Oh What A Feeling

Blogger Friend School Assignment #100

Assignment: Take time this week to write about YOU and your feelings of trials and triumphs with homeschooling. Touch on when you first heard about the concept of home schooling and whether you tip-toed into the idea or just jumped in and never looked back. Share your schooling as a child and how you compare it to what your goals are for your children.

The first time I ever heard about homeschooling was when I was in 5th grade. My mom pulled us out of the public school we were attending and started homeschooling us. At the time there wasn't much support for homeschoolers, pretty soon mom felt she just couldn't do it and placed us back in the public school. That was my introduction to homeschooling. It wasn't flawless. It was less than perfect, but it gave me a memory to go to when things get tough in our homeschool. Because even though at the time I didn't appreciate what my mom was doing, now it gives me strength to continue on because it was what my mom wanted for her children, too.

When I had my first son I was actively looking for a job as an elementary school teacher. I worked through my pregnancy and for the 1st year of his life. During that time it became very clear to me that my place was at home with my son. I really didn't think much about school for him because in my mind it was a long ways off. But as the time drew nearer and my husband and I talked about the options, we just knew that homeschooling was what we wanted for our family. Once we had decided that, I jumped in wholeheartedly. We just started our 8th year and I still know that it is the best option for our children. To top it all off, most days I love this wonderful opportunity that God has given me!

This year I printed out the goals for our homeschool year. I also had each of the boys come up with 3 goals they wanted to strive for this year. I try to read them each morning to keep them fresh in our minds. I think it will really help each of us with our attitudes and committment to our school work.

Juniper Hill Academy's Homeschool Goals 2008-2009

• Give God our best each and every day


• Show respect for one another


• Focus on the work laid before us


• Listen carefully to the instructions given


• Find delight in what we are learning


• Attend to our school work with a cheerful heart

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6