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It’s the million dollar question: Why do you homeschool? Aren’t you afraid your children won’t learn social skills or be able to interact with other children their age? Don’t you need a degree to homeschool?
Those are the most common questions I get anyways. It’s understandable since it goes against what’s normal in culture.
But what if you’re the one wrestling with whether or not you should homeschool. I know some people, particularly Christians, believe people homeschool out of fear. Some believe that our children need to engage with a lost world and learn to interact with it, in hopes that their peers will come to know Jesus.
This is what I say: We are called to obedience to God, not man. I’m not saying God requires that everyone homeschools. I am saying He requires everyone to obey. Whether that is to homeschool or not.
As strong as my convictions are for my family to homeschool, I cannot say that God requires that of every family. I just don’t know if that’s true or not.
So, how do you know if God is telling you to homeschool?
Knowing God does want you to homeschool doesn’t mean you’ll have all the support you need or have all the answers upfront. It doesn’t mean you’ll feel 100% confident in your abilities. It doesn’t mean your finances are in order or you have enough space in your home.
So if you’re trying to make a decision based on anything that is in your control, you may be missing God’s voice for your family. Sometimes, God asks obedience of us before He equips us. Sometimes, we won’t find that peace until we’ve surrendered our own will to His.
When my daughter was 3, I was looking into charter schools in the area; getting ready to put her on a waiting list so she was sure to get in on time. That’s when I began to hear God whispering, “homeschool her.” I wasn’t homeschooled and the only interaction I ever had with a homeschooler was a boy who was really mean to me when I was in middle school. So I never gave that option any thought.
I began to fret about my lack of abilities and knowledge. It wasn’t until I stopped fighting and finally obeyed that I found that peace and confidence. God sent people to encourage me and build up my abilities! It wasn’t until after I obeyed that everything fell into place. But it wasn’t immediate, either.
My daughter is now almost 10 years old and we have not lacked in anything. God has equipped us with everything we need, and we’ve had 4 more children in that time as well. He continuously confirms His decision for us to homeschool.
My encouragement and challenge for you is this: turn down the voice of everyone else, including the voice of self, and see if you can’t hear what God is speaking to you. Let all the worries and “what if’s” go and just listen.
Sometimes, we need to let go of the voice of our own “reason” and simply trust that God knows what He’s doing. A great example of such a story is Erin from Home With the Boys. She didn’t “plan” on homeschooling. The reasons why are inconsequential. The point is she obeyed, even before she had all the answers.
Again, this is if God is actually calling you–don’t resist. He’ll just chase you down anyways! 
Trust that He knows what He’s doing, even if you don’t understand it.
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A very timely article for me, thank you!! We have decided to home-school our daughter next school year as she enters 7th grade … she’s been in a Christian school up to this point. I want to add our son to the home-school, but my husband is on the fence. My son will be in 9th grade at the Christian school. I only have 4 more years with him – technically – if he goes off to college! I want to spend every minute I can with him (and his siblings) and invest myself in him. I’m praing my husband will also feel the call to homeschool both our older children. We also have a 2 year old – and I’m excited to think I will able to homeschool her all the way through her schooling!!
My husband was the one with the vision to homeschool originally, and with him being a pilot my thinking was, “Why sure, you fly off for 4 days at a stretch and there I am left to do everything….so let’s add to the mix something I feel totally incapable of doing!” The Lord knew! I’m still incapable on my own, but I can tell you that the glue sets harder every year, and you couldn’t drag me away from homeschooling. I have never looked back. I’ve asked lots and lots of questions and had plenty of doubts, but this IS what we’re to be doing. 7 years into it: 7 years into trusting God, facing my inadequacies, and loading up on memory after memory after memory .I have NO regrets. None.
This is very timely for me also. My last daughter at home will be 4 next month, and we’ve been going back and forth about starting her in preschool a couple mornings per week. My heart has been telling me to homeschool, and we have found our curriculum. Your words reminded me that God’s way is always best. Thank you.
I have been struggling on my decision to homeschool. I really want to but my husband does not. I know the horrible things that children face in public schools these days, and I don’t want my children to be altered by the peer pressure that is out there. I want to help them build a strong foundation on our Lord Jesus so they are able to face temptations head on and turn away. My 5 year old will start Kindergarten the coming year, and we agreed to pray about it and see how he does in K. I’m not so sure we are praying over the same thing.
Dayna, that is a tough place to be because really, honoring your husband comes first. This is a good time to pray and ask God to align your hearts, whatever direction that might be. Pray for unity in a decision. Blessings, friend.
You are so right Christin. When God calls you to homeschool, he really does chase you down! I pulled a 6th grader and a kindergarten child out, and my youngest has never been in school. That was almost three years ago. Homeschooling has brought our family so much closer to God and to one another. I was nervous when we first started, but now feel confident and at peace that I am truly doing what the Lord wants for my family.
Plus, to be honest, on most days, it is just plain fun!! I never get bored, that’s for sure!!
I’ve told my husband multiple times during this school year that we need to start homeschooling. It’s been half joking and half serious. I’m alarmed at where the public school systems are taking education these days, but also the violence in the schools is frightening to me. Do I want my children to live sheltered lives though? No. But my husband seems to be having a change of heart about the idea of homeschooling, not being a bad idea. The only problem is I’m not a college grad and never really enjoyed school beyond 5th grade (not the same religion as my classmates = no friends and feelings of being unaccepted). Let’s just say it was by the grace of God that I managed to graduate from high school. So I’m not confident I could effectively teach a specific education curriculum to my daughters. I suppose if God wants me to, He’ll make it happen.
Rosann, I didn’t graduate from college either and do not have a degree. I know it’s different when you pull your children out of school and begin teaching as opposed to starting from the beginning and learning with them.
However, there is curriculum out there that helps with that and teaches the child, which helps them become independent learners.
If you and your husband believe God is leading you to homeschool, YES, He will take care of the details. Just be willing, my friend.
(Remember the story of Moses).
Rosann, I know your comment was addressed to Christin but I feel a Prompting to throw in a smidge of my personal background here. I hope you don’t mind…
I dropped out of high school when I was 17 because I was pregnant. I finished my last four credits for senior year at an alternative school. I still received a regular ol’ high school diploma from my high school, but technically I did drop out. Because I had my son, I knew that college was out of the question, (only because I didn’t my attention away from my new family- not because I didn’t think I could do it) so, I opted to attend a 10 month votech program. I got a wonderful job just before I turned 19 that I just quit in October 2011 (just before I turned 25) in order to homeschool my now three (ages 7,5 and 20 months) kiddos starting in January 2012.
Although my mini summary above doesn’t go into detail about the heartache and suffering enduring through those many life challenges, I’m sure you can imagine how difficult it was. I finally noticed God’s presence in my life and was able to see that those many “failures” through out my early adulthood times were only “failures” in the eyes of Man. God was leading my path toward where I am now.
I was saved last summer, baptized on Christmas Eve (which was also my 25th earthly birthday) and like I said before… started homeschooling in January. Without a degree. With barely a high school diploma and less than much support from my non Christian family.
Rosann, I promise you I am learning basic math along with my children. I go through all their lessons the week prior to teaching them that way I CAN teach them. YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL!!!
If you need any help with anything there are SO many resources out there that will help get you through. Including me.
I am SO long winded!!!
Love this… what a testimony… right there with you!
Thank you for this, I have been feeling in my heart that we should homeschool our children, but I have so much doubt at the same time. That I won’t be able to do it, that my kids will miss out on a lot, and so on. My husband also leans towards the idea of homeschooling. I think you are right, I need to stop thinking about what we want, what we think is best, and listen for that voice from God and follow it. Socialization and whether I will be good enough at it or not is what I fear the most. I have done preschool stuff with my kids for a few years now, but am not good at sticking to a daily schedule.
Thank you for this, I have been feeling in my heart that we should homeschool our children, but I have so much doubt at the same time. That I won’t be able to do it, that my kids will miss out on a lot, and so on. My husband also leans towards the idea of homeschooling. I think you are right, I need to stop thinking about what we want, what we think is best, and listen for that voice from God and follow it. Socialization and whether I will be good enough at it or not is what I fear the most. I have done preschool stuff with my kids for a few years now, but am not good at sticking to a daily schedule.
Very refreshing post! My girls are in 3rd, 1st and pre-school. I have been called to homeschool since before my oldest went to kindergarten. Finally though I have decided to obey and I WILL start in September! My husband has been begging for years as well. Now that I have made the decision my fears are about gone. The Lord is really working in me and my girls are pretty excited to start this new adventure.
Thanks for this post!! I was laughing this morning when I got it in my inbox because I have had several over the last weeks that have had similar titles, and I keep wondering what God is trying to tell me. I go back and forth with what I think He wants for us. My husband is not wanting to homeschool at this point, but I have agreed to simply pray and ask God to make us of the same mind if it’s what He wants. I am constantly going over the details, the how’s, the why’s in my head and am just awaiting confirmation from my husband. I feel secure in trusting that if God wants us to do it He will align our hearts and minds without my interfering. Thanks again~ I find such encouragement here and feel like your site is a great part of my journey of learning God’s will for my family! Thanks for your ministry!
What a great post Christin!! I am SO excited to homeschool! We don’t even have kids yet but I can’t wait to homeschool!!
Thank you for the encouragement today 
Amen, Christin. It’s so true. I get the same questions. I think what is important too, is realizing that just because we may be called, doesn’t mean it’s an easy calling. Ha. I find Home Education very (very…) challenging some days. I can just hear the enemy whispering his lies to me as I struggle through a hard day. But, in the end – I know what God has spoken over our family. He calls us to obey, as you said. But he never promises it will be a walk in the park. He does, however, promise He’ll be with us… through the everyday miracles and the everyday messes. I’d encourage any parent who is hearing that still small voice to pray about this option and speak to godly people who have homeschooled or are homeshooling their children. God often speaks through people – I know He has in my life!
xo Cassandra @ http://www.theunpluggedfamily.com
Thank you – this is just what I needed to hear !
I am so glad I stumbled upon this blog. I share many of the same sentiments as most of those who posted. I too have been called to homeschool. I am almost certain of it. Of course, I am fearful of what this means, doubtful of my abilities, and worry about our finances and if “this is the right time”. My husband, the most wonderful man on earth, not only wants to homeschool our baby girl, he wants to “tag team” with me…teaching math, government, history, geography, and world history (he’s a government professor and is certified to teach high school).
I will be completing my masters degree in Human Development this May. My initial plan was to move forward to my PhD. But, I do not feel called to do that. Prior to attending graduate school, I was a HR manager. I recently thought I would go back into the corporate world. But, I don’t want do that either.
During my graduate studies, I had the privilege of staying home with my baby and absolutely love it! Over the past year, my husband and I had numerous conversations about our schooling options. Public school is totally out of the question for us, although we live in area of Texas that has great school districts, there are many problems with Texas public school education (i.e. high stakes testing, decreased funding). Private school is extremely expensive and we figure we could save our money to pay for our daughter’s college education. Then we started to research the option of homeschooling. Alas, our interest was peaked!
I am not sure where God is leading me, all I know is that I need to listen and follow. I learned during my women’s bible study that God orders our steps. We cannot worry about step 16 when He needs us to focus on step 1!!
And no, the moon isn’t perfectly aligned, we live in a small two bedroom apartment (saving for a house) so we have to be very creative with our space, money is tight as we are still rebounding from a series of financial crisis in 2011, and we are not entirely sure that this will work out in the long run. Oh, and I just started a home based crafting business to supplement our income while I stay at home. But, between my husband and I, we are sure we can make a good go of this.
By the way, I noticed a few of the posters comment about level of education in regards to effective homeschooling. Remember, decades past when education was primary received at home, parents (teachers) did not have college degrees. My husband is finishing a PhD and I am completing a master degree. Although we both work in education, this in no way means that we stand a better chance at homeschool our daughter more so than a parent with a high school diploma. I have learned that homeschooling is an opportunity for child and parent to learn together. In spite of your educational background, you will bring a variety of talents and wealth of knowledge to your home classroom!
God Bless!
Victoria
We just finished our 4th year of homeschooling. This fall I’ll have PreK4, K, 2nd, and 4th grades. It’s crazy and wild but I wouldn’t have it any other way (most days!).
Praise god for your obedience! I felt like I was reading my testimony in homeschooling. I needed this encouragement today.