in Nebraska. It’s also Home Education Week in Florida.
Dana at Principled Discovery has provided suggested writing prompts for every day this week for those who are participating in Home Education Week. This is Today’s prompt:
Looking Back Sunday, March 30
Share your personal history…before you were a home educator. What was life like? Think about things you miss and things you and your family have gained.
Even though we are Michigan Home Schoolers, I feel like celebrating with the Nebraskans and Floridians. 
Before I discovered my abilities in home educating, I was looking forward to my kids going off to school and leaving me alone to clean my house, have complete thoughts, and watch soap operas every weekday. I could not wait for my kids to start school!
Mr. N had suggested, numerous times, that I go to college to get a teaching degree so that I could teach our kids at home. My reaction the first time I heard this was, “NO WAY.” I could not imagine what I’d do with those kids all day, every day. I couldn’t imagine sitting at the table or at a desk for 7 hours a day doing schoolwork.
When Dub was little, he was tough as nails. He had to know what was going on at all times. He was a hand full and I couldn’t imagine keeping him busy on a full time basis until he grew up.
Before I became the huge fan of home schooling that I am today, I did not appreciate my kids as much as I should have. I was one of those, “I can’t wait to get them out of my hair” people. Don’t get me wrong. Everyone needs their space, but sometimes I think we mistakenly treat our kids like challenges to overcome. Home schooling helped me understand what comes naturally to other mothers.
Since we’ve taken this previously dreaded, very active, hands on role in our kids education, we’ve discovered that real life is rich with learning experiences. Dub’s desire to know what’s going on has been a huge benefit in his education. It has been a joy to watch him learn. We are still fighting the guilt that comes from being raised in the traditional schooling method – and not schooling the kids that way, but the best times we’ve had bore little resemblance to our own experiences with school, and the benefits far outweigh the guilt.
If I had to do it all over again, I would embrace the idea behind Mr. N’s suggestion to become a teacher. Right off the bat, I would throw myself headlong into discovering my kids’ learning styles and nurture their natural sense of wonder and their sensitivity toward God.
One great and encouraging thing about home schooling is that we don’t have to wait until next year to change our program. If we see that things are not going well, we can shift gears right now and not waste six months.
I’m rambling now. Sorry to ramble. I’ve been feeling rather rambly lately. I’ve got about five or six posts that sounded good at the beginning and then got all rambling and nonsensey, so there they sit, in the draft bin. *sigh* Anyway …
Happy Home Education Week, Nebraskans and Floridians! 
