We have much to be thankful for this New Year.  There is also much to reflect upon.  The year of 2001 will forever live in our minds due to the events of September 11th.  Yes, our world has changed drastically for some, yet remains very much the same for others.  Most have begun to reflect more upon our priorities, family, friends, neighbors, fellow citizens of the United States and also the world around us.  Pride in our respective  countries has become more evident.  Compassion for those suffering the pain of war, hunger, slavery and oppression has abounded.  We will always remember 2001 with shock not unlike that felt by those who experienced 1941.  

2002 is a New Year!  Let us start fresh.  Let us put further focus on our friends and families.  Let us concentrate on providing our children with the basic truths necessary to achieve in this ever shrinking world.  Knowledge.  It is our responsibility as parents, educators, students and friends to teach the children what they will need to know in order to face the realities of life.        

Happy New Year!

One has only to glance at the latest numbers to realize homeschooling is not a passing phase. Homeschooling is here to stay. A few years ago, we had difficulty purchasing curriculum programs from educational publishers. Now, we have been discovered and are being pursued as new consumers on the boardwalk. But is this how we should define homeschooling: by our choice of curriculum? Or test scores? Or the number of hours spent in a given topic?

I don't think so. Each family is unique, but we have gifts in common. These gifts make us mentors and role models for others. Let's explore these gifts briefly. As you continue reading, stop and think what gifts your family possesses and share them with others. . ..

The gift of time
Our world is experiencing an explosion of information overload. What used to take days or weeks now takes seconds. As time passes faster, the media and cultural expectations erode our sense of grounding. We are encouraged to over-schedule and live life at warp speed. As homeschoolers, we can say "Stop! Slow down." We can learn to simplify our lives by safeguarding our time and family space.

The gift of diversity
Public school advocates would have us believe the only way to be exposed to people of other cultures or with different beliefs is to sit all day in a classroom. (But don't talk or walk over to your friend's desk because you might be sent to the principal's office.) Homeschooled children are encouraged to interact with each other and with the adults around them, including grandparents. This is a natural extension of their homeschooling lives as they grow to accept and appreciate diversity naturally. What a great gift to pass on to future generations!

The gift of interdependency
In my opinion, while public schools focus on helping students become independent, homeschoolers tend to focus on being inter-dependent. We don't live on an island. We need other people, and other people need us.

dependency cycles
We have the freedom to break the cycle of dependency we have on public schools and the systems that feed into it. Homeschooling is an educational choice that dilutes the power of public schooling by helping others realize there is more than one way in which to learn. When we break this dependency cycle, we look to our families, instead of strangers, for nurture, love and encouragement.

The gift of childhood
Yes, even as adults, we can be kids again. We can be spontaneous and free to learn right along with our children. We can watch our children grow naturally according to their own inner biological schedule, and we can give them room to explore their true selves. Children are valued and cherished, and their feelings and ideas are respected.

The gift of appropriate risk-taking
Appropriate risk-taking can challenge our minds and our bodies and help us to be of service to others. A few years ago, my husband and I attended the graduation ceremonies at the Washington Homeschool Organization Homeschool Conference in Tacoma. The numbers of young people who had already completed missions or service projects, going into areas of poverty and disease worldwide in order to help others impressed us. Some became involved in ecological issues, helping to save our environment. Taking the leap into homeschooling can be a risk. This is uncharted territory for some families.

The gift of reclaiming your family
In my opinion, when we homeschool, we get to know our children far better than if they're gone six to eight hours a day. And without peer pressure, they get to know us better, too. We learn what's important and what's not. My family no longer spends precious evening hours pushing our children to finish their homework. Our time is ours. We can play games, read or talk with one another.

And the most important gift of homeschooling? We can change the future, one child, and one family, at a time.