Becoming Mama Twomey: Tuesday Top Ten Vol. 3

This post is either one day early or six days late, take your pick! :)

Top Ten Reasons Why I Want to Homeschool My Children Someday
(I know not everyone can homeschool. These are just the reasons why I hope I get the chance.)

10) It worked for me
I feel that I am living, breathing proof that homeschooling does not produce socially awkward, intellectually stagnant, or out-of-touch human beings. I can also personally compare homeschooling to the education at a normal, albeit parochial, school. I felt that I flourished more, learned more, and enjoyed myself more as a homeschooler. Hopefully, some of my other reasons will help you understand more.

9) Phenomenal teacher-to-student ratio
Even if you have as many children as Bach, you will still be able to provide your students more one-on-one attention than most schoolteachers can give their classrooms of 30 to 60. More personal time with each of your children means that you can understand and adapt to their learning style. (see number 7) It also means you don't have to waste precious time waiting for the 32 other children to understand a concept before you move on. This brings us to number 8...

8)More time to be a kid

When schoolwork takes much less time and allows for everyone to work at his own pace, your children find a lot more time to indulge in the simple joys of childhood. You can be much more flexible with your schedule when you homeschool. The chores and tasks parents set for children after school or on weekends, can be worked into the school day as well. You can take time off school by working ahead. Half-hour recess? Try several extra ours of your day devoted to playing outside, reading stories, baking with mom, playing games with dad, or visiting with other friends. I had so many great sleepovers and adventures with my homeschool friends, while other kids were in school. I want my children to enjoy their childhood, to relish every minute. Homeschooling is like giving them extra summer all year round.

Playtime!

7) Personalized learning
No one knows your children better than you do. Having known them their whole lives, you understand how they take in the world, that is, how they learn. One child might learn best through stories, another through pictures, another through memorization of facts. You can use the methods which best appeal to your students, because your children have your time, your attention, and your knowledge of them on their side. Because you know what interests them, you can pull from their experience to help them understand a subject. You have time to pursue the topics which catch their imagination, while still insuring they have the essential knowledge of other topics. No other kind of education allows for that kind of personalization.

6)Making my own curriculum
When you trust your child to a public or private school, you are not only entrusting them to a teacher and their methods, but to the state or school enforced curriculum. From selective history to sexual education to controversial literature, these curricula are not only non-Christian, but also often anti-Christian. On top of the moral relativism or immorality they often include, they are also curricula aimed at the lowest common denominator. Because of time constraints and large classrooms, they often have to skip all but the most basic of knowledge in each subject. The rigidity of the subjects often prevents cross-learning, whereas the fluidity of a homeschool education allows you to blend learning into a clear picture of reality. There are all sorts of reasons why I look forward to planning my own curriculum, from the things which I will omit (time-wasters, saccharine platitudes, early introduction to hyper-sexuality) to the things which I will include (classic rather than controversial literature, Latin, a larger view of history, Catholic faith and morals). I know that I will need help with certain subjects more than others (like advanced math and science), but I feel confident in my ability to provide a curriculum for my children that challenges them, uplifts them, and points them to the truth of reality.

5)Everything is an oppurtunity for learning
Although it will one day drive my children crazy, I know I will delight in making everyday activities opportunities for learning. For a homeschool mom, the world is a child's classroom. I hope to imbue in my children the love of knowledge, by learning in exciting ways and seizing the chance to teach them in ways which engage their intellect, imagination, and affections.

4)A safe place to learn
This can be a controversial reason for homeschooling. Many parents see this "sheltering" tendency in homeschool parents as overprotective at best and downright dangerous at worst. I know that I cannot protect my children from sin. I can, however, remove them from the greatest occasions for sin. I cannot filter everything that goes into their ears, eyes, and minds, but I can try to provide them with wholesome learning, company, and entertainment. One day they will go into the world and face the often insane culture we live in, but I do not have to thrust them headfirst into that melee as ill-equipped children of five. I want to first provide them the weapons of the Faith and a thorough understanding of the Truth.

3)More time with my kids
Plainly put, I don't want to miss more of precious childhood memories than I must. I want my family to be strong and spend time together, even if children sometimes think it is too much time. Time with friends is very important and I want my children to have strong friendships, but family is where they will learn charity, where everyone is trying to help each other to heaven.

Time with Daddy in the carry pack.

2)Teaching them the Faith
The souls of children are precious to God and He does not intend for parents to take the responsibility of their children's souls lightly. We promise at baptism to teach our children the Faith, a promise to them and to God. At home, I am free to teach my children the Catholic Faith, its traditions, literature, and morals without interference. Religious truth is not separate from any other truth our children learn at school. For a Catholic, there is a unity of truth, an order to God's universe, and an agreement between reason and revelation. I want the Faith to be a part of everything that my children learn, because it is a part of the God-given order or reality.

1) I believe it is the best way for me to carry out my responsibilities as a parent
I have a very serious responsibility from God: I am accountable for my children, body, mind, and soul. I simply believe that the best way for me to help my children grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually healthy is to homeschool them. I hope I am able to do so ad majorem Dei gloriam (to the greater glory of God)