I once heard someone say that “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” And Abraham Lincoln once said “The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”
I think we can clearly see the truth of both of these statements by looking at our children, school systems, and society today. We have relinquished our rights to our children and handed them over to strangers to be raised and indoctrinated (against us and our beliefs, in fact) all because it is what we are expected or told to do, the easy option, or because we are convinced we are not qualified to take on that role ourselves.
Thus, we are left with a generation that has fallen away from God, who can’t think critically for themselves, don’t know how to read or write and can’t tell the difference between the most basic concepts of right and wrong.
It’s time for parents to remove their kids from public schools and start raising their children again. And here are five FANTASTIC reasons why:
1. Building a Firm Foundation
If we don’t have a solid foundation we will crumble at the first sign of adversity or hardship. Homeschooling is a great way of instilling a love of learning in children, and a love of God and truth. You have the ability to teach your children Biblical truths from the time they wake in the morning to when they fall asleep at night and control the influences that, especially at the age when they are soaking in everything around them and learning right from wrong, are vitally important to young minds.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6
” ‘And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.’ “-Deuteronomy 6:6-7
A foundation firmly established on the rock of Jesus Christ is not easily shaken. The family that prays together, stays together…so to speak. Which brings me to number two:
2. Strengthening the Family
The family unit is one most attacked in today’s society. Mothers pulled out of the home, told it is oppression to take care of their own husband, children and house; fathers absent from the leadership role, or absent completely from the lives of their children; children are made to believe that it is normal and acceptable to dislike their siblings, to think that they are owed something by their parents and that they do not need to be respectful or obey authorities.
Today, a girl could decide to be a boy, a boy could decide to be a girl…or they could decide to be neither…and parents aren’t supposed to contradict them.
Today, parents can kill their child before birth simply because it is inconvenient.
Active homeschooling allows families to spend quality time together, creating a stronger bond. It allows parents to actually raise their children and quickly nip disrespectful behavior or bad habits and thinking in the bud.
3. More Freedom
For both you AND your child(ren). You have more control over what your children are being taught, and how, and your children have more freedom to learn in the way that works best for them and to explore the subjects that interest them.
For instance, if your child loves doing things with their hands, create more hands on work to help them learn math and science easier. Seeing science in action or actually completing a project that requires math is a great way engage your child in the learning process and help them see that what they are learning is not just a bunch of useless facts that they will never end up using in life. Standardized testing and lesson plans are one sure way of instilling aggravation, boredom and a lack of knowledge in kids.
Stuck in a system that cannot tailor education for each child’s specific needs, it’s easy for students to get exasperated, held back or pushed forward, and just all around annoyed with school and learning. They quickly develop the habit of learning only enough information required, and only long enough to pass a test and move on…then never recall it again.
Having the freedom to choose the best curriculum for each subject and child, personalizing based on interests, strengths and weaknesses really helps to connect with your child’s needs and motivate them to WANT to learn and to be the best they can be in everything they do.
4. Cultural and Social Issues
Social:
Homeschoolers do not have the same exposure to peer pressure and bullying, both of which are tied to poorer academic performance and lower self-esteem.
Children are very impressionable, from the time they open their eyes all the way up to adulthood…and even beyond, for some. Parents who do not want their child’s values to be defined by their peers or for their children to face social ridicule or bullying. The pressure to “fit in” or achieve a perceived level of social status among classmates can be great.
On average, homeschoolers participate more in their community and socialize with a wider mix of adults than their public school counterparts.
Cultural:
Today’s public education system is more about indoctrinating children rather than educating them. You see a lot of news today (or perhaps even experienced it) about schools and teachers bringing their own personal lives and issues into the classroom. We see a lot of this with the LGBTQ community. These subjects have nothing to do with education and turn into bullying young impressionable kids…most of the time without their parents consent or knowledge.
Children are being taught that if they do not accept, applaud and conform to the beliefs of their teachers and peers, they are hateful, bigots, racists and a myriad of other insults no young ears should have to hear.
5. Many Resources and Community
Over the past couple of years there has been a large growth in the homeschooling community. It has quickly become more popular and accepted than it was a decade ago. so if you are considering this new education journey, it is not as lonely as it used to be. There are more resources and fellow homeschooling moms and families to come along side for help and encouragement than there used to be.
Plus, I have to say the homeschool community is quite a unique and fun group. 🙂
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