03/19/2022
…delete “end of story…” as we’ve always said since the beginning, “If God leads us otherwise, we’ll follow that direction.”
About a year ago, we publicly shared our decision to embark on a home school journey. A few heart-filled thoughts thoughts and answers to common questions came to me today…♥️
🖤 Never, in a million years—as a child sub-maturely dreaming of what life ahead looked like, as a college student throughout the education program, as an adult educator in the elementary classrooms I so loved, currently as a registered nurse in the hospital I so love, during pregnancy with our first, …or yet even our second, or immediately thereafter—did we ever dream we’d have the desire to live our lives as a homeschooling family.
🖤We—my husband and myself—were not homeschooled.
-Casey attended a small town northeastern Wisconsin public school district PK-12, and went on to an out of state university for both his undergrad and Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering.
-I attended a small town Catholic PK school in southern Wisconsin and small town Catholic K-8 school in northeastern Wisconsin, followed by small town public schooling throughout high school—thereafter attending university for a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, English Minor; and, years later completed my degree in Registered Nursing.
…& we enjoyed our educations; generally speaking, we were happy, social, extra-curricularly involved, and performed academically well.
🖤We weren’t raised around homeschooling families. None of our siblings, aunts/uncles, cousins, friends were raised homeschooled or chose to homeschool their children. Though we recognized it existed, we were never exposed to it. In fact, it was probably considered pretty taboo at our time/location of our upbringing.
🖤I never thought I would WANT to homeschool…like, at. all. Until, one day I* realized, “I DO”
*…which, really wasn’t my reckoning to own at all. It was my husband’s ♥️
God’s got a funny way of showing our hearts just who knows what (and it surely isn’t us), unexplainably and at a moment’s notice.
🖤For us, it wasn’t/isn’t a political or pandemic decision (though we respect that for others, it might be).
🖤We are not an “unschool” homeschool family (though we absolutely respect that some are, and certainly enjoy befriending those who aspire to this approach and learning new and exciting takes and perspectives that we can mix with our own!); in fact, we would classify our approach as “formal” in nature.
🖤 We think education—in all shapes and forms—is just downright beautiful. We love the concept of private schools AND public schools, AND homeschools. How blessed are we to have these concepts within these entities and those who pour their hearts and souls tirelessly into them—EACH imperfect in their own right, certainly; still, majorly incredible nonetheless—at our disposal in this country?! SO blessed!
🖤 Again, we ♥️ private schools AND public schools AND homeschools; we don’t believe that any one or the other provides superiorly or inferiorly—rather, differently. Each boasts its beauties, each designates its innate drawbacks—somewhere in between and wherein constant opportunity offers itself all over the place!—for exciting, yet challenging, continuous and collaborative improvements to be made. (I promise that if you made a list, for every one thing you jot down a child might be “missing out on” in one context/“gaining” in another, there most often exists a statement of truth in reverse—something they’re greatly “gaining” in that same context and “missing out on” in the other.)
🖤 We realize that we’ve chosen the “road less traveled;” and, we also recognize that—given the context of an inability to afford for me to stay home full-time (which many to most homeschooling families do afford), thus necessitating my working the weekend program —it is indeed a hard road we’re traveling in many ways. But, much like the quote circulating so popularly these days, “choose your hard,” we also believe that, for us, not living this learning journey immediately alongside our children in this way would be very taxing on our minds, bodies, and souls too. We must choose our “hard,” and this is the one we’ve chosen right now.
🖤 “But, did your children WANT to be homeschooled; did you give them the CHOICE?” some might ask. No different than our parents had lovingly chosen small town private and public school learning environments for us, we’ve chosen —with all the love our hearts can possibly hold—this homeschool learning pathway for our littles. Honestly, I don’t ever remember, even once, my parents asking whether I would prefer private vs. public vs. home schooling. Likewise, unless we discover a significant reason for offering the choice, throughout our boys’ elementary school years, we don’t necessarily foresee making it one.
🖤 “Are you LIKING it?” Yes. We love it. STILL, it IS hard. I know I post gobs of pictures—of beautiful books, organized set-ups, playful learning activities—which I so love imagining/orchestrating/interacting for/with my boys. STILL, I’ll be completely transparent…things are NOT picture perfect. This is real life, with real challenges, with real chaos, and real tantrums (and we’re not just talking the boys—I’ve cried and screamed at the top of my lungs on more than one occasion, not at my best whatsoever). BUT, afterwards, we hold each other, say we’re sorry, remind each other HOW MUCH and how unconditionally we love each other, and resolve to make each moment better than the last. We live and learn TOGETHER—through the good bad, and ferociously ugly. And, that…I wouldn’t trade for anything. So, do I like IT? Yes. Every moment of it? No. So cliche, yet so true: “The days are long, but the years are short.” And at this point, I’d choose it all over again; and, God-willing, plan to continue choosing it all over again for as long as God deems good.
[And the photos…Well, I’ll keep sharing those…because sharing of myself, my family, our journey is a part of who I am; and the positive glimpses they capture (despite the challenges behind camera) is what I choose to focus upon.]
🖤 Genuine gratitude to all those who continue to support and pray for us on our journey…We ♥️ you!
Love and blessings,
1Momma…
…and her (3)Boys
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