Flavors....

I've been doing a lot of thinking about homeschooling lately.  A few months ago, due to an open enrollment/school choice opportunity, we REALLY prayed hard about putting the kids in traditional school. Recently I've faced some challenges to my homeschooling choice.  Because of that I wanted to take a second to share a little of my philosophy on education.  It is CLOSELY tied to my philosophy on choosing a church, determining your convictions, living ALL of life!

See as a former teacher, I believe I have a unique perspective on homeschooling. I'm sure to some I am a bit of enigma... "Why in the world did you spend time and money getting a degree in teaching only to choose NOT to send your children into the traditional educational system????"

The best analogy I can come up with is:  ice cream.  My philosophy on choosing the right church for your family, determining what convictions you will hold to, living your life, making the correct educational choice for your children.... they all come back to ice cream.

The reason there are so many different flavors of ice cream is because there are so many different "flavors" of people. Not everyone likes chocolate... not everyone likes nuts in their ice cream... not everyone likes fruity ice cream.... therefore a MYRIAD of flavors exist so we can all be happy.

This fits churchs:  not everyone likes raising their hands in worship... not everyone likes the American Idol worship experience... not everyone likes quiet and reserved... therefore a MYRIAD of denominations exist so we can all be happy.

It also fits education. I believe that as parents it is OUR job to evaluate all of the educational opportunities available to us and choose the best fit for our children and our family. There are a MYRIAD of educational choices: public school, private school, religious school, military school, virtual schooling, homeschooling so we can all be happy.

I really and TRULY do NOT believe that EVERYONE should homeschool. I believe that as the world's best experts on Noah, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Hannah Kastner, John and Jami Kastner are charged with the responsibility of evaluating all the choices available and determining what is the best educational option for those 4 children. For right NOW, actually for the 2012 - 2013 school year as well... homeschooling is the best option for the Kastner children.  Only God knows what the future brings for them.

I challenge ANYONE who might read this blog to open your mind and evaluate ALL of the options available  for your child/children. Then make a prayerful decision based upon what is best for YOUR child and family.  God bless!