Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
As the first day of school approaches, children everywhere are experiencing a common malady: the back-to-school blues. What parent doesn’t remember that twinge of sadness as summer days fade, and as classes, study hall, and homework take their place?

As with any tradition, the routines and emotions of attending school can become so familiar that we don’t even question them. For some children, the back-to-school blues signal a problem that needs to be addressed. Perhaps your kindergartener is reluctant to attend school because she will miss spending time with her younger brother. Your 3rd-grader may be terrified to face yet another year of being the slowest reader in his class. Maybe you have a child who isn’t being challenged academically, or is overwhelmed by peer pressure.

Your children’s concerns may mirror your own. As parents, we know our children’s strengths and weaknesses better than anyone—and we hold their best interests at heart. No matter how caring a schoolteacher is, he or she cannot provide the same individual attention to a roomful of students that you can provide to your own child.

Each year, an increasing number of parents choose to homeschool for just this reason. They want the opportunity to spend more time with their children, helping them to overcome learning challenges and develop their unique potential in a safe, loving environment.

Homeschooling requires sacrifice, but the rewards are priceless. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.