How to Deal with Family Opposition of Homeschool { Community ...

I love the Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling Facebook community. ?If you are on Facebook, and you haven?t joined, you should. ?There are over 8,000 homeschooling families who make the page great. ?One of my favorite aspects of the community are the?questions and conversations that spark. A common?occurrence is a homeschooling mom posting a?question and in return she?ll receive anywhere from 40-100 answers! ?I want to carry some of that wonderful helpfulness here onto the blog; especially for readers who don?t use Facebook. ?

This inspired?my new?Community?Question special feature! ?As long as I receive questions via email, smoke?signal, fax machine,?or Facebook, I will answer a 1-3 of those here on Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling in a blog post each week. ?Then, you?ll have the?opportunity?to share your thoughts and tips in the comments of the post and/or in the Facebook community.

Today lets tackle one question; I know this is a topic that all homeschoolers face at some point in their?journey:

T.B.?asked?~

?How do you deal with extreme family opposition and the implication that you are not smart enough to teach your own children? I am a stay at home mom and I have family who are ?constantly encouraging my 4-year-old?to ask when she can go to ?school.? ?

Oooo, boy ? we?ve been there. ?We have faced extreme family opposition; and I?ve faced criticism that I?m not smart enough to teach my children. ?Let me break this question down a little further.

Family Opposition of Homeschool

It hurts. ?You want so bad for everyone in your family to see that homeschooling is a beautiful?gift. ?Instead, you?re met with blank stares, or rude comments, about your well thought and prayed out choice. ?Honestly, after homeschooling almost a decade we still have some family members who we?ve?realized?may never fully accept our homeschool life. ?Like any kind of opposition we?recognize that this is from the enemy. ?We all go through seasons of opposition, especially when we are obeying the Lord.

• Exodus 14:14 ?The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.? ?This is my power verse in many situations. ?It works just fine to claim and cling to when you?re meeting opposition from family too.
• I wrote two articles on Overcoming?Judgments?of Homeschooling and When?Judgments?Come
• Focus on the positive voices.? Focus on those who do support your journey. ?Thank the family and friends who stand beside you. As long as my husband and I are in agreement, and we?re following the Lord, I have to focus on those?positives.

Am I Smart Enough to Homeschool My Children

I know moms with only their G.E.D?s who are?successfully?homeschooling their children. I also know mothers who are highly educated by the world?s standards and are also doing an outstanding job home educating their children.?I feel with a heart for the Lord, and basic life experience, any mother can homeschool their child with flying colors.? I feel that I?m learning right along with my children. ?It?s not a matter of me teaching them everything they need to know. ?My job is to teach them about Jesus and to teach them how to learn. ?I mean, really ? did you graduate high school knowing it all? ?Most of us didn?t. ?I?ve learned most things as an adult. ?I?m sure I?ll fill in my own personal gaps while learning along side my children. ?Homeschool moms have the gift of receiving an education twice!

The Myth of Teacher Qualifications?is an article written?by Chris Klicka, former Senior Counsel for?HSLDA. ?This article sites several examples in reference to the myth of needing a teaching?license?to be an effective teacher (nothing against my Christian teacher friends out there ? we?re encouraging moms that they can do their God-given jobs, without the teacher?s license).

A statement from the article, ?Dr. Peavey concluded his testimony with practical examples of excellent student achievement results by students who were being taught by their parents, most without degrees or certificates. He explained that many studies demonstrate that homeschooled children ?commonly score a year or more above their peers in regular schools on standard measures of achievement.?^5?Remember, that was even considering homeschooling parents without degrees.

No matter what family opposition you face, the Lord picked YOU to be the mother of your children. ?You are anointed to be their teacher. ?It is you who the Lord pre-ordained to guide these sweet souls to Him. ?Neither earthly qualification, nor approval of man, will validate or trump God?s purpose for your homeschool; which is to touch and change the world for His glory.

Now it?s your turn to join in and encourage this homeschool mom. Answer in the comments or on Facebook. ?

• How do you handle opposition from family over your homeschool? ?
• Have you had to deal with being told or feeling that you?re not smart enough to teach your children? ?
• What are some ways the Lord has led you through these situations?

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