Why do we homeschool? Out of all the homeschooling questions I receive from curious moms and dads, this one remains the most asked. There are many reasons a heart stirs towards homeschooling. If I am honest with myself, I felt these stirrings even before my eldest went off to kindergarten. In my next post, "How we Homeschool?", I will get into more of this journey. But first, let me share with you what brought us to the point of recognition that homeschooling is the best form of holistic education for our family.

I was finally out of the chaos of the early years of motherhood but quickly realized that although I was out of the ‘survival’ mode of motherhood, I was still drowning (emotionally, socially, spiritually, etc.,) Why? Our life was such that every moment was accounted for and I didn’t have time to just enjoy the process.

The hustle and bustle to get a healthy breakfast served and lunches made, waking up kids who, all summer were up at the crack of dawn but now that school has resumed were un-wakeable! Find every child's lost uniform even though I reminded them the night before to lay everything out, etc., etc., etc.,

Somewhere in there, I showered and made myself presentable to begin the day to rush out the door by 8:10 at the latest, which always ended up being 8:16, guaranteeing the walk of shame to the office to get a late slip. I would walk my younger girls to their classrooms where one of them would choose to be clingy and need to be physically removed, and pried, from my being.

Head outside to chat with my mom friends until 9:30am. Drive the 15 minutes home, clean up from the morning chaos. How is it possible that my house looks like a bomb went off in the 30 minutes between my family finally waking and walking out the door for school? Oh no, totally forgot I was supposed to be volunteering in one of my 3 girls classes. I leave my kitchen half clean and race back to school apologizing for my tardiness.

Leave the school after reading with 25 kids, to get to my lunch meeting, 15 minutes late, apologizing for my tardiness (notice the trend). Receive a call from Mark asking if we can have a new family for dinner. Sure, no problem. Race to the grocery store to grab a few items; why don't they have what I need, run to a different grocery store. Text my friend apologizing and asking if she can wait with my younger daughters at school as I'm running behind. Finally, arrive at the school exhausted. Don't want to get out of the car. Need to recharge.

But can’t. Not now, I hug my girls and talk to the moms at school. My oldest is now out of class, but I continue to talk, girls continue to play. A mom has an appointment and needs help with her kids. I offer to take them home with me. Somehow, I end up with 10 kids at home with me. I love it!

We get home at 4:30pm to the unfinished kitchen, people coming to dinner in an hour. I scramble around, cleaning, cooking, trying to make my home presentable for a new family all the while 10 kids are running back and forth. By the time people leave, my house is back the way it started, a disaster, past bedtime, kids remember they have homework and one of them needs to have a heartfelt talk with me. I give all I have left, and I leave her room exhausted. Can't slow down because there is a field trip tomorrow and bible study, and I'm double booked.

And the cycle continued. Day after day after day.

I realized that I needed to make a change. I started to pray and seek what I could give up to simplify our life. God made it very clear that I was to make pouring into my girls lives my priority - teaching them about God, friendship, character, womanhood, etc., But how?

I was listening to Julie Richard from Fearless Mom and she said something that God used to speak to my heart. She said, "The chatter doesn't matter. The vision makes the decision." I realized, our family's vision to care for our community, to share Christ's love and truth to those we meet, to raise my girls to love God, his church and his ways could be met in a more powerful way if I slowed down the running around and homeschooled. The chatter of the world's norm, or our peers opinions, don't matter if homeschooling fits our vision.

Do I think homeschooling is for everyone? No. What I've realized as I'm getting older is that everyone's capacity is different. I was exhausted by taking on too much but was not willing to miss a field trip or an opportunity to volunteer at the school, not because I wanted to please the school or the teachers but because I wanted to be with my girls. I wanted them to know that amidst the busyness of ministry life, speaking engagements, meetings, travel, and everything else our life consists of in this season, that they are my priority. It was a risk that has changed our life for the better.

Recently my sweet friend whom I admire greatly paid me the most beautiful compliment. She said, “You seem different. It’s hard to put into words. Happier. Calmer. I wanted to encourage and affirm you in the slowness you’ve been embracing. It shows beautiful on you. Honestly, I can see the difference on you.” This is the legacy I want to leave my girls; a mom who was present, joy-filled and kingdom-minded in all things. Who did her best to fulfill that often-neglected passage in the Bible where the Apostle Paul calls us to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life…just as we told you” (1 Thess. 4:11).

Why We Homeschool: Our Personal Story and Reasons