I was introduced to the concept of homeschooling way back in 2000 while surfing the net. It sounded unreal – “What? An unqualified mom teaching a child at home? Can it be done? How? Why?”
But I must say that it sounded really interesting and so I continued reading about it. Over time, I became convinced that it is doable and that it wasn’t that frightening. After all, I did teach my son to speak and even read simple words before he turned 2. (By the way, he was a fast learner. He was pushing me to teach him more than I was pushing him to learn!)
Have you considered homeschooling?
But still I sent our first born into nursery school when he was 21 months old. It was a lovely Montessorri-styled school. He loved it! And the teachers loved him. But after a while, his principal approached me and said that I should consider homeschooling him. What?! I was taken aback. Why would a principal say that? Shouldn’t she be pro-school? 🙂 Ah! But she was an astute lady who has become a great friend today.
She had noticed that academically he was very quick and a fast learner. He was way ahead of his peers in the academics arena. She said that he would be bored in a normal school setting. But at that time I had just discovered that we were expecting baby #3 and the thought of handling 3 small children plus homeschooling seemed impossible. So we did nothing!
Asking for a sign
But the thought wouldn’t leave my mind. So I decided to pray about it. On 16th May 2003, I told the Lord that if he wanted us to homeschool our children, He must give me a sign! Oh!!! How presumptuous of me! I even told him WHAT the sign was to be – that I must be INVITED to a homeschool event in Singapore. At that point in time, I knew NO ONE who homeschooled and definitely had not heard of any homeschool events in Singapore. So i thought – ha! I found a way to get out of this one! 😀 But the Lord, in his grace and mercy answered me according to my little faith!
That very Sunday, 19th May 2003, a friend whom I have not met for the past year appears in the Church nursery. The first question out of her mouth after exchanging greetings was if I would like to join her in attending a Homeschool Fair that coming Wednesday!!! If I had not been sitting down on the floor, I would have fallen over! And I didn’t even know that this friend was considering homeschooling her children! So Wednesday came and we went, me with a 5 month old baby in my baby sling. At the Fair, I found out that there was actually a small support group for homeschoolers here in Singapore that I had not known about! At that point in time, however, it was mostly made up of expatriates.
Wavering : should we, should we not?
But still I wavered. I still had a lot of questions – should we or should we not? Since I would obviously be the primary (ie only) teacher, would I be biting off more than I can chew? A few selfish questions were thrown in as well – think of all the time I could have if I pack them all off to school! But if I homeschooled them, I would never be alone!
Trust and Obey
On 5th July 2003 – while I was doing my Quiet Time, the Lord spoke to me very clearly through Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the LORD your GOD will be with you wherever you go.”
Wow! “Have I not commanded you?” I was confronted with the issue of obedience right smack in my face. Will I obey or not? God had already spoken. Will I take God at His word that says He will be with me? Do I have the faith to trust God and just obey?
18th August 2002 – The Lord spoke again. This time through Hebrews 10:38
“But the righteous shall live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him”
Yikes!
Pregnant again!
Then I found out I was expecting #4! Woah! It rocked us. I tried to ignore God’s call. I told Him that I really couldn’t. That He cannot expect so much from me. So David continued to attend his pre-school and we even (oh ye of little faith!) enrolled Sarah in the same school! We thought that could buy us some time. Also at this point in time, Henson, though agreeable to homeschooling, was not really 100% convinced.
As the time approached for us to register our David for primary school in 2004, I started to pray specifically about homeschooling. Deep down, I know I could do it, not because I am some supermom 🙂 But it was based on a simple belief that if God has called me to do this, He will equip me. For indeed, “His grace is sufficient for me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Is dad fully convinced?
Then I came upon an article (I can’t remember from which website) that said that homeschooling will not succeed if dad just went along with it. Dad had to be convinced that it is the way to take. Many homeschoolers fail because  homeschooling was a decision taken by mom, with just a verbal endorsement from dad. That was not enough, the article said. Dad had to be the decision-maker.
Wow!
I spoke with Henson that very night. I said something to the effect of, “YOU have to decide. It doesn’t matter what you decide. I will go with it. I believe and see the value of homeschooling but I also see the “convenience” of public schooling. So either way, I am fine.” There! The ball was no longer in my court. What a relief! Now I understood why God put our husbands above us to protect and to guide us! 🙂
Let’s go for it!
After much prayer, Henson decided we will go for it. So on 8th April 2004, we submitted our application for exemption from public schooling to the Ministry of Education. On 28th April, 2004, we received our Certificate of Exemption! All the Ministry asked for was the name of the church we attended!
And so we embarked on our homeschool journey. In between all that excitement, we found out that Baby #5 was on the way! 🙂 What a ride! As if life isn’t busy enough. eh? Talk about being stretched by God!
So why do we homeschool our children?
Because God said so
And this is WHY we have chosen to homeschool our children – because God told us to 🙂 No, it isn’t because we are more spiritual or that we are more academically superior. Not at all. Far from it. We just want to remember what the prophet Samuel told King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22 “To obey is better than sacrifice.” So Lord, help us!
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