Homeschooling Support

Each Friday, my children and I get together with our local Catholic homeschooling group. The children play while the moms pray, vent, exchange ideas, do some spiritual reading, and support each other through whatever challenges or blessings we happen to be experiencing at that moment. I don't know what I would do without the friendship of these remarkable women.

Today we were discussing HSLDA - The Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Some of us are members; some are not. I am - as I told my friends, I consider my membership as "homeschooling insurance." In the event I ever need some legal support, they are there for me. But, HSLDA also offers some wonderful support services and information. A full list of their resources can be found at www.hslda.org/resources.  I enjoy the email bulletins that they send out as well as their quarterly publication: The HSLDA Court Report. While it includes information regarding recent legal issues surrounding homeschooling, it also includes general information and encouragement about homeschooling. 

The Autumn 2012 issue, which came in the mail yesterday, featured an article by J.Michael Smith, HSLDA president: The Strength to Homeschool is Found in Weakness.

This is an excerpt:

Homeschoolers need to remember that homeschooling is not a sprint - it's a marathon. In the race, you'll be confronted with problems such as children who refuse to do schoolwork, children who don't like homeschooling, husbands who don't help much, running out of money, opposition from in-laws, out-laws, and friends and church, illness or injury, difficult pregnancies, complicated school subjects, special needs and learning struggles, legal challenges (that's where HSLDA comes in!) and finally, feelings of inadequacy and doubt. And why wouldn't we have those feelings with all the changes that we face in homeschooling? . . 

Perhaps the greatest thing that we can do as homeschooling moms and dads is admit we can't homeschool without God and simply ask for His help. 

God did not design man to be self-sufficient, but to be dependent on Him. In some ways I believe that homeschooling moms and dads are tremendously blessed because they have to live out this dependence upon God.

So, if the challenges of this school year are overwhelming you - and they probably are! - take comfort in knowing that if you persevere and call out to God, you're going to see some great things happen in your family.