Beckie’s Journey to Home Education
Hey Neighbors!
As I approach the very last two years of homeschooling (sigh) I have had a desire to share what I have learned with other homeschooling families. I fear my passion and interest in homeschooling is waning, and so I think that sharing about my Journey into Homeschooling is a way for me to memorialize it. So here we go…
OUR JOURNEY INTO HOMESCHOOLING
Our decision to homeschool began with a gut feeling. When the time came to send our oldest daughter to kindergarten, I couldn’t shake the “this doesn’t feel right” feeling. Yet as a mom to this sweet, tenderhearted, in-her-own-time daughter, I knew she was not ready to be sent away from me and her siblings, and that her tender soul would be crushed in that environment.
I had no frame of reference for homeschooling as a public-schooled gal married to a public-schooled guy with family members on both sides employed by the public-school system. Besides, the homeschooling families that I had heard about growing up were rumored to be weird!!
Luckily, I met and became friends with some homeschooling families. They are perfectly normal, by the way. They graciously answered my questions about homeschooling, and I soon learned that it was a viable educational option, and that it could work well for our family.
After pitching the idea to my hubby, he graciously said, “You can homeschool for a year (until 1st grade), and then we will see.”
We had to work through a lot of fear and uncertainty as well as concerns and arguments from family members. It was a “fight” to push through everyone else’s fears and hesitations. I’m thankful we didn’t let that dictate our decision to try homeschooling.
By the time our oldest was in 2nd grade, the questions about whether or not we were going to put our kids into public school stopped. The benefits increased and became more clear each year.
I recently asked my husband, Len, what he saw in our family that convinced him homeschooling was the right choice for us. He couldn’t remember exactly when or what it was other than homeschooling lent itself well to being able to travel as a family. The kids did not have to miss any school days, and he didn’t have to spend more time away from us for work.
You CAN begin homeschooling based off a gut feeling. Just understand that homeschooling is so much more than what your kids do academically. As Charlotte Mason said, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life." We didn’t do homeschooling perfectly – are not doing it perfectly – but, as the adage goes, “the proof is in the pudding.”
THE PUDDING
My kids are now 20, 18 & 15.5. My oldest, Jubilee, graduated in 2024 and has been working and saving up to travel, is such a hard worker, financially savvy, and can shred on her electric guitar. She loves all genres of music and was mortified when I asked her to pick her top five favorite genres. She is creative and artistic and recently created a life-sized leopard shark using cardboard, glue, paper towel and paint!! and I can confirm it gives me the chills because it looks so real!
My middle daughter, Eden, will graduate this spring and start cosmetology school in the fall. She is quite a socialite – one public-schooled friend told her that she knows more people than the public-schooled kids he knows. She is also working as a waitress, loves to draw and paint, do nail art, sing and play piano (occasionally playing for worship at church).
And Wesley, my youngest, is a sophomore this year with plans to join his dad on jobs for our business this summer. He continues to learn piano at an alarming rate, can hold his own while sparring with older teens many belt levels above him in taekwondo. He is such a sweetheart and always waits up for his siters to come home to greet them and lock up the house. He is always so willing to jump up and help and take care of things as needed.
They all love to learn and are not afraid to push through doubts and fears to try something new. They love each other and still like their parents. : ) They are interested and interesting persons. (Thanks for the quote, Joy!) I’m more interested in learning and I’d like to think I’m more interesting too. : ) The benefits extend to parents as well! Most importantly, they know and love Jesus. My relationship with the Lord has grown too through this Journey.
Although our homeschooling journey is not yet over, I am SO IMMEASURABLY GRATEFUL for that gut feeling (aka Holy Spirit prompting), that first trial year and all the wonderful years since then.
Venture forth!
Blessings,
Beckie Simkins
Venture Homeschooling