Our homeschool story seems much different than most folks we know. Mike is an active duty Marine and our first foray into the public school system was not really public school at all; it was Department of Defense Dependents School (DoDDS). Our daughter -- our whole family, really -- was blessed with an excellent teacher, Mrs. Somerall, and a supportive school system, Laurel Bay schools, during her K-4 and K-5 school years. She was in a two year program with the same teacher and she thrived in that setting.
Fast forward a few children, and a few years to our new destination: Okinawa, Japan. The DODDS school at Camp Kinser had many good teachers, several of whom I attended church with, but it also had a few questionable ones. Victoria again thrived in her classes, and with her teachers, and was doing well in her studies. Our boys did not fare so well. I will spare you all the gory details except to say that due to truly horrible behavior on the part of Caleb's first grade teacher, to which the administration refused to do anything about, we finished our last year in Okinawa homeschooling all of our children and loved every minute of it!
Add in a move back to the states, a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, and several unsettling experiences in the realm of charter schools and we determined that homeschool was the only real option for our family.
I would love to say the decision was an easy one with Mike and I on board at the same time. Unfortunately, we were worlds apart with our thoughts and I decided my best bet was to just stay quiet and be a submissive wife who honored my husband. Thankfully Mike completely did a 180 degree turn in his thinking on the subject of homeschooling our entire family again. After a goodbye kiss on his way out the door to work one morning he looked at me and said, "You can homeschool everyone next year." He then turned and walked out the door as if it was the most normal thing you could say at 6 in the morning. I sat speechless with my cup of coffee at our dining table for a very long time that morning.
God had everything to do with Mike's change of heart! I know it. My husband knows it. Our kids know it. If you are wanting to homeschool but you still feel like you have questions or you just aren't sure then my very first suggestion is PRAY! God will give you an answer. You just have to have the patience to wait and listen.
