Why We Decided to Homeschool

Why did we decide to homeschool? I have been asked that question many times and I wish I had an easy answer to give. It is a difficult question to answer easily and the answer depends on who is asking. You know the ones who are interested in homeschooling and struggling with the question themselves and the ones who have already made up their mind on the subject; the answer is different.We all have many different reasons for why we choose to homeschool, and there is no short answer. I could go on and on in detail about the talks my husband and I had, the list, the plans, the alternatives, etc. we discussed but I have decided to put it in a top five format. We made the decision together and agreed 100% like everything else in our life this was a joint adventure and we are in it together.

Below are the top five reasons we chose homeschool for our family.

1. Health reasons - When we first talked about homeschooling, I was pregnant and we were discussing the future and how we planned to raise our family. Little did we know that a 28 week preemie with a congenital heart defect and other medical conditions would help seal the decision. LittleBit is a heart baby and has trouble with the heat, getting sick easily and staying sick for longer than normal. We knew with homeschooling he would stay healthier and it would be simpler to work around him as needed. His health is our number one priority.
2. Education System Concerns – The education ratings for our state are bad, there is no other way to put it. It is truly sad to know that high school students graduate without basic fundamental knowledge that we take for granted. When 8^th graders can not read on an elementary level, there is a problem with the school system.
3. Moving at his learning speed - LittleBit started reading at the age of 2, he picked up a book and started reading. I wish I knew how, other than he got his Daddy’s brain power. By the time he was three, our pediatrician started asking where we were going to send him to school and actually recommend homeschool or a Montessori school. We had already decided to homeschool and she supported the decision completely. He is now reading on a 5^th grade level and his learning ability is mind boggling to me. By choosing to homeschool, he learns at a faster rate, limited only by his abilities.
4. Instill our value system and beliefs – This is self explanatory; we both feel that homeschooling gives the time and opportunity to immerse him in our belief system and values we want him to have.
5. It simply works for our family - Homeschooling works for our lifestyle. It gives us the time to travel, take needed breaks, work around illnesses, schedules, etc.