Off on a new adventure

It occurred to me earlier today that the onset of homeschooling is a great time to start blogging. I've never been one to keep a traditional journal, but a blog seems to be part interactive journal and part online newsletter - that's an idea with a lot more appeal. So here I go, launching myself simultaneously into several new adventures, only two of which I'll discuss tonight - homeschooling and blogging.

I decided a a couple years ago that I needed to homeschool Galen, my 4-year-old son. Originally I was open to the idea of a private school, or perhaps one of the better charter schools here (but the regular public schools were never an option), but as he grew and developed I became more and more convinced that I couldn't trust his education to someone else. I remember what public school was like for me growing up, when homeschooling was a lot more intimidating than it is today, and I want better for my son.

Galen is smart. I know what some of you are thinking (because I've heard it all before) - every parent thinks their kid is a genius. Sure, I've got that same bias, but I've also done my homework and I've got the backing of others who have also seen what he's capable of. I've experienced the life I see him embarking on, and I want better for him. I know what it's like to be the smart kid with her nose buried in a book all the time, because I was that kid. I know what it's like to be bored to tears in school because you understood it the first time and the teacher is going over it again for the fourth time for the half-dozen kids that are still struggling. The problem is schools today aren't any better at handling kids like me than they were back then, and could arguably be accused of being a great deal worse thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act.

Then there's the behavior issues other kids bring to school that the schools are essentially powerless to control - inappropriate clothing, foul language, hateful ideas, bullying, peer pressure, bad attitudes, drugs, etc. All it takes is a trip to the store to convince me that even small children today can be way out of control - and once the parents lose control it only gets worse as they get older. No thanks.

Oddly enough, the fact that I'm a Christian had very little to do with my decision to homeschool. I know it's a big factor, if not the biggest factor, in the decision to homeschool for many Christians. I suspect some homeschool because they object to evolution and related ideas being taught to their children, some homeschool because they don't want their children to be part of a secular world that accepts homosexuality, atheism, etc., and others homeschool just to avoid exposing their children to the scary behaviors I've already mentioned. There are probably a whole lot of Christian families who homeschool for reasons that I've never even considered.

I guess it comes down to the fact that I am a Christian who homeschools, but I don't consider myself a Christian homeschooler. This may surprise a few people who knew me in high school and college, but I am not a Young Earth - Creation Science - Intelligent Design supporter. I accept evolution fully, and I am convinced that the earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old. I do believe that God is responsible for all of it, which some might argue is the same thing suggested by Intelligent Design, but it isn't science and should not be taught in a science classroom as science. Perhaps I'll get into this more at a later date, but for now, enough said.

So there you have it - my first blog entry. Hopefully I haven't bored you to tears - or an unplanned nap. I'm hoping to gather my thoughts about the first week of homeschooling for a second post tomorrow. Good night all!