In honor of Thanksgiving, we have collected words of gratitude from our volunteers, and we are sharing them with you with the prayer that they will inspire you this week.
I am thankful that my kids can follow their own interests.
I am thankful that we are not dictated by an outside schedule.
~ Annie N.
I am thankful for homeschooling because of the flexibility it gives my family through all seasons of the year and of life. We are able to spend time exploring outside when it is nice. We have also been able to take advantage of this flexibility when we added a new baby to our family.
~Lacey H.
I am thankful to have the freedom to flex my children’s learning around the seasons, family trips, and life’s surprises.
~ Amy S.
I am thankful homeschooling reinforced the fact that our family had to be a team through the ups and downs of life. We were reminded often that we needed to keep our focus on the playbook of our Coach, and that for the sake of all, we needed to direct ourselves back to His plans when we veered off course.
~ Betsy W.
As a husband and father, I am thankful that my wife and I have the freedom and privilege to raise our children as we see fit. We can put thought into what we want to teach them, and we have time to teach them important life skills such as managing finances, developing speaking and communication skills with a variety of ages, and home maintenance.
~ Mike S.
I am thankful for the freedom to homeschool because of the flexibility it gives my family. My children are able to dedicate extra time to the subjects they love, and I love watching them pursue their interests. I am also so thankful that I was the person that got to teach my kids how to read! It has been one of my favorite parts of homeschooling so far!
~Emily C.
We are thankful for the freedom to teach from a Biblical worldview, the ability to cater to each child’s interests, and the close bonds created within our family.
~ Lisa P.
I am grateful for the educational freedom we have through homeschooling. Not just the freedom to choose curricula, teaching methods, and what will be taught, but also when, where, and how to tailor the education to each of our children’s needs and interests. This educational freedom has been the biggest blessing during each of our moves with the military in five very different states.
~Kimberly L.
I am very thankful that we were homeschooling our children during our five moves to different states. Some of the things I am thankful for are:
- Consistency – during the move, their school work was routine and brought stability to our family.
- Less stress – we did not have to worry about what school our children were going to attend. Additionally, we didn’t need to stress about what grades and classes the new school would accept.
- Flexibility – while traveling we were able to use many different things we came across for school during our journeys. We learned about gas mileage, maps, airplanes, landmarks, and many national parks.
- Homeschooling gave us the opportunity to do things together as a family which drew us closer together. I am so grateful for homeschooling.
~Greg L.
I am grateful for the homeschool freedom we have in Indiana because it allows me to meet the needs of my various special learners. I can keep their interest and help them grow and mature physically, emotionally, and intellectually in the time frame that is appropriate for each child. Activities and lessons can be planned around doctor visits and therapy sessions.
~Staci M.
It’s truly a privilege to have the freedom to homeschool my children. To be able to weave a Biblical worldview into every part of our day while enjoying so much quality time is an adventure that I’m so thankful for. It also gives us many opportunities to build relationships with each other and have deep conversations. We feel connected as a family.
~Kelly C.
We are thankful for homeschooling because it allows our students the ability to move at their own pace and also to pursue other interests outside traditional academics.
~ Christina W.
Every year, I write in my family’s Thanksgiving gratitude journal that I’m thankful for the freedom to homeschool. But more specifically, I’m thankful for the extra time (years!) spent with my children, being there to witness all the firsts, the a-ha moments, the fun and laughter; the freedom to teach them faith and values and responsibility; and the opportunity to nurture a love of learning and a love for family. I’m also thankful for the IAHE and their relentless efforts to protect our homeschooling freedom.
~ Meghan C.
Happy Thanksgiving from the IAHE!
For more ideas about how to start your own Thanksgiving Journal, see last week’s blog post HERE.