“But how will you teach him if you aren’t a credentialed teacher?” “What curriculum will you use?” “How will you socialize him?” “What do you plan to do for high school? You don’t plan on going all the way through, right?” “What if they exceed your knowledge, what then?” “What if he is struggling in math or reading, what will you do?”
Back in 2018 or 2019, our family made the decision to homeschool. Our first born was around 3.75 years old and about to be ready for TK the coming year, and I was just about to sign him up for the public school around the corner from our house. I remember thinking that I just needed him out of the house so I could have some sense of sanity. I had a 2 year old and a newborn.
Through some circumstances in California and our own personal convictions, we were pushed out of the public school system and forced to either use a homeschool charter school or to privately homeschool our son.
The questions above I vividly remember. I had just come to the decision to homeschool and was at a neighbors house. My son was playing with their goat (lol), and I was talking with the handful of other moms in their backyard, who all happened to be teachers. My neighbor was a credentialed, veteran teacher only 5 years from retirement. I had nothing behind my name except a degree that had nothing to do with teaching my kids english or math.
I responded to the last question about math struggles with “I don’t know, I suppose I’ll put him in Kumon” to which they all kind of laughed. I nervously and insecurely laughed “with” them.
I wish I could be in that conversation with my younger self. Encouraging her every step of the way. Discouraging the naysayers. Encouraging the young, feeble, now-deflated me: You’ve got this. You don’t need the official credential. You don’t need to even know before hand what you are teaching. You need a conviction from the Lord, faith that he will provide everything you will need, and faithfulness to walk each day into what he has called you to.
As I was reading Romans this morning, this verse popped out of the page to me: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…,” (Romans 12:6a, ESV).
LET US USE THEM! Did you read that? We have been given gifts, and we are called to use them. Not shrink back in fear or discouragement, but to move forward in strength and faith. And lets be honest, to homeschool, you do need strength and faith. It takes an inordinate amount of strength to teach your dyslexic 5 year old how to read. It takes an inordinate amount of faith to trust that the work you are putting in will reap fruit 13 years down the line.
But, God is faithful. What I love about following Jesus is that I don’t have to worry about the outcome. He has already told me that he will provide, I just need to put my trust in him.
So, if you are a new homeschool mom. Or maybe, you’re just like I was, about to start your journey and have gotten nothing but naysayers or discouragment, listen to me: if the Lord calls you to homeschool, he will provide everything you need.
One of my favorite verses speaks just to this:
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire,” (2 Peter 1:3–4, ESV).
He has granted to us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness. It is through his divine power that we are even able to live a life of godliness. It is through his power that we receive what we need for life and to escape the corruption of this world.
You don’t have to have the 4 year degree and credential. You don’t have to have the math lesson all figured out. You don’t have to have your house in order. You don’t have to have all your ducks in a row. Most of my ducks are wandering off somewhere, probably under the couch with the dust bunnies like the rest of the toys that have gone missing in my house.
And to be sure, I have encountered every on of those questions in my journey of homeschooling. My son is starting math lessons that exceed my knowledge. My daughter has dealt with dyslexia and has reading challenges. We have created a community to ensure my children and myself have good friends. I’ve wondered myself what curriculum we will use year after year. But guess what…
God knows just what you need. He knows just what your child needs. He will provide; he is faithful to do so. I’m proof of that!
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