Home Schooling

I went to the home school store yesterday to purchase some curriculum for our new school year. In our city, that's one of the best places to meet and socialize with other home schooling families.

We're starting our sixth year of home schooling, so not much fazes me anymore, but one mother there was just starting her second year, and her children were still quite young.

She was frustrated because for her, another year of home schooling meant another year of friends and family criticizing her choice to educate her children at home. She was the only person in her group of friends who home schooled, and her family wasn't supportive either.

She felt very alone, but the truth is, almost every family who home schools faces these same criticisms and challenges. In fact, after fives years of successful home schooling, people still ask me when I'm going to send my children to a "real" school!

If you're feeling alone in your home school journey, it's very important to connect with other home schooling families. You can ask if your local library or church offers programs for home schoolers. Find out if there are any support programs in your area. Home schooling is a wonderful lifestyle, but it can be difficult to go it alone. Make sure you get the support you need.

When you're with people who question your decision to teach your children at home, try not to bring the topic up. I used to talk about the things we were doing as part of my children's education, but people would either not listen to what I said, or else they would criticize our activities - which only discouraged me more.

The most important thing you can do when you're faced with criticism about home schooling is teach your children at home the very best you can. When people see how well-adjusted and happy your children are, over time they will discover for themselves that home schooling really was the right choice for your family.

And perhaps they will consider it as an option for their family too.