Each year I travel the country and speak, encouraging families to embrace their uniqueness. There is a danger in homeschooling, as with so many other areas of life, in comparing ourselves with each other, often conforming to pressures. Finding out what God wants for your family and staying true to His purposes is a place of grace.
Of course, this is easier said than done, especially when you spend time in prayer and discover that change is on the horizon. We experienced this firsthand one year as our family made some drastic, but much needed changes.

The year my boys were entering the 8th and 10th grade and my youngest daughter was approaching her senior year, I was a single mom juggling many changes. Along with the responsibilities of work and home, I just wasn’t sure I could give my kids the attention they needed in the high school years.

Would we homeschool, lean heavily on co-ops and tutorials, or attend school?

Wait. Did you just say, “Attend school?”

Yes. Although I was homeschooled had homeschooled my kids for over 17 years, as I prayed about making the best decision for each child, sending them to school became an option that year.

Over the summer, the kids and I spent a great deal of time discussing the options. Included in these discussions were reminders of the reality that school isn’t easier than homeschooling. It’s actually much more difficult. At home, mom doesn’t count tardy slips, there is no forgetting to take your lunch, and homework is often a suggestion.

After weighing the pros and cons, while covering this topic in prayer each day, the kids and I decided that Anne would homeschool and lean heavily on Francis Schaeffer co-op while the boys would attend a local classical school, with an average classroom size of four to six students.

Many things changed that year in our home with new schedules and routines, and the following year we made new decisions and experienced even more changes. But, through it all, I was able to stand confident in my decisions as long as I remained consistent in prayer. And in the process, my children also learned a little about the importance of praying through each decision and letting the Lord lead, even when it means great change.