Jumping off a Cliff

   I spent some time talking to a Mom this evening about why we have chosen to home school our children.  It turns out that she secretly wants to home school her children, too, but she is scared.  It's kind of like jumping off a cliff.  Socially, she knows her oldest child is struggling. (The other kids at school don't want to play with him.)  Children can be so cruel, but if you can have just one good friend, you can make it.  This child does not have that one friend and so my heart is breaking for her and her little boy.  She said that he used to be caring and sensitive but that has all changed since he started going to school.  I shared with her that I noticed a huge change when Mandy started, too.  My bubbly, chatty Mandy became a ghost of a child.  When I came to help in her class I did not even recognize her due to the fact that she was, for the most part, silent.  Every part of me ached for her and I knew I had to do something.

   I think we are all scared to home school our child(ren) at the beginning.  Everyone else sends their children to school so why shouldn't we??   Well, it is one of the best choices we have ever made.  I think it's wonderful that others send their children to school, if it works for them.  But, when we started learning at home I got my talkative Mandy back.:-)  She is much more confident, has nice friends, and is encouraging to others.  These qualities have not been taken away from her after all!  She just had to rediscover them.  In addition, she is not afraid to try new things.  In fact, she is energized by new challenges.  She loves to rock climb, enters 10 mile bike races, and competes in karate tournaments.  She inspires me!:-)