Well, friends, I have finally reached what many see as that long-sought after portion of the homeschooling journey: our first graduate!
My daughter, the firstborn of 8 children, is graduating from our family homeschool. Oh, what a beautiful journey it has been! We pulled her from the local elementary school after 2nd grade and never looked back. That was one of THE BEST decisions we’ve ever made in parenting our children. Homeschooling has been such a joyful experience–teaching and cultivating a love of learning in my daughter’s heart, while growing and learning right alongside her.
Homeschooling first and foremost has been such a blessed way to consistently teach my children to have a Christ-centered focus and a Biblical worldview. In short, it has been our tool to Jesus. Not more church services, youth groups, Sunday school classes, or small groups, but homeschooling. And those avenues aren’t bad, but nothing can compare to the daily reading, studying, and memorizing of God’s Word as a family. Homeschooling gave us the space and atmosphere we needed to focus our attention on God, to search the Scriptures for ourselves, and connect with like-minded Believers.
I’ve watched my daughter thrive in this environment and watched how her understanding for the things of God has grown. Not only is she maturing spiritually, but socially as well–which is a shock to people who think homeschoolers are unsocialized. She has had to stretch herself and come out of her comfort zone in more ways than one. Some days have been harder than others, but she’s stayed the course over the years and I’m so glad for her.
Homeschooling has been a tremendous eye-opener academically, as well. Not only did we take the reigns in choosing curriculum, we could decide how to implement things dependent upon our children’s learning styles. Over all, my daughter thrives with workbooks and textbooks. She’s got a technical mind and is pretty studious, which has served her well as a dually-enrolled student.
Throughout her high school journey, my daughter has taken classes at a local community college with a concentration in math and science. So not only will she graduate from our homeschool, she will also graduate from community college with an Associate of Science in Engineering. She will commute from home to a local university for 2 years (with a combination of online classes) to prayerfully complete her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Homeschooling has played a huge role in the academic goals my daughter is accomplishing, as it has afforded her tons of flexibility. We could rework our homeschooling schedule so that she could pursue the demands of lab assignments, field studies, and the like.
And then, there’s the home life of homeschooling–the day to day interactions we have as family members. My daughter has been such an encouragement and example to her 7 younger siblings, loving each one of them dearly. They all look up to her fondly and enjoy the fact that she gives so much of her time to be with them, whether that’s hanging out and playing games, facilitating a craft project, or giggles and tickles on the floor. Learning alongside one another is such a sweet family blessing that will help prepare her for a husband and family of her own.
As I prepare for our first family homeschool graduation, my heart is full. I must admit that it seems we’ve reached this point in her life so quickly. While I plan out the ceremony, decorations, and celebrations, I am reflective and very much thankful for the daily walk I’ve had with my daughter. Showing her how, teaching her, pointing her to Christ, studying with her, embracing Biblical womanhood before her, crying and laughing together, praying for each other, learning and growing. . .one day at a time.
To my fellow homeschoolers, as well as those considering it, may I encourage you to keep pressing forward? Not every day will be perfect, but with faith in God, you can create a beautiful homeschooling experience for your family. And, you CAN homeschool through the high school years!
Have you graduated any of your children from your homeschool? Did you have a formal ceremony? How did you celebrate?
