. The most important is who their Christian influences and leaders are and the personal examples they provided. If young people hear one thing and see quite another they see hypocrites. If they see genuine Christians seeking to know God and live according to what the Bible teaches they see humility, experience grace, they learn how to make disciples, and come to the conclusion that God is real and living. They understand their personal responsibility and the importance of loving others.

I have seen elementary children disciple others their age so I know it can be done. I have seen college students be bold as a lion who came to Christ minutes earlier who did not come from Christian homes.

I do not agree with everything that is taught in home schools, churches, and public schools. (Just read what is written on the BB amongst pastors). That is the reason why we must set our children on a course of lifelong learning of knowing God and obedience to Him.

We need people who know how to check up on every parent, preacher and teacher they hear.

Personally I have never seen a person who reads and studies his Bible and makes disciples ever get far off from the truth.

 

Preference or conviction?

Perhaps you should define "preference" and "conviction." There are many different understandings, I'm sure, of the two terms. There are many unasked and unanswered questions regarding these two. Are they opposites? Synonyms? Just bringing the two words in juxtaposition with one another seems to make certain implications based on the common connotations of the two. Is one more valid than the other? If conviction, what is the conviction?

For example, one may have a conviction that a parent is responsible for the safety of his child and homeschooling is the best way to insure safety. Is this a preference or conviction? Althought homeschooling per se may not be a conviction if safety could achieved via other means. What do you say?