Why I Quit Homeschooling

Hi All,

I'm writing this post to let those who have tried homeschooling, and for one reason or another decided to send their children to school, that they are not alone.

To set the stage, our oldest daughter went to Kindergarten alternating days, full days.  Then for grades one and two I homeschooled her.  I also homeschooled my next oldest for Kindergarten and grade 1 simultaneously.

Now, this coming year I have decided to send them to school, or as I'd rather put it, I decided to delegate the academics to the public school.

During this deciding time I turned to the internet to see if there were others with this same mindset.  I googled "quitting homeschooling" and all I seemed to find was homeschoolers who are having one of "those days" and they feel like homeschooling, or others who are trying to encourage those who want to quit to keep going. If you want encouragement to keep going, stop reading.  There are plenty of other blog posts supporting that decision.

No.  This blog post is to say I QUIT.  That's it!  Enough!  I've had it!  It wasn't a matter of praying more, or that I'm more selfish than others or me not following God's will.  God does call others to homeschool and I will not deny that.  I felt that He was calling me too.....in the beginning.  But now?  I have no calling either way.  The truth is, sometimes a lot of the big decisions in our life are largely up to us.  The point is trying to do our best for God's sake.  Doing it the best that you can do for Him.  Whether it's becoming an accountant or a teacher, marrying this person or that one, homeschooling or public school.  Be the best person you can be to give God glory in whatever you decide.

I'm stopping because I'm not truly convicted of my reasons to homeschool in the first place.  What were my reasons anyway?  Did I really believe I could teach my children better than the teachers who have gone to school for this particular purpose in the first place?  No, I have no other education other than my High school diploma and learning in the school of Life (I'm not saying that those who have no post-secondary can't homeschool).  Did I think I could pass my faith on better at home that with them at school?  No, I think I can do it just the same.  Did I think that with my children around me All day Every day was better for them or me?  Nope.

I'm looking forward to this coming September, not so that I can "send my children off" as if I'm expecting the teachers to raise my children eight hours of the day.  I'm looking forward to this September so that I can be a better balanced Mother, instead of this tyrannical teacher I've played for the past two years.  I'm looking forward to this September so that I can play with my younger children while the older ones are learning at a great school.  I'm looking forward to welcoming my older children off the bus with the wind back in my sails.

Yes, if you were once a homeschooler and decided to delegate the learning to the public schools, you are not alone, you are not a failure, you are not even a quitter.

The point of being a good parent is doing what is best for your children whether that's teaching them at home or sending them to school.

Blessings,
Christina