Wanna Be a Steader!

Hi Kim,

I hope you remember me. My daughter, A------- 16yrs. old, and I came to your house about a month ago. Since that day, I feel that I (and my daughter) have been truly enriched. I could not believe the endless possibilities out there for "true homeschooling". I purchased A-Becka's Consumer Math Books for A------- and we decided on Further Up and Further In with the Chronicals of Narnia Books [note:  a Margie Grey unit study ~ KW<><]. Even though there are days when she is feeling challenged, it is so much more comforting to know that when she gets stuck or has a hard time understanding something that I can take the time to go over it with her in her own terms until she does understand. This is exactly what I was looking for, something that was at HER pace and not the SYSTEMS pace that only left her in the dust. We do have our moments but we are working out the kinks. This is still very new but has been a blessing. I still haven't received her last grade card with how many credits she earned after the first semester from C-------- High School. (I hope that will come soon.) Well I just wanted to update you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening my eyes to a bright and wonderful world. You are an Angel from Heaven!!! Thank You, Kim....

That just brings tears to my eyes!  Remember the feeling of watching your children ~ no matter when you started homeschooling, whether from the beginning or starting later in their education as teens ~ and how wonderful it was to actually SEE the light shine from their eyes when they understood a new concept?  When they felt the excitement and contentment of real learning?  When they realized that learning can be fun?! 

I LOVE being w/my children and I LOVE being with my children when they reach such mile-stones.  Oh, how I would have hated to have missed that!  Those 24,000+ hours that un-homeschooled children spend away from their parents can NEVER be re-captured.  Never.  Even now, w/one daughter having graduated from our homeschool 2 years ago and one who will graduate in '08, the time has passed more quickly than I could have ever dreamed.  Our relationships would never have been as close as they are.

When I'm speaking to a frightened, nervous, new homeschool parent I try to always include this:  "I always hope that new homeschoolers will continue until graduation, but that's between you and your family.  But I WILL tell you this...whether you homeschool for one year or go all the way through, you - AND your family - will NEVER regret a moment of it!  No family is perfect, but this is the BEST option for your family and you will be closer and enjoy each other more than you ever thought possible.  And always remember...you may be the teacher, but you are still the parent.  Sometimes our kids, no matter their age, need a hug more than a star on a perfect paper."

Thanks for the affirmation!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><