Recently, I had impromptu conversations with two mothers who are in the midst of making the "should I homeschool again next year?" decision. Both of these bright, articulate women have poured themselves into their children and homeschooling; both have done wonderful jobs. Their children are well adjusted and are doing well academically. As I reflected upon both of these conversations, I wondered why we agonize so when our children are doing so well.

Then I realized that the decision-making process is often more draining than homeschooling itself. Why as homeschooling mothers do we do this to ourselves? Why do we constantly second-guess our decision to homeschool? Why are we constantly looking for another bigger and better sign from God that we are doing the right thing by teaching our children at home? I think there are several answers to these questions.

1. Homeschooling mothers are better "agonizers" than any other group of people I know! After all, practice makes perfect. No matter how well our kids are doing, we can always find something to agonize over—no matter how minuscule and unimportant.

2. We wrestle with these questions and constantly evaluate our actions because we love our children passionately and desire their absolute best, regardless of the sacrifice involved.

3. We love God and want to make sure that we are carefully following His leading in our lives, and not following our own whims and desires. If we could know for certain that it really is God leading us to homeschool, we would have no doubts about continuing; but sometimes we're not sure if it's God will or just some crazy notion we've developed on our own. Like Gideon, we want to know God's will; we're just not sure we're hearing Him correctly—so we continue putting out fleece after fleece.

4. Sometimes it is hard to constantly go against the flow. As much as we tell our children to stand on their own two feet, we have a hard time doing that ourselves. Well-meaning friends, acquaintances, and family members often add to our angst, with questions like, "You are putting those children in school next year, aren't you?" Unsupportive parents and in-laws can be very difficult to handle, especially if you had great relationships with them before you started homeschooling. 

5. Sometimes we just get tired. Homeschooling is very rewarding, but it is also very hard work. We are usually making the decision to homeschool for the next school year when we are worn out from the current school year. We begin to look with envy at moms whose living rooms don't look like science experiments. Or moms who actually "do lunch" with friends. Or moms who can exercise at 10:00 in the morning, instead of getting up at 5:00 to make sure exercise is finished before it's time to start school.

During my early years of homeschooling, (we just finished our twentieth) I used to envy those friends of mine who knew, from the time their first child was born, that they were going to homeschool through high school. I realized then that sometimes deciding how to educate one's children is often more difficult than the educating itself.

So, having said all this, how do we decide if we should homeschool next year? How can we make the decision-making process more tolerable? I hope the article, Should I Homeschool Again Next Year? Ten Helpful Steps, will help you put this decision in proper perspective and hopefully make the process a little more bearable.

I don't remember when I made the transition from agonizing every year about whether to continue homeschooling to knowing that we were really in it for the long haul. I do know that after twenty years of homeschooling, my perspective has changed.
 
In closing, I thought I would share with you the perspective of Dr. Brian Ray, author of the Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling. He and his wife no longer take the decision to homeschool a year at a time. They believe the Lord has called them to homeschool and has led them in that direction. Until they believe the Lord is leading them differently, they will continue to homeschool. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

I pray that the Lord blesses you with peace and rest this summer, so that you can begin next year with a sense of expectancy and excitement.

Zan Tyler
Homeschool Editor for LifeWay.com
www.lifeway.com/homeschool

Should I Homeschool Again Next Year? Ten Helpful Steps
Sometimes making the decision to homeschool is more draining than homeschooling itself. Even though their children are doing very well at home, many mothers agonize annually over whether to continue homeschooling. Here are some suggestions that I hope will help you discern God's will for the coming school year.

How to Have a Great College Visit
After you and your teen have narrowed your list of prospective colleges, it is time to make a campus visit to find the right fit. Here are some ways to make the college selection process productive.

Teaching Latin
With the resurgence of classical education, Latin language study is on the rise. Should you teach your children Latin? How old should your children be before you begin? What are the benefits? What resources are available? Are any resources available on-line? Join Mike Farris as he interviews Dr. David Noe about teaching and studying Latin.

Helping the Hyperactive Child
"That child has ADHD. He needs to be on Ritalin!" Thankfully my mother wasn't one to take the advice of every supposedly well-meaning onlooker. As a hyperactive homeschooled student, I can honestly say that I never "suffered" with hyperactivity. In fact, I rather enjoyed it! It was the people around me who suffered.

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