He Called Me Faithful
He called me Teacher: Homeschooling
Hello faithful friends welcome back to he called me faithful with Amanda Jones This is actually so funny right now because I'm sitting in a van in the back of it Because I'm at a camp and people are sleeping and I don't want to wake them up. So Maybe I should have a video component because it would be really funny, but anyway, here we are I'm so excited and again example of trying to be faithful with the weekly even when I'm away And there's not really internet here either. I am yeah, gonna stay on it So here we go today. We are gonna talk about homeschool, which is what my family has chosen to done to do So before we jump in I just wanted to Just reiterate for because I'm gonna share our whole journey We did not do daycare either. So I'm gonna just share a little bit about our journey and our reasons for it So yeah, just to preface everything no matter what you choose and no matter what you have chosen like I understand and so much grace and And there's no like black and white right or wrong in these decisions. I don't think I think it's Complicated and I think a lot of people are in different situations And I think every parent is doing their best and I think every mom specifically wants the best for their kid and loves their kids so whatever you've decided up until this point or if you haven't made decisions yet, whatever you do decide you are the best parent for your kid and you are doing a great job and Yeah, the overarching theme here that I hope comes across is just as a parent It is our job to disciple our kids as Christian parents and even not Christian parents It's your job still to be the main voice in your kid's life. You have to Engrain in them who they are their identity their value all of these things In your by spending time with them and by talking with them and by working through things with them Or else the world will right especially if they are in a full-time School situation that that's the majority of their hours of their week is going to other people other teachers their peer group So you have to be very intentional to disciple your kids and to be the one who has that that voice in their life And that starts young like they're when kids are really little it might seem like the love and attention and Explaining things that you do with them even if you feel like they don't fully understand it might seem like it's pointless sometimes But it's really not because that's actually when they start to be emotionally Regulated is when they're really little and when they learn that you are a safe person somebody that they can trust Somebody that they can be open and honest with that actually carries through their whole life So yeah, and then even when they're like teenagers and stuff from what I've seen of family friends Obviously, we don't have teenagers yet, but what I've seen is the ones that really discipled their own kids and didn't rely on school or church or Somebody else outside of the home to do that job They are the kids that actually like share things with their parents and are open and honest with them and want that relationship with them and obviously that doesn't always happen like you can be the best parent in the world and Something and disciple your kids and something could still happen. So again, no like no shame. No judgment, but there are things that we can do to To just prepare our kids and to set roots for our relationship with our kids too So that when they are older and when they have moved out they want to be around us still and they want To have that relationship with us too in our journey. We've had a few different Seasons we've had seasons where both of us were working. We've had seasons where I was working and The majority of the season is when Dave was working. So yeah, I'm gonna start at the beginning. So when Ruth was Just a few months old. I really felt to go back to work in October so this was in the spring at the time and October was the specific date that I felt like I had and I just had so much peace about it. So the goal with that was I would have done nine months of maternity leave and then given Dave the last three months of paternity leave so that was because Yeah, Dave wasn't my husband wasn't in like the the best job at the time for starting a family He yeah, it was just struggling and just really drained In that that position that he was in in that job. So Yeah, I just really saw saw that and knew that he needed a break and I just honestly felt like I feel it was just God kind of Nudging me and putting that on my heart. So I went back to work in that October when Ruth was nine months old And then Dave was off for three months and then that following January both of us were working We overlapped for about six months before we had our next child Nehemiah who is now five so at the time, yeah, they were 16 months apart and Yeah, the overlap was hard when we were both working I'm not gonna lie But we really did our priority was always Ruth still and Making sure that one of us her primary caregivers her mom or her dad was the one home with her So we worked our hours around each other We didn't have the option of like a close family member. Maybe that could Take take her regularly one day a week or something like that And even if we did like we really wanted like for us. It was really important to be the ones to Be with our baby. That was part of that decision. Then after we had the second I was on Matt leave again and then that time I did not go back to work after so I resigned from being a youth worker and Was a full-time stay-at-home mom and that's something Dave and I had talked about even when we were dating that we wanted Me to be a stay-at-home mom and be the one to raise our kids So for me that was not a weird concept because I think I'll maybe a lot of us I don't really know when exactly daycare came about but a lot of us were Home with our parents when we were kids until kindergarten so Yeah, daycare initially was created for single parents and low-income families now. It's commonly used by Most people so it can seem Countercultural even to do not choose that route. You'll realize like there are so many other people In the same boat as you and choosing the same path is you and choosing to just Like sometimes it just means like living on less living on one income, right? Living on less maybe downsizing Maybe changing around some things in your life, but for us that was really important because I had I had that with my mom. So and I really do think that that helped me a lot just be I've In general been a fairly steady person throughout my life emotionally And I think a lot of that is from being with my mom They say a child zero to three is when the majority of their Emotional regulation starts and their brain development. So when their primary caregiver their mom or dad is with them The majority of that time in those ages zero to three it protects the baby from stress and it helps them emotionally regulate what I will say to anyone who hasn't made the decision about daycare yet is If it is something really on your heart to be with your kids and you're just feeling that maybe in your head You're thinking everybody else does daycare and that's just what you do or worried about Your job or not getting back into your field What I would say personally is you will never regret Spending that extra time in those extra years with your baby You only get that chance once with each kid whereas jobs and careers are always there. There's always more chances There's always other places that you can go and other jobs you can do and I've actually seen a lot too sometimes like really strong career woman once they have kids their heart actually Shifts and what they want and often they end up dropping down to part-time or even a less stressful role so that they can focus on their kids more So often women sometimes end up wanting to change their field a little bit anyway, so I yeah I just don't think you would regret spending that extra time I know it can be hard in our day and age and it can be isolating sometimes for mom So it is important to have good community, and I think that's a benefit. Yeah of Christian community When it's running in a healthy way Christians are meant to be like family and do life together and Lift each other up and encourage each other and all these things so if you have a good community It is so beautiful and it really does take a village to raise kids and especially in those early years years when you're not getting a lot of sleep It can be hard, and if you're struggling with depression or anything like that, too I totally understand and yeah just so much grace and love for you And even if that's your reason for choosing the other room I understand I do think there is a lot that we don't do well in our North American society that other countries do a lot better when it comes to family and supports for moms Here it can feel isolating unless you're plugged in the right places Where's other countries it is that in general depending on the country, but a lot of them do have a lot more care for moms and Some countries even give moms a few years off when they have a baby So yeah in North America, it's not easy. I totally understand so whatever yeah Whatever you choose again so much grace so much love and there's so many ways to Help your child in the future and just really bond with them I would say yeah in those cases if you're not with your child when they're really young Just to be again so intentional with the time you have in the evenings and weekends and even mornings Just really making sure to take that time to look them in the eyes Tell them they're safe Speak identity and life over them just any of these moments that you have it can really make such a difference for your child And yeah, that's really beautiful. So now on to homeschool So that is what we have chosen as a family to do so again Ruth our oldest when she Was junior kindergarten age we actually did center to the local Christian school for a three-day awake Three-day a week junior kindergarten, and she had a great time. She thrived. She was very tired at the end Even though it was only three days she would come home very grumpy and tired But just fair cuz she's yeah, just a little body little person so that is a lot for a kid And but yeah, she had a great time I think she would have definitely done well if we stuck with that route for us though I had felt on my heart for about two years Just a softening to homeschool. It was never something on my radar never something I wanted to do originally But yeah, the more again research I did and so that's a big thing I would just encourage for moms just with any decision like the the daycare and with school systems public system or or whatever else you choose Yeah, just knowing kind of what you're in for and and just stats on different things So I'm not gonna get too much into that stuff because I'm not an expert and there are so many studies out there So yeah I would just encourage people to if you're feeling off in your gut or just feeling off about a decision or just want to try something new or just want to know your options even do the research and Look around and even ask other moms. I think often people are surprised How many moms homeschool nowadays that actually is a lot more common than you would think? So there are so many supports and so many great programs out there. But yeah, so again for me I really just felt softening on my heart towards it. So then after that first year for Ruth In a school system. I was coming home from a worship night and I just really felt to finally say God, yes, I'm going to do home school and as soon as I did right in that moment. I just felt this huge wave of peace and I felt excited about it for the first time because I was not excited before this moment I was like, oh man, this is gonna be hard a lot of work I don't know how I'm gonna do it all these things but as soon as I actually made the decision I felt so excited about it partially. I think it was really nice starting So last year was our first year and it was really nice starting with Ruth Senior kindergarten, Nehemiah Junior kindergarten and Kaya pre-school So that is like a lot of play-based learning so that made it an easier place to start There is still a lot of when you order these curriculums There's still a lot of book work and a lot of things you can do at that age But I think from what I've learned from other homeschool moms, too You can do mix and match you can work at your child's pace You don't have to feel this pressure to like keep up like every day to do Like all of the things if your child's struggling you can give them a day And if they're doing really well one day then we work ahead if they're enjoying something so Ruth for example really loves her math workbook and That's through the good and beautiful. That's who we have switched to now We were doing a classical one before which I also loved but then we switched to the good and beautiful A lot of our friends use it and there's even a local school row of Montessori type school that also uses that Curriculum so that's really cool, too, but it's great It's very interactive and the math, especially it comes with a little math kit that has just like dice and Sticks and cars and things like that to make the math a lot more engaging and interactive so She has just been absolutely loving it and Nehemiah, too He is doing really well in English and math as well, and yeah And then the other subjects we tend to group them together Which again is when you look at pioneer villages and things like that they had all of the kids like all the different ages in one classroom so it actually works Works well when kids are actually with not just their peer group But a group because then you learn from the older kids too and you can also help the younger kids So you're just learning a different variety of skills on top of like just your school skills So that's really cool, too So things like history and science and art all of that we can do as a group They don't have to be in these individual things because that was one of my hesitations So I was like oh man how am I gonna do like three different curriculums, but it's mainly literature and math That is the main things that are Those staples where it's a little bit different out of each age. So yeah, it's been really fun. I've absolutely loved it Last year was yeah, just fun to have that extra time with my kids They felt so young to me still as well. That was another factor for me. They just felt so young and I was like I don't want to give Five days a week the majority of their days To somebody else I want to be the one to raise my kids to disciple my kids to teach my kids at that point I had come to terms with that as well and I found it helped me a lot So when Ruth was in junior kindergarten if she came home with like homework and stuff I was like almost junior kindergarten plus I growing up was never Good with homework. So I just didn't think too much of it if we like didn't get to it Maybe this is TMI, but But yeah now since switching to homeschool now I'm looking for opportunities I'm looking for teaching opportunities just like when we're out on walks like opportunities to get them to count or alphabet or learn different sounds or Yeah, and I I don't think that was my natural go-to before was teacher like to always be teaching them So it's been so helpful for me personally just in my brain to switch to be like yeah Even if they had been in regular school or even if we ever chose that route in the future It's still my job to teach them when I have them and when I think of these things or when I like when we're out and about It's my job to teach them other things as well. So yeah, it shifted that mindset for me as well in that way Which has been really healthy and really fun. So I've just loved it. We are on year two. Ruth is grade one this year So yeah, it's just been really fun. We really are committing our mornings to it So that's when we do the majority of our book work and things like that and then the afternoons We have open now that we're out of naps our youngest kaya doesn't nap anymore She's three. So this is the first year we're out of naps So now we have a lot more freedom that way in the afternoons when we want to go do field trips or To mom's group or we also are part of a homeschool chapel. So yeah, there are so many resources so many Community opportunities when you're homeschooling so yeah, there's just so many benefits and I'm sure I'll do another Podcast on it later and maybe get some other moms on so So that yeah, you can just hear different perspectives and different ways of going about it And it gives you a lot more hours in your week to disciple your kids So I have Monday to Friday their best hours of their days to disciple them weekends are often busy with events or Birthdays and things like that and evenings can often be busy if your kids are in like sports or anything So it is a benefit again for homeschooling You just have all these hours with your kids and all these hours to teach them and disciple them and help them learn different things And they can come out and about with you too It doesn't mean you have to stay home all the time like when we go out to serve in the community or for a part of like an event Now that the kids are getting that little bit older I can start bringing them with me to more of those things too So they're just getting a like full cultured lifestyle experience and things like groceries You can incorporate that as part of your school to teach them how to do a budget That's stuff you don't learn in in school that is a parents job to teach your kids is budgeting and How to make decisions as you as you grow up and live on your own to help them be Functioning independent people in society once they're older So yeah lots of benefits that way another thing for me was sports I really wanted my kids to be in sports because that was one of my favorite things in school That was like the only part I liked of school probably was mainly sports and friends So we have the friends They have so many friends who are also homeschooling and who we meet up with so that's amazing And then for the sports, there are so many rec leagues out there now All the sports I did growing up were all through school Which is awesome. I didn't need to do any outside of it because there were so many in it So now for my kids with being homeschooled, I just want them to have whatever opportunities they want So If they've expressed interest in a certain sport, we put them in that and yeah, so like last year They are two years ago. I think they did gymnastics a bit They were interested and then that filled that for them. They didn't ask for it again last year They did soccer. They've done swimming lessons this year. They're doing um dance And swimming again and uh the oldest two actually are doing a forest school this year, which is pretty cool So there's opportunities like that where there's like a one day Program that you can put your kids in so it's it's a nine to three type thing just one day a week So then that's still nice then I have that time with kaya or to do uh work and Yeah, then they Have that time at this other outdoor school, which is really cool So they can learn again in that sense from another person and their peer group and last year too We had a friend just teach them a little bit of piano on friday mornings. So we just brought them to their house There's just so many ways that you can go about it and so many ways to implement both other teachers So they're learning from other people too and also just Put them in yeah be able to put them in more things because I for me personally if my kids were in Full-time school. I feel like they would be so Exhausted and be hard to put them in programs in the evenings Because that is such a long day at this age at least while they're really little So I really love again with home school. They have so much energy for There are swim classes and and dance and all these other things. So that is is really cool too Another factor for us personally is my husband's job. He works a lot of evenings and sometimes weekends So if we were not homeschooling it would be really hard for him to find time with the kids And have that time where he sees them in a day So that was another factor for us too. So I think yet If your husband is not in a nine to five job It is really Helpful to homeschool in that sense too because then they get to see them during the day If they're like home for lunch quick or or in the mornings or something like that This summer we had like a camping book so Just and he's he takes them on father kid camping every summer with with my side of the family So like my brother my brother-in-law and my dad they bring all the kids camping, which is fun for us moms We get the weekend To just do what we want and and the men take the kids camping So that's really fun But yeah, so I got them a camping book over the summer so that when he did have those hours with them when I was out Then he could be teaching them like how to tie knots and Build a fire and this other kind of camping things to prepare them for their camping trip too So that was just fun and just another fun way that you can include your spouse So to close what I will say is just If you're a Christian parent Just keep God in it whatever you do whatever you choose if you choose Christian school public school home school Whatever you choose keep God in it. We have a lot of amazing friends that have chosen public school because that's where they Kind of felt to be and that's great too So just keep God in it keep the Holy Spirit in it if you're feeling a nudge Or just uncomfortable about something look into it. Don't ignore it. Don't Don't default to that. That's just how it is Or these kind of statements because it doesn't have to be that way And there's usually a reason you feel off about something. So if you're feeling off You won't regret Making a different decision even if it's not popular even if it's in your group at least And even if it's not The norm or even a family doesn't understand Whatever the case may be I you'll never regret going with The spirit's leading in your gut if you if you feel led on a certain Topic or avenue and that goes for just kind of anything in life really So yeah, whatever you choose You're an amazing parent and god bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you May he be gracious to you and give you peace. [BLANK_AUDIO]