"Oh, we homeschool. "

 I reply.  When they ask, "Where do your kids go to school?"

Thankfully, then for the most part anymore I receive encouraging glances and deeper questions of how we make it all work doing school at home.  It's my observation that homeschooling is quickly becoming an accepted option that many families choose.

For all different reasons.

Homeschooling works for us right now.  And it works for our boys.  Last school year, our oldest needed schooled outside of the home, and so that's where he went.  This school year, all will be homeschooled with the use of a 2-day a week home education center.

I don't think everyone should homeschool.  In fact, there's probably some families that plain should not homeschool.  Homeschooling is simply that, a child being educated in the home.  It's not a guarantee of success, a seal of golden character, or an indirect commitment to eat whole foods, grow a garden, and live in harmony as a family at all times.

Nope, still normal here.  Just like you.  We ate Lucky Charms this morning, watch way too much TV, and lose our patience with each other often.

Then apologize.

Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful families out there that homeschool AND plant gardens AND read great literature all day AND do science projects every day AND have an organized green home with a compost out back AND....AND....AND

We're just not one of them.

Freedom in acceptance for me.  I would love to be that family.  And I know in many areas I'm growing and learning to incorporate more great stuff into our day and our family life.  But with all the stereotypes out there on homeschool families, I started to realized I was the one putting those on me.....no one else.

I just want to be me.  Julie.  We homeschool.  But it doesn't define our every waking minute.

I love this quick read, it's actually myths about public school.  Just as I ask to not be sterotyped into a box as a homeschooler; I, too, challenge myself to not box families that use public school.

For me, if I'm trusting in an educational choice for the potential future outcome of my child, then I've lost faith.  In a God.  The Creator that made my child, promises to bring His work to completion.  Now our educational choice for our children is important and should not be taken lightly.  We do have responsibility.  But I'm talking about the core.  The heart.  As I lay down each night, am I believing in our God that is able to protect my boys, use all of their life for good, and grow them in His ways.  Do I trust His plan?  And know it will probably include some bumps, curves and valleys.  It is not my responsibility to position their life to never have those in it.

And so we keep homeschooling.  But it's written in a box, with a dry erase marker.  Like we're from Ohio.  Or have a dog.  Or are becoming fishermen.  It's not a rock, that we stand on.

That Rock is much firmer than our homeschool's primary teacher .  And I'm so glad!