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The Vanilla Tulip

You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Homeschooling- A Veteran Homeschooler

January 22, 2016 Uncategorized

Homeschooling- A Veteran Homeschooler

I am just giddy for you guys to meet my mom 🙂  She is the one who has mentored me through the process of homeschooling.  She is an incredible example to me and I couldn’t be more thankful that she is mine! She will be back with more posts on the topic of homeschooling. But for today I have asked her to share her story with you all!

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Our home school journey began in the late 1980’s…this was how I was intending to start my essay.  But, as I’ve thought about it, I realize that our home school journey started several generations before my own children were even born. Before I was born.  Our (both my husband and myself) grandparents were committed to a God centered world view.  They believed that Christ was in all, the very focus of our lives.  That included education.  My grandparents and parents committed and worked hard to provide a Christian education for their children. Schooling that had a love for God and his Word at its very core, not something just added as an afterthought. So, our desire to raise our children with this foundation was instilled in us both from birth through college. 

Because of this heritage  the late 1980’s found my husband and I with 2 young children.  We believed that it was important for me to stay home and care for them and we were willing to make the choices and sacrifices necessary.  Those days were so sweet.  We played at home, we walked to the park, we walked to the library, we got groceries. We just lived life together. 

One day I heard Raymond Moore talk about home school on the radio.  I had never heard of home schooling and was intrigued.  I bought his books and started learning all I could.  My heart was drawn to this new idea.  I instinctively knew that no one else would understand and love my children the way that I did.  I wanted my husband and I to be the major influence in their lives. We wanted to shape their character and lead them in the God centered foundations that we had been blessed to have.  I wanted to be the one to see their faces light up withn the had an “ah-ha!” moment.  Also, I simply enjoyed their company and did not want them away from me and each other for large portions of the day.  

When we began home schooling there were 2 other home school families in our town. As for curriculum, there were 2 major publishers that would sell to home school families.  These books and teachers manuals were written for a classroom teacher so adjustments had to be made for a  mom teaching at home.  with the help of the other 2 families we started.  As I looked at these huge manuals I questioned my ability to tackle this.  My friend opened the book to lesson One. “Can you do this? Just lesson 1?“ Well, yes I believe I can. “Ok. Then start there. Lesson 1 Tomorrow do lesson 2.“  It is so overwhelming to look at the whole. But, when the goal is broken down into bite size pieces it is achievable. Another piece of advice we received was to take time to write out our reasons for home schooling.  It was helpful to think it through and by writing it down we had a commitment we could refer back to on the hard days (or years).

We began with a full 1st grade curriculum and 2 kindergarteners.  We were all learning together.  Every night after the kids were in bed I would prepare the lesson for the next day. I made sure I had read every scripted interaction between teacher and students and had every flashcard cut out. The kids truly were my guinea pigs.  Because I had gone to school I expected our days to look like “school”. Our days would be structured from 8 to 3.  It didn’t take long for me to learn that with just two students the work for the day could be completed much more quickly.   It they understood a concept we moved ahead.  If something was hard to grasp, we slowed down and worked at it until they understood.  There was so much freedom for us once I learned that mastery was our goal, not just moving through the books at the pace the curriculum set.  When we finally settled in to this new way of learning we were able to finish our bookwork in a couple hours in the morning.  I remember a grocery checker asking the kids what they did at school, “Oh, we just play and read books.”  That made me laugh then and it makes me laugh now. It just doesn’t get any better for 2 sweet kindergarten guinea pigs. 


Several years past and we added more children to the mix. Five in all with a 12 year gap between the oldest and the youngest.  Every year was different. I learned to relax with our curriculum but yet felt we  needed some structure to keep everyone moving ahead. All of life is learning, not just the time we sat at the table working on our bookwork.  It was amazing to me how much the “Littles” (yes, we had the “Bigs” and the “Littles”) learned simply by living life in a home with teenagers.  When the big kids were doing science experiments, like separating out a strand of DNA from an onion, the Littles were sitting on the counter watching every move.  When we talked about history or social events they were listening and learning.  Always learning. I had also learned to let go of the formal curriculum for the elementary grades and just focus on reading and math. Lots and lots of reading!  The library has always been our best friend.

The summer before the Bigs were to start high school we moved to a different state.  We left all that was comfortable and stable and started on a new journey.  I now had to make new connections, learn the home school laws in this new state and move into teaching high school. I was anxious to say the least. Could I even do this? High school is important! College and careers depend on a job well done.  It was all very overwhelming.  As I was talking to my dear friend , the one who encouraged me to start with lesson 1, she gave me some more wise words. She reminded me that up until now we had taken each year as it came. We had moved twice and added 3 kiddos to the mix. We had completed 8 years of school so far.  This was JUST THE NEXT YEAR. No need to be overwhelmed. Just do the next thing. 


Now, 25 plus years later, we have 5 children that have moved into adulthood and are Godly, loving, smart, compassionate and successful in their chosen careers. We have 3 children in law and 7 wonderful grandbabies. We are blessed beyond what we ever would have dreamed. Through it all I have learned several lessons I want to share with younger moms. 

    ~ Relax and enjoy the journey.  There are 2 sides to this. On one hand, I know the days seem long and the messes, meals and laundry are never ending, but, trust me, these days are so sweet. They fly past and before you know it your kiddos are launching out on their own.  Enjoy them! On the other hand, 18 years is a long time! You don’t need to learn everything at once.  You have a long time to learn how to read well, how to multiply and divide, how to figure algebraic equations. A long time! Relax. Slow and steady movement ahead is the goal. Remember the tortoise and the hare!

~  Building character and family relationships are top priority. Respect for authority, diligence, patience, and looking out for the other guy are things that won’t be taught in most curriculums.  This is the learning that comes from just living everyday together. 

And, I know you’ve heard it before, but it’s true. I wouldn’t trade a minute of our years home together! My best friends were grown there

Categories: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessica says

    January 22, 2016 at 11:47 am

    I loved this! I was homeschooled and am just at the start of schooling my own sweet babes. When I asked my mom, as a child, why we were homeschooled, she said, "because I like you."

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    January 22, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  3. saltygoodlove says

    January 22, 2016 at 3:27 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful glimpse of a "veteran" mom.

    Reply
  4. Betsy says

    January 22, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    This. I just don't know why I am so scared to try.

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    January 22, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    I'm newly homeschooling my two littles, so I'm always looking for advice and reassurance. Lovely and encouraging! Thank you so much. God bless.

    Reply
  6. Enjoying this beautiful life we've created says

    January 22, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    So sweet & encouraging!!!! Thanks to your Mom for sharing =)

    Reply
  7. bds says

    January 23, 2016 at 2:46 am

    What a beautiful testimony from a loving mother. God bless all of you as make the journey of faith with each other.

    Reply
  8. Christine Trevino says

    January 23, 2016 at 7:38 am

    This is so encouraging! We began our homeschool journey two years ago and have been so blessed as a family. Thank you for sharing your long-term story. What an incredible family!!!

    Reply
  9. CarrieBeth Sherwood says

    January 23, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    This is the most encouraging post!! Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Michelle says

    January 23, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    Loved this! One of the best posts on homeschooling I've read.

    Reply
  11. Liv says

    January 24, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    How cool! Hoping to be a second generation homeschooler when I have kids. I also love hearing how your family has had such a lasting Godly legacy through multiple generations, that just doesn't seem to happen to often!

    Reply
  12. {annie_loo} @ The Farrar Four says

    January 25, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    this is beautiful. i see where you get your sweet spirit from! Job well done, both of you!

    Reply
  13. Alyson Naville says

    January 26, 2016 at 12:54 am

    I loved reading this. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Caitlin Schwanke says

    March 11, 2016 at 2:15 am

    I realize this was posted awhile back, but I had to say how encouraging this post was to read. Simply beautiful and incredibly encouraging as a planning-on-homeschooling mom myself. 🙂

    Reply
  15. Becca says

    November 4, 2016 at 6:06 pm

    I’m in my second year of homeschooling. This brought me to tears. I doubt myself often as I navigate this new (to me) territory. Thanks to your sweet mama. I know this was a while back,but bring on the homeschool posts! They really encourage those new to the field. 🙂

    Reply
    • thevanillatulip says

      November 4, 2016 at 6:21 pm

      She really is the best 🙂 And yes! I have a few scheduled for the next few weeks!

      Reply

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7C3A6548 Welcome! My name is Ashley. I'm the blogger behind The Vanilla Tulip Farmhouse. I'm married to my college sweetheart and a homeschooling mama to seven little ones. This space is a happy mix of homeschooling, recipes, home projects, life on our little farm, random thoughts on motherhood and a little of everything else thrown in there. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I hope you leave encouraged and refreshed. So happy you're here! BaleyVSSummer_6534

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