Why Do You Home School?

I'm really thinking out loud here.  We have been asked to consider sending Little Bear to a preschool program, but I am very skeptical.  Apart from the disruption to the family schedule, which would not be insignificant, I am not certain it works with my family goals.  On the other hand, I don't want to deny him an experience that could be very healing.

We have been homeschooling for a quite some time now.  In fact, none of the children have attended traditional school.  The reasons why we first started have been lost to time.  (I actually don't remember.  If you do, let me know.)  So I decided to make a list of why we are still at it, even on the days when I sigh wistfully at the big yellow school bus.

Home school is integrated.  Life is not a series of boxes, but a tangle.  I do not live faith in one place, my education in another, and my family life in another.  All are mixed together.

Home school in flexible.  I can decide on a specific textbook for one child, but not for another.  Wonder Boy uses Math-U- See.  Jophus uses Abeka.  We can change methods and techniques.  We can create our own schedule.  In September the older boys spent a week on vacation with their grandparents.  If they had been in traditional school they could not have done that.  We go to school in parks, while the preschoolers have gymnastics, and outside on the deck.

Home school is a shelter in the storm.  Almost everyone says that children grow up too fast these days.  Why do we accept that?  Learning at home has allowed my children not to be as overly mature and materialistic as many of their same age peers.  (Yes, they have same age peers.  We school at home, not lock them in a box.) 

Home school strengthens the family bonds.  I like spending time with my kids.  They are fun, creative, and occasionally very charming. 

They want to learn at home.