Why do you home school?
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question, well I would be rich. LOL
I find it amazing that people really don't know the benefits of home schooling. I had a friend of mine ask me "Can i ask you why you home school your children?' I smiled and replied" I have found that my children can get ahead, I told her how my first daughter graduated with her AA degree before receiving her high school diploma, she is also dual majoring at her university( journalism and political science) and dual minoring ( Spanish and international studies). This will help her to be versatile in finding a job.I then told her how she has been able to get paid internships every summer.(2-Capital Hill,1-Boston,Documentary, 1- CSPAN) I told her how my second daughter just graduated with her AA degree and is now about to start at the university in the fall. She will also be dual majoring and dual minoring.( her first internship is at UWF, learning all about how to run an university) She was amazed! She said jokingly" sign me up." I feel it is our responsibility to help others see home schooling as a smart choice. So many years people have looked at us as we are doing our children a disservice by taking them out of school. If you do it right home schooling is the best option. I repeat IF YOU DO IT CORRECTLY.   We are branded because all of those who choose to treat home schooling as a joke. Well, I had my child take pictures on our vacation, so she gets a photography credit. WHAT?? No, that is not how it should work.  I have tried to make sure my children" go above and beyond" everything that is required. This is one of our motto's we live by.  By living like this, we have had college professors make remarks to my children that they should go home and tell me" Thank You for home schooling them." WOW! If you want this kind of reaction, if you want your child to be more than ready for college and anything that is ahead of them, then push hard now when they are young. Teach them everyday, everywhere! I challenged myself to look for opportunities everywhere I went to pour knowledge in them. I never gave them a choice to learn or not. They always knew that they would be attending college, they did get to choose what they studied and for how long.( Min 4 years). I encourage you all today to find different ways to teach your children. Look for opportunities to share knowledge with them.Let them see learning as a daily thing and as something to be treasured not something that we need to put in a box and pull out only at school time. Make learning FUN! Explore all the possibilities and see how far your child can go in life. Until next time... Joanne

I have not written in awhile, it is has been a crazy year. But now,summer fun has begun, or really running around like a crazy women has intensified. LOL

  This summer let one of your goals be, focus on what the Lord is telling you to do. I find when I look more to Him and less at me or my problems, then my life gets a lot better and easier. I had been planning our group lessons for awhile, I did not feel like I was done with any of it. Then one night after I had given it all to the Lord, He started pouring ideas in my mind. I am now excited about next year, especially what He is going to teach the children. Every year the Lord gives us a word, this year it is" Team." We are to work as a team and be in unity. It is going to be a great year. One of the classes that will help us obtain this goal is critical thinking skills.  We will all work together to complete a task that is presented to them at the beginning of the class time.(ex. building a bridge out of materials the teacher gives you) (we will have 2 teams competing)

My life is in at a state of constant change. My eldest daughter is a senor at UWF, my youngest daughter is a freshmen there also.(I am super excited they get to be together during this time) My son is a freshmen in high school.( homeschool high school) ugh! I have never been one of those parents who have looked forward to their kids leaving home. I have dreaded that time like ,forever. I treasure my kids and the time I have with each one of them. I am so proud of each one of them. It warms my heart when I hear them say the sayings that I have taught them. I think our favorite one is: Listen and Obey. Another one is Do the right thing, Make good choices ......

These saying have helped shape my children's lives. I received each one of the sayings when i sought the Lord. This is why we need to call on His name and trust that He will answer and help us guide our children in the way they should go.

Don't forget: team work makes the dream work. 

I will be writing more later, if you have any questions please leave a comment below.

Always treasure each moment and enjoy each day that the Lord hath made.