What Homeschooling Taught Me About Parenting

All those little things do matter. When we chose to homeschool, I thought it meant that we do “school” at the kitchen table. I didn’t understand that it would impact every area of our lives together. For 12 years, I didn’t work, not even part-time. Obviously, the loss of my income impacted us. We have one used car. We cook from scratch and shop at thrift stores. The kids do not have cell phones and we don’t have cable or satellite television. We don’t do long, expensive vacations. Sometimes the kids got only one major gift and a couple of small things for Christmas.

You may begin to think that our kids felt deprived. Instead, our lives have been rich with relationships. I never thought that living without all those material things would actually result in more meaningful memories, deeper relationships, and greater hope and enthusiasm for life. My little boy thinks its special just to go to a coffee shop and have a drink and cookies with me. I wouldn’t trade any of it for more income or a prestigious career.

Homeschooling is not the only way to learn these lessons. However, I know that God used it to change my life in ways that I would have resisted if not for that school choice. I probably would have erroneously continued to think that how they turned out was a direct result of my own good parenting, that I was in control and I knew what was best, and that having the latest stuff made our lives better. Do you hear the pride? Thank the Lord Jesus that He kicked me off my throne so my legacy reflects Him and not me.

About Julie Polanco
Julie Polanco is the author of God Schooling: How God Intended Children to Learn and blogs about homeschooling, Christian living, and related topics at www.juliepolancobooks.com.