I'm a "Homeschool" Mom - Kristen G. Welch

On a regular basis, I’m asked if I homeschool my children.

The answer is yes.

I’ve even received a Homeschool Award and been asked to speak at a Homeschool Conference.

The answer is also no.

Yes, I teach my children at home.

Yes, I send them off to be educated at school.

I’m a homeschool Mom who sends her kids to public school.

Recently, a new friend in my town (who I met thru my blog) asked me what homeschool curriculum I use. She was seriously shocked to learn that I have never traditionally homeschooled my kids.

“But on your blog, you always talk about teaching your kids and you have a parenting newsletter about teaching the Fruits of the Spirit to kids,” she said.

“Yes,” I answered.

I AM NOT AGAINST HOMESCHOOLING. I actually love that it’s become a force in our world. It’s just not for us right now. Occasionally, I feel condemned for not homeschooling my kids in the traditional sense. And sometimes, I’m around Moms who feel superior for educating their kids in public school. I think we all have to do what we are individually called to do, not making one right, the other wrong.

I like to think that my hubby and I parent our kids intentionally. We want our home to be a creative outlet for our kids to learn cool science projects. We want them to read their Bible cover-t0-cover, learn the books of the Bible, develop their own world view and relationship with Jesus.

A couple of years ago, we realized that we wanted our kids to know more than what was offered an hour a week in Sunday School and we certainly aren’t going to leave evolution and sex up to the school system.

We buy a lot of books (a lot!) We try to have daily devotions. We read books at dinner and bedtime together each night. We pray with our children throughout the day (not just over meals), but on the way to school, when they are struggling, afraid or just have a need.

We tackle tough issues when they come up like my son reading his Bible and discovering Lot slept with his daughters (yuck). We tackle issues before they come up, like my nightly reading time with my oldest in the book Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman’s Battle.

We challenge our kids to greatness, taking time to read a few pages a night and discuss the book Do Hard Things.

We make mistakes and try our best to learn from them.

Am I a “homeschool” Mom?

You better believe it.

How about you?

Books we are currently working our way through (Amazon links):

The Bible

Operation World Prayer Book -we pray for a country each night at dinner
Do Hard Things -we read a few pages every other night as a family

Read with Me Bible for Toddlers -we read this before bed

Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman’s Battle – with my oldest daughter every other night. We love the object lessons, but it deals with very sensitive issues.

God’s Little Devotional Book for Boys –my hubby reads from this book, when I read the above book with my oldest.

One Million Arrows: Raising Your Children to Change the World

Too Small to Ignore -waiting on it to arrive

Praise Factory-Free online Bible Curriculum-we’re hoping to start this next

The Hole in Our Gospel-just finished this amazing book

What’s on your list?

P.S. I didn’t accept the Homeschool Award and the invitation to speak was withdrawn when they learned I send my kids to public school. But I was still honored.

*Updated to add* Please don’t read between the lines here, I’m not implying that I work as hard educating my kids at home in Math and Social Studies like homeschool teachers do. (You guys rock!) I’m just encouraging ALL parents to get involved in what and how their kids learn. Parents are teachers! I wasn’t trying to compare my workload or responsibility for my kid’s education to that of homeschooling moms, I was sincerely comparing our hearts. We both care.