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Mackfam
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My reasons have evolved over the years.
I thought about this question a lot before I answered.
I homeschool because I love being with my children. I love living with them, learning alongside them, and sharing the joy in the little things learned. There are no guarantees in anything - least of all in homeschooling. I homeschool because this is a magical time that I'll never get back. 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Essy
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Most and foremost because I believe that it is God's will for my family...haven't really worked out all the logical reasons of why this might be yet though.
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Wife to Roy since Sept 1985
Mom to Sarah(May 2002)and Christian (August 2003)
Praying In the Moment
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Bella
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Wow. You are all amazing. Thankyou for sharing,it has benefited me, and many others I am sure.
I am busy praying....
Many Thanks,
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Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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LookaBook
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I really don't have a problem with school- don't throw tomatoes  . I completely agree that the system is broken but I have seen good, faithful, Catholic families send their kids to school with beautiful results. They have a deep love for each other that flows from their faith and their kids are GOOD people.
The schools around here aren't bad... but they aren't great either- very much depends on what teacher you get. Every time I consider school for my brood I come to the same road blocks:
1. Family life will take a hit due to lack of time
2. Sibling relationships might suffer due to lack of interaction and age division of schools
3. We couldn't get to daily mass as a family unless they went to the Catholic school which is too expensive  (this one really frosts me- the Church encourages openness to life and Catholic education but what large family could afford the $4,000+ tuition per child????)
4. Homework!! If I have to spend an hour or more on homework with a child, I can save us the time and teach him here. These days the children are getting so much homework you wonder if they are being taught during that time at school (I'm specifically talking about the primary/elementry age kids)
5. Homeschooling is way more economical (see part of #3) even public schools have fees, do fund raisers and have extra costs for special classes. Another nteresting thing is saving on gas- doing the pick-up and drop- off every day adds up$$$ not to mention those lunches and snacks
Every year when I evaluate this question I find new answers... but they all point the same old answer: It is where God has placed us 
Alison,
Mom to ds10, dd8, ds6, dd4, dd20mo, and one due on Christmas!!!
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SimplyMom
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Because it is fun. I just love doing this.
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Darcee
SimplyMom from Simply Catholic
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Natalia
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We started basically because I didn't like any of the school in our area. They aren't bad they just didn't click for us. We had some friends that were doing it so I knew it was possible and I knew the good results.
we have continued because:
- It allows family time.
- I don't like the idea of anybody else forming my children.
- Because I think school, the way it is set up here with those long days, supplant the parents in the child's life.
- because I don't like people telling me what I have to teach and when and how.
- because I don't like to bake cupcakes for meetings and I don't like to pack lunches.
_because I love to learn alongside my kids.
- because I love reading aloud.
And if I really want to be honest with myself, I think homeschooling has validated my staying at home (in my own mind). It has given me something concrete to do that it is intellectually stimulating.
Natalia
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Natalia
http://pannuestrodecadadia.blogspot.com
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TracyQ
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Because God told me to. When we began, I wasn't fond of the thought actually, but He gave me the sign I asked for that it was truly what He was calling us to do (I don't ask for signs normally, but this was one exception, because I wasn't trusting as I should have been).
Now, 13 years later, after having just graduated our oldest on Sunday, (and our first *The Holy Family Homeschool* graduate ), He is giving us glimpses of why He led us on this journey, and why being obedient has been so important in the lives of our children.
Jesus, I TRUST in YOU! 
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Red Cardigan
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Because long before I even started teaching my children they had already decided my name was "Mom, the Walking Dictionary." And who'd want to waste that?
Seriously, I was homeschooled myself in high school and LOVED it. I always, always, always hated school, and they were Catholic schools. I'd be so bored all day long in the classroom--I really think the whole point is to get kids *used* to boredom so they'll be happy sitting in a little cubicle for the rest of their lives. 
As I child I craved time to read and think and just BE, and school was busy, busy, busy--but not much actual learning till you got home and did your homework. Homeschooling's more efficient, and leaves plenty of time for living.
Of course, I agree with the religious and cultural motives, too, and the more natural socialization that occurs when you're not programmed to think you can only talk to people who are +/- six months of your age. But the freedom of it is the thing I love most.
(Of course, the freedom of summer is pretty nice, too.) 
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Willa
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Hey, Congratulations, Tracy!!!
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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Isa in Michigan
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I homeschool for all the reasons stated on the first post, but lately the ones that stand out the most have been fostering family togetherness, having the children acquire a good work ethic (i.e. chores, watching their siblings, etc...), and a Catholic atmosphere in the home.
I think family togetherness is so important. As my children become adults, they will need people they can trust and turn to. Who better to fulfill this role than the people who know them best---their siblings.
I think school with its age segregation makes it more likely that siblings will start to grow further apart. I know of a number of cases where siblings close in age don't get along well. This can of course happen in any situation, it's just more likely to happen in a school setting.
My husband's family is really close, and I've seen the great benefit this has had. I hope that when my children grow up, they will turn to each other for comfort and support.
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Mother to Francisco(10), Rafael(9), Teresa(7), Rosa(6), Lucia(4), Tommy(3), Miguel(1) & 4 in heaven
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TracyQ
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Willa wrote:
| Hey, Congratulations, Tracy!!! |
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THANKS, Willa!!!!
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Bella
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Never gave *my* reasons!  I'll chalk that one up to menopause!
When I was in college, I had two majors. One in Human and Family Development, and thee other El.ED. By my senior year, I was so not relating to my peers when it came to the discussions on education. Everyone seemed to be nodding their heads YES to the professors, and I was always shaking a big NO. Then, I took a job at a Montessori school PT, and was slowly drawn to a very differnt way of a DC being educated. I began reading about Maria, Rudoplh Steiner, and someone else(can't remember...but it wasn't CM!). I remember my then boyfriend(now DH) saying how he thought I should open my own school, or consider changing majors. I wouldn't have that opportunity then, as health problems took me out of my senior year, and it would be years before I was able to return to school.
DH and I soon married, and then was met with facing infertility. I remember waking up from a surgery, and the doc telling me that I would never be able to have babies. I was devastated to say the least. We tried adoption, but were continually turned down due to my illness being chronic-no cure. I was continuing to be sick, and it was becoming obvious that any kind of adoption wasn't going to be an option,due to $ of medical bills competing with adoption costs.
One day I took a PG test, and it came back positive!! (After two more surgeries-andthese were NOT IV- we conceived DS.) I told Whomever was up *there* that I would do anything and evertyhing for my babies-to please not take them away from me via miscarriage. I had a long time to think about this, as I was put on bedrest for the first trimesters. At that time, we were living in an area of the country where the PS system was horrible, and we knew lots of HS families. I told DH that I wanted to HS our DC-and after *much* discussion, he agreed.
I was what my DH called a "Militant Attachment Parent", and I saw HSing as an extension of APing. It felt wierd to me to sen our DC to K with DC who'd been raised in daycare since 6 weeks.
Other things contributed to our reasons to, but a lot of it was fueled by my feelingso incredibly blessed to have beat the odds in being able to have TWO DC, and I wanted to be with them ALL THE TIME.
Those other resons were:
DH's work schedule-his hours have always been long,late, and odd. How could our DC see him if they had to be to bed to get up early for school?
Therefore, I wanted to increase our family time together.
I wanted our DC to be able to learn at their own pace, and avoid twaddle type of school and reading. I wanted to customize their education for them.
After DD was out of K, I converted to Catholicism. My faith hasn't really played aas huge a role in the whys we do this. But, it continues to shape the kind of person I am, and has certanily made me take an even closer look at PS-and the social influencees.
Now....while these reasons still apply, I am getting more concerned wnd real with myself, that my reasons are due to fear, and my ongoing control issues. I am looking at my DC's learngin styles, and am wondering if i am doing my DD a service or disservice.
And social issues-I do not want to shelter my DC, but I don't want them to grow up too soon, and become wrapped up in the all consuming peer pressures.
In a nutshell!
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Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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Sparrow
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My reasons would probably be bits and pieces of all of the ones already given. :)
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Katie, blessed wife to Tyson and mom to all girls! Bailey (7) Riley (3) and Rory (3/17)
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SallyT
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So many great responses, and I found myself nodding vehemently in agreement with lots of them.
Like Red Cardigan, I disliked school and found it boring, especially in the elementary grades, which undoubtedly colored my reaction when my oldest daughter, at 9, showed signs of seriously failing to thrive in school. My older son, 5 at the time, was bored in the English equivalent of kindergarten, and we had a baby at home whom the older children hardly ever saw, because they were at school all day long. We also had begun to realize that virtually everything the children had learned of any substance had been learned at home, with us, or on our travels together. School wasn't giving them any fuel for the fire of their imaginations, and that seemed wrong. At the end of that school year, most of which I'd spent researching homeschooling, we moved back to the U.S., and I just never sent them to school again.
That was why we started homeschooling. We continue because we just like it. We like the togetherness, we like that our older children have a relationship with their much-younger siblings, we like that we can go to daily Mass and "catechize" largely by living our faith side-by-side. We like that our children know all our neighbors and can talk easily to both other children and adults. We like reading together. We like lingering over dinnertime conversations, both as a family and with friends who come over -- just last night I sat at the table with my 10yo son and a 20something friend talking about the various mythological roots of The Lord of the Rings -- without having to worry about hustling the kids off to do homework.
Not that I'm saying anything that other people haven't already said . . . but I do think about this a lot, mainly because over and over again life seems to validate that initial decision we made 5 years ago.
Sally
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simplemama
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all great reasons! I have been thinking about this a lot, we are starting out with my oldest only being 4.5 right now and my dh not as excited as I am yet. For me, no matter how many great reasons there may be, it all coems down to what God is calling us to do in each particular 'season' with each child. Hopefully we can just listen and obey correctly! ;)
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Angie Mc
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We learn together at home because we feel that God has asked us to and we want to say "yes" to Him. The rest is detail .
Learning at home enhances our Catholic lifestyle, with formal academics being an important yet small part. Our ample time together helps us to tend to our spiritual formation individually and as a family, with our desire to have our eyes on heaven, our hearts aligned with His will, and our behaviors in keeping with his commandments. Our time together builds strong relationships, encourages character formation, and provides many problem solving opportunities . We can best tend to our physical needs for rest, exercise, and good nutrition at home. We are able to fulfill a variety of home-based duties on a daily basis and serve others in a flexible manner. We can learn together formally/informally by meeting individual/family academic/enriching needs, wants, talents, and interests consistently over time.
That sure was a mouthful  .
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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JenniferS
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Wow! Everyone has already given all of our reasons, but first and foremost we do the hs thing because we feel God is calling us to do so. I really like the way Angie articulated her reasons, they match quite well with our reasons. I am so amazed at how our domestic church has grown through homeschooling.
God bless.
Jen
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: June 26 2008 at 1:38pm | IP Logged
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I posted above first and then went back and read...I didn't want to cheat and take your wonderful replies . What a great conversation!
Natalia wrote:
- because I don't like to bake cupcakes for meetings and I don't like to pack lunches.
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I'm with you, Natalia! In addition to all the positive reasons I shared above, I honestly can't picture myself working well within a school system...honestly can't picture it.
Bella, your story sounds so much like mine that it gave me chills! I have a BS in Elementary/Early Childhood Ed., did not fit in with my classmates and was not impressed with them (I'll stop there), considered starting my own school, infertility struggles, currently preparing to foster-to-adopt, La Leche League and attachment parenting, found homeschooling, lived rural/remote where the schools were incredibly bad, my dh and I reverted when my oldest was 7 I feel like I know where you are coming from. For me, I figure that as long as God has placed in our hearts that our children are to be home, then I can trust that He will let us know when it is time for them to leave. Each child is different, yet I feel it is pretty safe to say that the younger the child, the less mothers need to be concerned about the situation being a "control issue" or that the outcome will be negative. My dh and I take it a year at a time and have grown better at discerning His will...which does take practice. Once we make a decision, we (try to) rest in it.
I really do love homeschooling  .
Thanks for starting this topic, it has been a blessing!
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Bella
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TracyQ wrote:
Willa wrote:
| Hey, Congratulations, Tracy!!! |
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THANKS, Willa!!!! |
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May I second this CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Tracy Q.-I just read a post of yours, while doing a search. In this post, you talked about the insecurities that came with staring down HSing a highschooler. Your post was so brutally honest, and so heartfelt....I then remember Willa saying CONGRATS on this thread. How wonderful, that you stuck with your calling, and now have a Highschool graduate!
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Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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Bella
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Angie Mc wrote:
Bella, your story sounds so much like mine that it gave me chills! I have a BS in Elementary/Early Childhood Ed., did not fit in with my classmates and was not impressed with them (I'll stop there), considered starting my own school, infertility struggles, currently preparing to foster-to-adopt, La Leche League and attachment parenting, found homeschooling, lived rural/remote where the schools were incredibly bad, my dh and I reverted when my oldest was 7 I feel like I know where you are coming from. For me, I figure that as long as God has placed in our hearts that our children are to be home, then I can trust that He will let us know when it is time for them to leave. Each child is different, yet I feel it is pretty safe to say that the younger the child, the less mothers need to be concerned about the situation being a "control issue" or that the outcome will be negative. My dh and I take it a year at a time and have grown better at discerning His will...which does take practice. Once we make a decision, we (try to) rest in it.
I really do love homeschooling .
Thanks for starting this topic, it has been a blessing!
Love,
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 I will pray for your adoption.
I am so glad that I did start this conversation. I almost didn't, as I figured the "whys" had already been discussed by the veterans-but was hoping the discussion/sharing-would benefit me-and other newbies(and somewhat newbies).
I "hear" so many of you saying that you feel called by God to HS. I think this may be true of me, but I'm just not sure. I feel each time I dig deeper into this new faith, satan messes with me. The result, is that when I hear/think voices/thoughts, I am having a hard time discerning whether or not it is God calling/stretching me...or satan messing with me.
To take this a bit further(and I really don't want to give the impression that this thread is for JUST me )....I will share that my DH is not Catholic-actually he has no faith whatsoever. Like me, he grew up with a lot of Catholics-and his perception, was, that these families were hypocrites(sp?).Sinners on Saturday night-off to Church Sunday AM. He says he sees so much of that now-people only practicing their faith on Sunday AM, and he doesn't say this in a judgemental way- I think he is just making an observation. ( And,I mean NO-and I mean NO disrespect to my DH by sharing this. He is a good-I mean really,really good person.) His views have(like most of us-definitely me!) flowed into his adulthood-and into my becoming Catholic after we were married 14yrs.
I joined our Catholic hsing group, and tried to become a good Catholic-hsing our DC and weaving my new faith into our every day-whereever possible-but-honestly, walking on eggshells in a way....because, like Greg Pocack(sp?) says at the back of his book on Marriage,(paraphrasing here...)" Don't preach, or throw your faith into his/her face....instead, live our faith by good example." So, while our home doesn't scream of Catholicism, I have my little Schoenstatt Altar in our dining room, a portrait of Jesus on our mantle,a Crucifix hanging-and that's about it. Oh! But books...I have religious books( for me to read)- but a lot of books on our faith for our DC to read.
I will admit, that I often feel like I HS to keep our DC out of PS-as that is where they would go, if we decided that hsing isn't working for our DC-as DH would never agree to send them to our Church school.
Geez! I am rambling-I will (again!) blame that on my hormones...just all of this to say, that all of your replies have been helpful to me, they've made me think harder, when I am often dealing with a foggy brain. And all of your posts have helped me to try to search inside, and LISTEN to God.
Is continuing to hs what He wants, or is satan now trying to mess with our family unit? I too, CANNOT see myself in a school system-I just can't. Is that my controling nature? Is continuing to hs, just a way for me to prove to my DH, that practicing a faith can be done-everyday of the week? These are questions and thoughts that I am pondering.
I am humbly sorry, if this post is just too self-centered-and too OT.
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Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Why do you homeschool?
