Why Homeschool?

By Christina Gerwitz Moss

Author, Public Speaker, Homeschool graduate and now Homeschool Mom

Homeschooling for me has always been a way of life.

I was homeschooled from K through 12th grade and loved the experience. I decided to pursue higher education and graduated from college in three years with honors. It wasn’t just the opportunities I had but the loving surroundings in which I was able to grow and flourish with love, stability and Christian spirituality. I attribute my homeschool experience as a wonderful springboard for my life and events that took me well into adulthood with fond memories.

My brother and I were not concerned about how other students would treat us as we learned.

My brother was “disabled” in the sense of the world, but I didn’t think it was odd that I, two years his junior was on the same grade level. We were free to learn at our own pace, gleaning information on topics that interested us (it seemed) at every turn during school hours or not. I later learned that my mother planned our year ahead of time and often switched topics as our interests became fine-tuned to a particular subject. It appeared to us as if the world was our school and many days we were excited to begin.

We were free to learn at our own pace

Testing was a form of a game where mom asked us questions and we bunny-hopped, jumped, or skipped to the end signifying completion. When testing became more formalized it still was a contest where we tried to beat last time’s score or asked for special “extra credit” answers that would bring us over the 100 mark. Mom was always sure to comply. My mom didn’t like testing us, but I enjoyed the tests.

Homeschooling my own children was an easy choice to make

Homeschooling my own children was an easy choice to make, especially since I have the loving support of my husband, who was not homeschooled, but had cousins who were through high school. We both want to offer our children a great education both academically as well as with the foundation of Christianity. Homeschooling we both agree will accomplish that desire for our family. I am excited knowing my children will experience the same things that I had growing up, the freedom to talk and discuss deep religious truths, question when those teenaged years come up and know that my parents never discounted our questions as childish or rude, but listened and directed with love and concern. I also love having a flexible schedule with the exception of offering my young children a little more structure than my mom gave to us. Mom is almost perfect in the proverbial “Mary Poppins” sense, is an icon of the homeschool movement, and well loved…but I can’t do everything just like her! In fact, I learned that from her. She told me to think for myself, stand my ground, and always cheered me on when confronted with tough decisions and whatever live-crisis crops up in life.

Just beginning my own homeschool journey

Several years ago, I began my journey with my young children, the oldest turned eleven in January. With almost six years of schooling completed, I have come to realize what a great undertaking homeschooling can be for the entire family. We have had the most incredible year in terms of growth, enjoyment of each other’s company, and of course the element my mom used, “fun.” We have learned much and had a few ups and downs along the way. Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart. It takes commitment and dedication. It takes a totally unselfish love for your children that supersedes what the world says is “normal” in regard to traditional schooling.

I remember a story recounted by my mom.

She had us in a high-end preschool where academics were stressed thinking that was important for my speech-delayed brother. I went along for the ride, so to speak, and made friends easily as did my mother. When it came time for school, mom decided to homeschool my brother and of course, I followed suit. She received a call from a friend one morning (I was too young to remember), who felt “sorry” for my mother. You see, she had rushed through the morning, deposited her child on the school bus, and harried was sitting down to a wrecked kitchen and a cup of coffee before she tackled the day. She told my mom how sorry she felt that she was not getting a “break.” My mom recounts, “I told her that I was sitting in bed, with my second cup of coffee, still in pj’s with two kids flanked on either side, pillows fluffed, and reading. We had completed our religion books, Bible, and history. Breakfast was long done, washed and put away, and we would soon dress, do a few more chores before we headed upstairs to our school room to tackle some math, writing and other activities.” This friend didn’t call again feeling sorry for my mom. In fact, we felt sorry for ourselves if we did not complete school by noon so we had the day to explore our world!

For the success of a lifetime homeschooler, I believe it is a decision, not something to revisit every year.

I think it is similar to reviewing your marriage and deciding yearly if it is working out for you! Marriage is a commitment and for my family so is homeschooling. We will give it our all we don’t micro-analyze it looking for an out, looking at what they are “missing” in terms of the school bazaar, fund-raisers, track and field events or the like. We feel it is ordained by the Word of God, and we know, by His grace we will continue the tradition of raising a mighty people who love and will serve Him in thought, word and deed! If you are considering homeschooling I ask you to prayerfully consider what the Lord wants for you, for your life, for your family. Do not look left or right, look straight ahead. If the Lord ordains it He will give you the blessings and grace to continue. Don’t take my word for it, take His.

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Christiana is daughter of Felice Gerwitz, Vintage Homeschool Moms and owner of Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network