The Whys of Homeschooling

THE FAMILY

O SOVEREIGN LORD,

Thou art the Creator-Father of all men,

for thou hast made and dost support them;

Thou art the special Father of those who know,

love and honour thee,

who finds thy yoke easy, and thy burden light,

thy work honourable,

thy commandments glorious.

But how little thy undeserved goodness has

affected me!

how imperfectly have I improved my

religious privileges!

how negligent have I been in doing good

to others!

I am before thee in my trespasses and sins,

have mercy on me,

and may thy goodness bring me to repentance.

Help me to hate and forsake every false way,

To be attentive to my condition and character,

to bridle my tongue,

to keep my heart with all diligence.

to watch and pray against temptation,

to mortify sin,

to be concerned for the salvation of others.

O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction

of my kindred.

Let those that are united in me tender ties

be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.

Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,

instruction, discipline, example,

that my house may be a nursery for heaven,

my church the garden of the Lord,

enriched with trees of righteousness of

thy planting, for thy glory;

Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral,

attractive,

fall short of heaven at last;

Grant that the promising appearances of a

tender conscience,

soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word,

be not finally blotted out,

but bring forth judgment unto victory

in all whom I love.

- Taken from The Valley of Vision A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, 1975, pp. 208-209

Edited by Arthur Bennett

It was seven years ago when my husband and I first decided to homeschool our children. Like many who may have chosen to be counterculture, we were not exempted to the many “Whys?” of friends and family who genuinely cared for us. Looking back, I can’t really recall all the other reasons that we may have blurted out but one thing is clear, we want to impart our values and faith to our children. From the start, both my husband and I agreed to be purposeful and intentional in our parenting. That first year was filled with challenging yet wonderful days of learning, cherished family memories, and emotional and spiritual growth—until I had to return to teaching in a traditional school.

Fast forward to 2025: my husband and I once again agreed that I should leave my day job and return to homeschooling. It was not an easy decision; it took two years of prayer and preparation before we finally committed to what we believed was best for our family. Our main reason remains the same—to lead our children to the knowledge and saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and train them in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).

As we model our faith, teach our children God’s Word, discipline them in love and righteousness, and lift them up in prayer, we know nothing is a hundred percent guaranteed. Yet we rest on the promise that the One who called us is faithful, and His love far surpasses the combined parental love my husband and I have for the souls of our dear little ones.