How has homeschooling changed us?

We are finishing up our school year!  Last week was the end of our Sonlight work, and all that remains is a little math and science for my 7th grader.  This is the week of field trips and fun.  There are some things we will work on this summer...the never ending chase to learn all those math facts for the 5th grader, perhaps some handwriting for the preschooler.  But wait, now I have...an 8th grader, a 6th grader, and a kindergartner!!!!

I've often pondered over the past few months how this year has changed our family.  How can you make a lifestyle change this drastic and not be changed yourself?  Yet my guess is that what has really changed may not even be evident to those of us who are in the thick of it.  Here are my best attempts to capture a few things I've noticed.

-We really are closer.  The kids have always been close, in that way we are exceedingly blessed.  Yet this year has brought them together in a new way.  They are each other's friends, companions, cheerleaders, and they have sharpened each other.  To see a Jr. High boy include his preschool brother in play is truly a gift, and the Rachel and Josiah have grown so close that Josiah sometimes cries when he has to leave his sister at home.

-I know my kids better than ever before.  Their strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and learning styles have come alive to me.  We've worked hard not just on academics but on responsibility, and I know who I can count on for help in different household tasks.  Their walk with the Lord has become an open book, and my walk with Him is open to them as well.  That is both humbling and exciting...humbling because I often fall short of the being the woman of God I long to be, but exciting because I love sharing my passion for Christ with them and seeing them catch a little of that for themselves. 

-Josiah: Wow!  He started this year barely able to write his name, knowing letter sounds, and how to count to 20.  He is ending the year knowing how to write all his capital letters, reading, and counting to 100 along with doing simple math problems.  It is so exciting to see how much children this young can learn in such a short span of time!  Yet even more exciting to us have been the changes we've seen in his behavior and attention.  Being home makes experimenting with food much more manageable, and we have come a long way this year in finding what works for him.  He has matured beyond all I could ask or imagine as God has continued to answer many prayers on his behalf.

-Rachel's vocabulary is growing and growing.  I love to hear her use words that I know she has picked up from her reading this year: like horde (from Genghis Khan) and the word trio, even though she didn't quite know how to pronounce it.  We just giggle with her when she says things like she can't wait to get her driver's "permanent" (instead of permit).  Vision therapy has made such a difference in her reading, and she has become a huge bookworm, which means her vocabulary is expanding...and well, there's a snowball effect going on there!  Giving her one-on-one attention has meant vastly improved math skills as well.  I look so forward to seeing where she is a year from now!

Oddly enough, Rachel has really grown in her friendships this year at home.  She seems to have gained confidence and compassion in reaching out to other girls her age.  This could be partly due to having all all girls Sunday School at church and all girls for her Awana group.  It is so sweet to hear her talk about how many more friends she feels like she has made this year.

-Micah has grown the most in the areas of maturity and responsibility.  He started the year fairly disorganized and under-motivated and has just grown into a young man who is taking these things very seriously.  Next year I plan to turn most of the responsibility for scheduling over to him; he is more than ready to take on the challenge.  His writing skills have advanced greatly, and I can't wait to read the papers he will write as he continues his education.

I honestly do not know how long we will continue to homeschool, but do treasure every day in my heart as a gift from the Lord.  If He had given us only this one year, even that has blessed us as a family and my children as students of His wisdom in immeasurable ways.  The Lord calls some of His dear children to do this as a lifestyle for all their schooling days, and I am now often in awe of the hard work and dedication it takes to pull off such a feat.  From now on, if I ever attend a graduation party for a homeschooled student, the mom is getting a card as well as the graduate!!  I sense that our years of homeschooling will be for a just a season in the education of my children, but for the years we are in the midst of this great adventure, I'm on board with everything I've got, and holding on to the Lord for everything He will give.