Did you ever think that anything could cause our entire nation to become homeschoolers?  Covid-19 did just that and did it in just a matter of days! Who would have thought it possible? Bethlie and I confess that we chuckled at our friends and neighbors who panicked.  We also were dismayed at how many used the “failures” of this time of homeschooling to denounce homeschooling outright.  One of our friends declared that it wasn’t “real” school.  Some folks even said NO ONE should do it and that it should be banned.  Go figure.

In a sense, such rhetoric is nothing new. Those who have never homeschooled love to bash it, and have found all kinds of reasons for doing so.  “Homeschoolers don’t get a good education,” they claim.  “Homeschoolers don’t have a social life.”  “Homeschoolers are far behind other kids their age.”  And on and on the list goes.  We have laughed many times at how many people have shared these statements with us as we were right in the middle of homeschooling our five children. We learned to laugh and kept on educating them!

For the record, Bethlie and I believe in homeschooling. I am a public school graduate. Bethlie is a Christian School graduate, has a degree in education, and has even taught in several Christian Schools. We understand that what many have experienced in recent weeks was not “REAL” in the sense that most didn’t want to do it and will not do it as soon as they have any other alternative at all.  We understand that most weren’t prepared to homeschool and it completely caught them and their children “off-guard”. We understand that it was not their choice. Still, we believe in REAL homeschooling. Here are several reasons why:

1. We are able to teach each child individually and tailor their education to their specific needs, strengths, and weaknesses.  We use a consistent curriculum (Abeka has been our choice) and have enjoyed the simplicity the curriculum provided in its day-to-day layout of lessons and lesson plans. We have been able to move faster in some places and slower in others. We have been able to “skip” some lessons along the way because our children had already “mastered” those elsewhere.  It has been wonderful that we could focus on each child individually and each of them have learned well.
2. We are able to disciple our children as they learn and grow.  Part of our love for homeschooling has been that we have been able to turn so many concepts into conversations about life and living! We have been able to pray with them and grow with them and we have been able to use homeschooling as a tool to disciple our children for a life of Christian service.  Although we serve in a full-time ministry vocation, we have never expected our children to do so. We simply desire for them to live Christianity in whatever field God has for them.
3. We are better able to protect our children from negative peer pressure and our children have been better because of it.  
4. We are witnesses that it works.  The education works. Three of our children have graduated high school and another will in the next year.  We have two college graduates and both are married, have full-time jobs in their chosen fields, have their own homes and vehicles, and are living happy, successful lives! Our third will be a college junior this Fall and is well on his way to graduating debt free with an accredited degree. The life-training works.  Our children are hard-workers and have each developed life-skills in preparation for their life’s desires and callings. Even their social skills are well-developed. Our children have ample friends their own age and also have many friends that are older than they are.  They are able to converse with peers as well as with adults.  REAL homeschooling works, and it works very, very well.

Bethlie and I believe that every family has to decide God’s will for them.  We believe that family is more important that education, whichever option we choose. We know homeschool families whose kids are not doing well as well as we would want our children to do.  The same would be true for many Christian school and public school families. The opposite is also true. In each option we know many whose kids have grown to know God, love God, and live for Him as they have pursued any number of vocations and occupations. We are pro-family and, whatever options you choose in the education of your children, we wish you the very best!  For us, we believe in REAL homeschooling.

Thanks for reading,

Your sincere friend,

Dave Young