Homeschooling: The Journey of an Idea.

Educating our children at home has, for awhile now, been on my mind and heart. Like a seedling, it's taken root and grown over time. The idea first arrived when our big boy was about to begin primary school, three years ago. Later, it nudged at my mind again when our little man was to start kindy. Now, with the pandemic changing the way education is carried out, another opportunity to seriously explore homeschooling presented itself. 

I've read up on curriculums and thought about things we could teach at home that aren't taught in school. For example, coding, touch typing, catechism, the Theology of the Body, money skills, and so much more. The world of learning would have exploded and opportunities for learning, truly limitless. I'd trawled pages for resources, community groups, and ideas, lots of them. I'd even managed to get the husband interested in the idea.

This morning, I spoke to the children about it. Our big girl said she wanted to finish the school year and would be open to homeschooling next year. Our big boy said he wanted to be with his friends in school. Distilling the desire from the words, I got the sense that the school community is important to them and they are truly enjoying being at school. 

As much as I am excited about upheaving our lifestyle and embracing the privilege of educating our children ourselves, I don't have the heart to take them away from school life. I spent a good part of today grieving the loss of that idea and letting go of it. We can still teach them some amazing skills at home, outside of curriculum time. Perhaps not now, not yet. 

Tonight was game night with our big boy. Papa taught him "Airlines Europe", a game he's been eager to learn for the longest time. It is recommended for ages 13 and up and involves an introductory look at how stocks work and picking the right strategy to win. Our big boy caught on quick and made his dad work hard to win the game! 

We take great delight in watching our children learn, and love what they learn. Wherever, however they want to do it, we'll be there to support and love them.