Best Day of Homeschool EVER!

As a mom raising my children I’ve come to realize that it’s a job that never ends. 

I've accepted that there’s never an end product you can look at and say, “I did that”. You never get to see the results.

Well, guess what? I was wrong.

My oldest son had a pretty minor experience Tuesday that made me realize that our goal for homeschooling him has been achieved.

You see all I've ever wanted is for my children to take in all available information but to think for themselves. Tuesday, Tyler did just that. It actually took me some time before I realized what had happened.

Holy cow! I’m actually making a difference in my children’s lives. I’m actually accomplishing something. I have a result!

You know, that might just have been the best day of homeschool EVER and Tyler isn't even here.

Will wonders never cease?

Best for me?

How could I have ever thought that homeschooling wasn't what's best for me? Because some of it has been hard? Well, of course it has.

Everything worth anything is hard.

Did I actually expect it to be easy?

Well, no, but... maybe I expected to have different problems than the ones that I've actually run into? I dunno. What I do know is that I am finally learning to really enjoy my children as they are rather than how I want them to be.

A month or so ago my granny reminded me how much I loved playing school when I was a little girl. I was, of course, always the teacher, and I did enjoy that game very much. However, not for even a split second did I ever actually want to be a public or private school teacher and I had never even heard of homeschooling. Yet, here I am. It's funny where life takes us, isn't it?

What's Best For Me?

I've often been asked why I homeschool. Usually I give a half joking answer along the lines of being a control freak who hates answering to any authority (which is a totally accurate description of me). I even frequently say that I homeschool because it's what's best for my children, but that it certainly isn't what's best for me.

You know what? That just isn't true.

Homeschooling is absolutely what's best for me.

I like the freedom and flexibility homeschooling provides my family. I absolutely love not having to ask the government for permission to take the day off and do something fun with my children. I love vacationing when everyone else is in school. I love being free to jump in the car and take a trip to Lexington, KY and Little Rock, AR because Michael has work in those places. Or being able to swiftly return to Florida because a beloved family friend has lost their battle with cancer.

I am free to teach my children what they should learn and protect them from what they shouldn't. I can truly be there for them when they need me. Childhood is so brief and so very important. One day my children will all be grown, leading their own lives, and raising their own children. I hope they will look back on their childhoods as being filled with love and learning rather than looking back on their lives in school.

Ultimately my children are learning about life by living it, not by reading about it in a book...and I love sharing that with them.

LDS Online Resources

I've decided to use resources and manuals created and provided by my church as the foundation for my children's education from here on out. I've provided the links to the free resources below for anyone interested.

Book of Mormon Resources
Book of Mormon Seminary Student Home Study Manual
Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher's Manual

Gospel Restoration and Church History Resources
Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Student Manual
Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual
Church History in the Fulness of Times Teacher Manual

Our Heritage

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Primary Manual

Other Resources
Faith in God for Boys
Faith in God for Girls

For Strength of Youth