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"What am I doing?"
At HEED we have assisted hundreds and hundreds of families for the past 16 years in the oftentimes scary decision to home school their children. Even after families make the decision to home school they are plagued with the question, "What Am I doing?" We have worked hard at HEED to help you answer that question. At HEED its our desire to encourage you so that when that question arises, you have that answer! Remember that old bumper sticker that said."the worst day fishing is better than the best day working"? I don't know if that's exactly true, but I would say, looking back that the most days of home schooling were better than going to school. We have been perfecting our partnership with families in hybrid learning for 16 years. and we are here to come along side of you.
The studies and results have been in for years showing home schooled students finish on top, academically, socially and spiritually compared to those students in public and private schools. Our goal is not to ever speak negatively about. schools or teachers, they have a tough and very different job than we do as parents. Our desire is to present a viable "doable" alternative for parents looking for something different for their child, and to encourage you in that decision. Families have made different school choices for their family for years including academic, spiritual, physical or health reasons, social or avoiding bullying, family dynamics, lifestyle, athletic commitments, and today we add safety. There are as many reasons as there are families and children. Usually when a parent gets as far as reading a page like this, they have their reasons, but what they don't always have is the confidence, encouragement and support to make the leap. Interestingly 90% of the time, the same question holds every parent back:
I'm not a teacher. I'm afraid. What if I mess up?
I'm not patient and/or organized. I'm afraid Can I really do this ?
Will my child miss out? I'm afraid . Will they miss out? (Will they still get to experience friendships, social interaction, sports, proms, college opportunities etc?
Things have changed in our country and suddenly families and schools are trying to figure out how to educate online including switching from 8 hours a day, 5 days a week to maybe 6 hours hours a week. Our university model program has been teaching students one day a week in a classroom for almost 2 decades. After one day in class the students complete their week at home with their parents for the reaming 3-4 school days. We have had the unique position of testing this model for years. In other words what schools and governments are having to figure out in the middle of this crisis, we have been perfecting for years. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and I encourage you to see the universities where our students have been accepted. They have also achieved incredible things in their careers and many are now grown adults working in careers across the board as architects, doctors, nurses, lawyers, accountants, computer programmers, salesman, entrepreneurs, engineers, computer scientists, sports newscasters, musicians, ministry, teachers, financial planners and analysts, actors, police and firefighters, and I could go on and on. The parents of almost all of these students had the same questions as you do now.
The answers I told many of those parents when they were starting out and along their journey are the same answers I want to tell you. I just want to yell, YES, YES, YES! I believe Home schooling is an incredible opportunity for parents, children and families. Is it a magic formula for success or a guarantee of happiness? No, it is not, but in today's culture it is an incredible opportunity to take back control of your children's education and schedule and that will change all of your family dynamics. When you take back your schedules, you set your priorities and you spend the best part of your day and their day together.
Is it easy? Some days it's the best day of your life and other days I remember searching the internet for schools. Nothing worth while is easy, and home schooling your children is definitely worth all the time and energy it takes. The good news is that you don't have to do this alone! We have veteran moms, academic advisors, friends, and mentors to help you every step of the way. Locally we gather monthly in our "Gathering" time in Boca Raton to share our successes and failures, be encouraged, meet other families and learn from veterans, alumni and one another. We hope to offer these meetings to our online families next year.
As a mom of 4 grown children who were all homeschooled and who now have completed their education as a corporate attorney, an Interventional radiologist, a labor and delivery nurse, and a certified public accountant. I can honestly tell you that the best part of our story is not their academic and career success, but the relationships they have. Your child's real success is in their relationship with God and then as a son or daughter, and then as husband or wife and as a dad or mom, and friend.
Home schooling is about so much more than education. It is about spending your life together reading, learning, trying new things, going new places, meeting new people and doing it together with your children. It's about training up a child in the way, "the bent" God gave them and watching them grow and soar. Is homeschooling the recipe for success for families, of course not, we all encounter difficulties and suffering in this life. It may not be the "recipe for success" but it does present you with some amazing opportunities. Maybe it's time you take back your children's education and experience them in a way you never imagined. If that's your desire then HEED is the place for you and we are here to help you every step of the way.
Sue Puchferran