Before We Were Homeschoolers

When we decided to homeschool our children, there were many people who asked if I thought I would enjoy it and be able to handle it. I told them all the same thing...that I had been teaching my children since the day they were born. I have always loved learning with them and teaching them. They have always been curious, eager learners. I knew that I could do it because I had already been doing it unofficially for nine years.

I was looking through some of my old albums today and found some great pictures that were taken when my children were all still preschoolers. I had to smile when I remembered how much work we put into hatching out the little chicks in an incubator beside my bed. We got the incubator from my dad and the eggs from our neighbor down the road. We put an X on one side of each egg and turned them on a regular schedule. I'll never forget how excited we were when we could hear the chirps inside those eggs...not to mention the day that the little things started pecking their way out. The kids were amazed that from those eggs came all of these wonderful little black, fluffy chicks. It was such a great experience!

Next, I found a series of pictures that I took of baby birds hatching out in an old stroller on our deck. We were so excited to find a nest that we were able to see into. Every day we checked to see if the eggs had hatched. One day, we checked to find that the birds were hatching out! We got to see them come out of the eggs and open their little beaks for food. We watched them grow big enough to leave the nest and watched from the playroom window as they learned to fly for the first time.

I loved reliving all of the old memories because they remind me of what I love the most about homeschooling...having the time for spontaneous lessons like these. Homeschooling isn't just a way to educate our children. It is a way of life...a life that I feel like we have been living since the day our first baby was born. It took us some time to realize that we could do it on our own....I'm so glad that we did!!