I was asked recently by a blog reader if we plan on homeschooling.  I am also often asked this same question by friends and family members, so I thought I’d do a little post about it!

Short answer… YES!  We absolutely plan on homeschooling.

I’ll pause here to give a little word: This post is not meant to offend anyone.  I am not offended when I read blogs where they talk about their decision to send their children to public or private schools, and I have many friends and family members who have chosen those routes.  I also know many amazing teachers, and I do not intend any offense by discussing our family’s personal decision to homeschool!

For those of you who don’t know, Tad went to a private Christian school K-12th.  I went to a private Christian school K-4th and I was homeschooled 5th-12th.  (My mom also homeschooled my brothers and is about to finish her 15th year of homeschooling! One more year to go!)  Tad and I went to a Christian university, and obviously both come from families who believe strongly in the importance of Christian education!

Before we were married we discussed homeschooling and decided that it would be the way we would go with our family.  We continue to talk about it, read about it, and dream about it.  We are going to the Home Educators Association of Virginia annual convention this year (I went many times as a teen) and are SO pumped about the workshops and the shopping.

For us (and I believe this is the true spirit of home education), homeschooling does not mean “school at home.”  Homeschooling gives freedom that is not offered in a classroom, so why do things exactly the way a school does them?  Homeschooling is a way of life, not a curriculum, a schedule, or a stack of workbooks (though it can obviously include these things at times!).

We are excited about teaching our children from birth, and we don’t see a division between “school” and “not school.”  All of the opportunities we have throughout the day give us a chance to teach our child (and future children).

We, of course, are still formulating our opinions about different curriculum options, but we already know we will be reading lots of real books!  Tad and I both love to read, and we hope to instill that passion in our children as well. 

Here are a few links to some great homeschooling articles (some of which I have mentioned before):
–Why Would Anyone Be Crazy Enough to Homeschool?
–Learning Days: Simply Homeschooling
–Why Sacrifice? After All, She’s Just Our Daughter!
–Homeschool Graduates and College: Real Success
–Homeschool 101: Read a Book
–I Try Not to Let School Get in the Way of Learning

I’m sure you’ll hear lots more from me in the future about homeschooling! 

If you have children who are not school-aged yet, have you made a decision about their schooling?