Anti-Homeschooling Excuses: Are They Valid?
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By Tamara Eaton
Ten common anti-homeschooling excuses that are actually reasons
to homeschool!
1. My kids drive me crazy.
Then maybe it's time you do something so they don't drive everyone
else crazy, too! It's easier to ignore problem areas if you send
your children off to school each day--you don't have to put up with
it all the time. Let the teacher and other students do it instead.
But who must answer to the Lord for how you taught and trained
your child? It's not the teacher, but you the parent. Homeschooling
isn't a "cure-all" for poor behavior but it does give
us time together to work out any problems instead of ignoring them,
and it eliminates the negative role models and peer pressure that
often influences negative behavior.
Or maybe you feel that they DO respect others, just not you? You
can tell them when to brush their teeth, get dressed, go to bed--just
not when to do their math! There is really no difference--it's all
a matter of obedience and respect.
Ephesians 6:1-2 "Children obey your parents in the Lord: for
this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou
mayest live long on the earth."
2. I don't have enough patience.
Patience comes through overcoming trials and learning to yield to
the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25) instead of the fruit
of flesh. You'll never develop patience if you continually avoid
opportunities that would require you to put it into practice. You
might be surprised how quickly it grows with frequent exercise--homeschooling
can be that vehicle the Lord uses to work patience in you!
3. I'm not highly educated.
Fine--here's your chance to learn right along with your children!
There are tremendous resources available to help us teach our own
children. Studies have proven time and again that the success of
homeschooling is not dependent upon the level of the parents' education.
According to Dr. Brian Ray's recent study, "Home educated students'
test scores remain between the 80th and 90th percentiles, whether
their mothers have a college degree or did not complete high school."
[National Home Education Research
Institute]
4. I love my job.
What's more important during this season of your life--your children
or your job? Your job can wait; your children can't. Your decisions
and priorities are already influencing them every day--either for
good or bad. I've never heard older people say that they wished
they had spent more time on their job. I have heard them say they
wished they had spent more time with their children. If you love
your job more than spending time with your children then maybe this
is a sign that your priorities need reevaluating.
5. I don't have time.
There is always time to do the will of God. Is He calling you to
homeschool? Then He will provide the time. As a result of homeschooling
our children, we have limited outside activities and found a simpler
lifestyle. We're not forced to succumb to the modern pressures and
stresses of our society with its hectic pace--instead we are able
to slow down enough to enjoy time together as a family, embracing
a slower paced lifestyle without sacrificing the modern conveniences
of our microwaves, washers, dryers and computers!
6. I'm selfish--I need my privacy and space.
Jesus said unless we take up our cross and die to self, we can't
be His disciple. (Luke 9:23-24, 14:27) Good parenting requires sacrifices
during this season of our life. However, choosing to homeschool
doesn't mean that you can never have any privacy anymore. When the
children are young, we have regular naptimes and bedtimes so that
gives us time apart. Older children are trained to respect the need
for quiet time in the afternoons and evenings. The children also
have their own activities and playtimes apart from mom during the
day at times, too.
7. I can't afford it.
If it's God's will that you homeschool, you can't afford not to!
He will provide all your needs if you trust Him. (Matthew 6:33)
We have never been a "high income" family but God has
worked in the most unexpected ways to provide our needs over the
years. Think of how much you spend now by sending your child off
to school--don't forget to include the "hidden" expenses
of special school wardrobes to keep up with their peers.
Homeschooling curriculum can cost as much or as little as you like--it
all depends on what you choose to do. The public library is free
and full of helpful resources for your homeschooling! We have always
chosen not to purchase a full packaged curriculum and saved much
money by putting together our own curriculum.
8. I never liked school.
Homeschooling will help you see how enjoyable learning can be in
a relaxed, pressure-free atmosphere at home! You don't have to structure
your homeschool like a public or private school, so don't let your
past experience with school hinder you from committing to homeschool
your children. Give them the opportunity to experience what you
missed out on in your childhood and see how much fun you can have
while learning together!
9. My children are too sociable--they'd get lonely homeschooling.
This is an EXCELLENT reason to educate them at home; you can make
sure their "socialization" experiences are positive instead
of negative. Homeschooling doesn't require your children to become
hermits, but you will have the freedom to select the activities
and make sure they are blessings and not hindrances.
10. I could NEVER do that!
If we had known in advance and in detail all the negatives and challenges
we'd have to face as parents, who among us would have been brave
enough to have children? God gives us the grace, strength and wisdom
we need when we need it--not in advance! I find great encouragement
in scriptures that remind me that I must yield and abide, then He
is sufficient to take care of all the needs and enable me to fulfill
my responsibilities.
2 Corinthians 3:4-5 "And we have such trust through Christ
toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of
anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God..."
John 15:4-5 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that
abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without Me ye can do nothing."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."
And the following scripture has always encouraged me when I've been
tempted to dwell upon my inadequacies:
1 Corinthians 1:27-31 "But God hath chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise; and God had chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things
of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That
no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
Homeschooling, like parenting, requires faith--faith that the Lord
will give us wisdom and grace as we need it. In His infinite wisdom,
He has designed us so that we MUST rely upon Him! Why doesn't He
give us all the wisdom we need to be parents right at the start
when the child is first conceived? Instead, He allows wisdom and
maturity to develop as we grow through trials, the study of His
Word, and experiences--all the while, pointing out our need of Him
daily in order to walk in His ways. Thus, He receives ALL the glory!
May the Lord direct your family in His Ways and give you clear wisdom
and direction in the education of your children!
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge
Him, and He shall direct your paths."
William and Tamara have always homeschooled their six children
(kindergarten-high school) and enjoy encouraging other families
in their homeschooling and parenting, and in the Lord! For more
information and encouragement visit their website.
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