14 Dec Abby Merryman – Why We Choose to Homeschool
I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to homeschool my children. I felt a calling from the Lord to do so. We began homeschooling our oldest child in Kindergarten. At the time, we had a preschooler and brand-new baby. Things got tough in our household… We were dealing with some major health issues with our infant. This led to minor behavioral issues in our older two, which inevitably led to feelings of defeat. I began to struggle with loneliness, isolation, and fear.
To protect my mental health, we put our oldest two children in traditional school. I knew it wasn’t a great fit right away, but the fear, the “what ifs” and thoughts of loneliness continued to creep back in. After a couple of years, many meetings with the teachers and staff, and lots of prayers, I knew the Lord was calling me to pull my kids out to homeschool again, and honestly, we’ve never looked back.
We travel frequently domestically and internationally with our kids. They are now able to immerse themselves in other cultures that they once were just reading about in books. They have learned so many life skills that were never taught to me and my husband throughout our schooling, and they are thriving in their relationships with friends.
Homeschooling Advice
My advice to new homeschooling families is to get connected in the community. The homeschooling community is growing all over the country, but it is especially thriving here in Middle Tennessee. We are here to help you, love you and your children, support you, and encourage you on the good and bad days, and trust me, you will have both.
After many tears were shed throughout our traditional school experience, hearing our oldest son say, “Thank you, Mom, for teaching me. I finally love school again!” was a moment I re-play in my head often. We may sacrifice a lot to homeschool our kids, but it is absolutely worth it.
When we are obedient to the Lord’s calling in our lives, He will be faithful to see us through. What joy it is to walk this journey with Him!