Homeschooling Again.

We always wanted to be flexible and moldable for our overall lifestyle and even when it comes to our children’s education. You can read a previous blog about our shift from 8 years of homeschooling to our 5 oldest children heading to private Christian school where my husband is assistant principal. And we all told the kids that after the first semester, they could choose if they wanted to stay at school for the second trimester or come back home to homeschooling, especially since it was so new to them.

But here we found ourselves unsure if we, as the parents, who know best for them, should ultimately make that decision for them. At such young ages, we wanted to lead them in the route that would benefit them well. And we went back and forth on this. But here’s the thing, we didn’t need to let them make a decision based off of something bad and something good. We had a banquet table of all goodness. With good things set out before them that were for their benefit in either road they would take. Also knowing that at any moment, we can shift to something different. Some people might interpret that as unstable but I don’t view that as unstableness but as a beautiful benefit to the lifestyle we have set up for ourselves through hard work and focus.

Truth is, all of the kids love going to school. They enjoy going to school because the school is amazing and because their daddy is right there. However, for some of them, it didn’t beat their love for home and homeschool. Ultimately, 2 of our kids came back home. Zion + Shiloh. They are only 5 and 6 and in pre-K and Kindergarten so the days are very long for them. Leaving at 7:15am and not being home until 4pm on most days and 5:30 on other days (when they stay with daddy for chess club) makes for a lot for them to handle. They are so little and its so much for them. And I’ve always been a huge advocate for PLAY, especially in those younger years and they were missing out on so many hours of that.

Samaria also has been wanting to come home, which she most likely will in the next school year, but shes made a really good friend in her class and loves her teacher and didn’t want to leave them in the middle of the school year. Makkedah and Nehemiah are obsessed with school and their classmates and their teachers and have no intention of coming home. They love right where they are.

And I keep thinking how wonderful it is that we are able to give each child what they need, when they need it. That is a blessing that I do not take for granted. So, yes, all of our kids are in different places and learning in different ways but that makes sense to me because they are different people and learn and function in different ways. This is GOOD.

And their options available to them are GOOD. I’ve always heard from people how their kids or they themselves needed a certain type of teaching at atmosphere when they were in school but they weren’t able to get it (because of parents work schedule or distance of school or a myramid of other roadblocks). They wish they could have had that or provided it for their children- to give them exactly what they needed.

And we have been given that gift. That opportunity. I mean, we’ve worked super hard to create a life with that type of flexibility but all the glory to God for the strength and guidance to lead the kids and pour into them what they need (and want.)

So, yet again, we switch things up a bit. I have about 5 months where it was just me and Ro at home together most days. I actually felt like I was JUST getting in my flow of that. And now, we change it up and I bring 2 more kids back home full-time with me. I got my title of “homeschool mom” back and I’m pretty excited about it. Now, we all need to adjust back to this lifestyle and find our new flow. I usually think this will take a week but in reality, these types of changes often take months to adjust too. But it’s so good. In patience and grace, we find out place with it all again.

I brought all our curriculum back out of storage. Ordered some fresh pencils. It’s probably time for me to brush up my reading of “Wild + Free” again (probably my most fav homeschooling book of all time.) I’m excited for this next chapter of our lives together.

Zion was home 2 days a week and going to school 3 days. Now he is back to being with me 24/7. Shiloh was going 5 days a week to Kindergarten and now shes back home with me and I’ve so loved having her joyful spirit around me so much. Her little siblings have loved it too. Praying for the Lord to lead me as I juggle homeschooling back into the mix. That I have an eager heart to teach and they have eager hearts to learn. This is good.