Time is Ticking

I have been thinking, since before I got married and had kiddos, that I would consider homeschooling.
Having been a child who learned predominately by doing, hands on and life experience I really felt behind in many ways. I was homeschooled in HS and I would have to say that experience was hard given the circumstances. As a mama I realize that its my job to protect my kids when they cannot protect themselves. I am also supposed to have foresight into their needs and skills. Homeschooling would give us the freedom to give each child 1 on 1 help as well as focus on our family values when our kids are most teachable. I read a list of 15 benefits of HS- I highlighted a few of my benefits.

The Top 15 Benefits of Homeschooling

You get to...

1. Control what your children learn and when they learn it.
2. Show your children that learning is not boring, but exciting.
3. Build intimate and meaningful relationships with your children.
4. Tailor your teaching to fit your children's dominant learning styles.
5. Give your children in-depth, personal attention in any subject with which they struggle or excel.
6. Create a weekly schedule that fits your needs and allows you to do things without the constraint of a traditional classroom schedule.
7. Transfer your values and beliefs to your children and address their questions when they have them.
8. Protect your children from the negative influences they may encounter outside the home.
9. Teach more effectively by interacting with your children 1-on-1.
10. Nurture your children's natural (musical, artistic, mathematic) talents so they thrive and grow.
11. Address "big issues" with your children when you feel they're ready.
12. Share with your children the common, everyday joys of life.
13. Help your children mature through the difficult times in their lives.
14. Share the joy of teaching your children with your spouse.
15. Take vacations during the school year and make them educational.
    
    Now that's a lot of highlighting! I like the rest but the green are some of my main reasons.
    
    Having the ability to filter the world for my kids is important, being able to teach to my kids learning styles and work closely with them when they do struggle or excel. I L.O.V.E knowing that I can take my kids to the park or a museum or even on vacation and count that as hours and incorporate education.Flexibility is key to raising kids and knowing that we could meet the needs of the day with flexibility would freeing.
    
    Living in CS there are MANY homeschool connections. I think CS would set any family up for successful homeschooling if you wanted to take the plunge.
    
    Now...here are disadvantages.....
    
    

    The Top 10 Potential Disadvantages of Homeschooling

    You may have to...
    
16. Spend 24 hours a day with your children for several days at a time.
17. Justify homeschooling to family and friends who oppose your decision to learn at home.
18. Be very patient with your children when it seems they aren't learning anything at all.
19. Deal with the frustrations of sometimes being "behind."
20. Spend more money on your children's education than you're accustomed to.
21. Get out of your comfort zone to learn how to homeschool effectively.
22. Encourage your children even when you don't feel like it.
23. Seek advice from other homeschooling parents when you encounter problems you're not equipped to handle.
24. Research a few curriculum programs before you find one that works for you and your family.
25. Put forth more effort to find children with whom your children can build quality relationships.

The highlights are really a lot of planning/prep work, and I have 4-5 years before Ill need to start that. I am praying that God would intervene in the education departments around the city, state and country so that vouchers would be something each family had. Knowing that we would get a bit more money to help with HS. I do know that as my kids age that are subjects I am not as equipped to teach- math and science are not my strong suites. I would then work hard and utilize the co-op or enrichment programs available.