Back to School

Today was our first day back to school!!! If you didn’t already know, we do homeschool our girls. We’ve chosen to do this for a few reasons, but mostly because we want our girls to be as strange and socially awkward as possible. (Just kidding…obviously) This will be our third year homeschooling, and I am definitely looking forward to this year more than the others. Efraim and I have taken some time to put in writing our “why” for homeschooling and put together a vision and action plan for our family this year. It really helps to keep things in perspective, especially during the challenging times.

Most people are very supportive of our choice to homeschool, but every once in a while, there is the person who gives us a very awkward look when we tell them we homeschool. One of our reasons is because we love the flexibility, both in time and in choosing what and how they learn. We travel A LOT, and it’s awesome to be able to take the girls on trips. Not only do we spend more time together as a family, but we incorporate some parts of our trip into their education. Second, because we homeschool, I can give each child the attention they need. One of my daughters struggles with reading, and I’m able to sit with her one-on-one to help her through it. That is not something she would receive in a traditional school setting. Third, the world view our local schools differs from our world view. A lot of people think this is the main reason most people homeschool, but for us, it is not the main reason. It is so much more than that.

Are there times when I wish my children were in school five days a week so I could have a little more “free time”? Absolutely! I wouldn’t be honest if I said I didn’t want that at times. However, we have chosen this because we do believe it is best for our family, and even though it can be tough at times, I do enjoy it. It is so cool to actually see them making connections and learning new things. I love making school fun for them and making memories together, and I love being an active part of what they are learning. We are looking forward to lots more “Back to School” days at home.