I’ve met homeschoolers throughout my life who had this quiet certainty about them. They have told me that they knew they wanted to homeschool their children even before they were born. I am in awe of these folks. They were reading homeschooling theory books right alongside their “What to Expect Whey You’re Expecting.”
I’m afraid I simply can’t put my hat into that ring. Homeschooling was probably the furthest thing from my mind as I nurtured my kids through infancy, toddlerhood, and even preschool. It wasn’t until a serious health scare the summer before my son was scheduled to begin kindergarten that I began to entertain the idea. And even then, it wasn’t like I was choosing to homeschool. My son’s weakened immune system and continued neurological issues sort of made homeschool choose us.
So for what seemed like years, I played catch-up. Delving into homeschool theory, methodology, and curriculum choices. And it created a serious case of culture shock for someone who was not only a consummate product of the public school system, but the daughter of a public school teacher!
But over time, I have come to realize I was not alone in my sudden and unexpected foray into the world of homeschooling. Time4Learning even coined a phrase for those of us non-native homeschool-speakers. They call us “Accidental Homeschoolers.” We may not have come to home education in any traditional sort of way, but nevertheless, here we are.
If you are one of those families who sort of woke up and found themselves homeschooling, I hope you will at least find comfort in the fact that you are not alone. To find out more about “Accidental Homeschooling”, and how other families are dealing with their newfound status, visit Time4Learning’s Accidental Homeschooling page for more information.
Posted under Homeschool, new homeschoolers
This post was written by Kerry on January 14, 2009
