Reblogged from Trust and Obey, my sister’s blog.
This is part one of a guest post from my dear mom. Aren’t you excited to see what she has had on her mind and heart for a long time and has finally gotten it on “paper” for you all? I am! This series of posts is a must read, and I am so excited to see the results!
And now, with no further ado….
Is There Really a Choice?
By Gail Blum, teacher, gardener, musician, school counselor, and now author!
School is in session all over America. Public school, private school, Montessori school, charter school, home school. There are so many choices. How do parents decide what is best for their children?
My disclaimer for this article is that I am directing this to Christians. If you do not believe in God, the truth of His Word, and His sovereignty then there is probably no reason for you to read this (unless of course you are curious how a conservative Christian home school mom thinks).
Now that that is out of my system, let’s continue with the subject at hand. When my husband, Kevin, and I began to consider the options for our oldest daughter’s education, we talked to several people that we respected about their choices and why they made that choice. We also went to a concordance and looked at the verses in context that used the word teach, taught, and learn. We reached the conclusion that God gives us the responsibility as parents to teach our children. He wants us to teach them while we are rising, talking, working, and walking through our day. We decided that home education was the best choice. How could we teach her every moment of her day if she was gone from 7:30-4:30 everyday? We would reevaluate every year and decide again what to do.
Fast forward 19 years. We have graduated two daughters from home school and they are both socially adept and successful young women. Our third daughter will graduate this spring, Lord willing. All three of them are sure of their Christian faith, willingly share their beliefs with confidence, and contribute their gifts to the church. Their faith is solid and they firmly hold to their beliefs, not because it was what we taught them, but because it is what they have concluded for themselves to be true. I wish that I could have said that about myself even after graduating from Bible College.
We now have a 4 year old son. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that home education is the only choice for him. First of all, we have seen its benefits and results in his older sisters. Second of all, as a boy, he would never make it in a structured system without going on drugs. Is he hyperactive or ADHD? No, he is a normal active little boy who loves to run around and make noise. As a home schooling mom I can accept that and let him learn when he is ready and let him run around as he learns.
There are several more reasons that we would never choose anything but a home education which will be addressed in parts 2-4.
See also:
Is There Really a Choice? Part Two
Faith Blum 