Why I Decided To Homeschool My Daughter

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

If you have followed my blog on Facebook for some time now, you know that I recently announced that I pulled my daughter out of public school and have started homeschooling her. Though there are many reasons for this decision, I would like to share a few of them with you now. First, let me start by saying that homeschooling in a personal choice. While it works for some families, it does not always work for others. In fact, I used to be one of them.

Homeschooling has always been in the back of my mind. When my husband and I first looked at schools for my son, I toured many including public, private, religious, homeschool co-ops and others. In the end, we decided to send my son to a charter school for kindergarten based upon his individual needs. Fast forward a few years later, and we were at the same point with my daughter, and we decided to send her to public school.

However, this year I noticed a few things about the school that was causing her some anxiety. For example, she was in a class size of 35 kids, there was a lot of tween drama and the school day was too long for her. So, my husband and I discussed it and decided that homeschooling my daughter was a much better option for her at this point.

Since taking my daughter out of public school, she’s been able to check out all sorts of homeschooling classes, co-ops, park days and more. For example, she’s currently taking an online veterinarian science class with Outschool.com and will be going on a field trip to a local veterinarian’s office soon.

One day a week she attends a homeschool class with other kids where she gets to work on math and reading together and enjoy PE. The small class size has made all the difference in her ability to learn and process information.

The remainder of the week I teach her at home, while we explore all the different homeschool options available in our area for the fall. The actual idea of staying “home” when you homeschool is a misnomer!

The ability for me to take a leap of faith and homeschool my daughter was not an easy one. I was very scared and nervous about the future. All sorts of questions played out in my mind like what would my parents think, did I have the necessary skills to homeschool my daughter and would my daughter be okay in the end?

One of the things that inspired me during this decision-making process was the song “Me” by Mallary Hope. The lyrics were quite timely.

“Me”

I could be stronger, I could be braver
I could be someone who is never called a failure
I could have less doubt, I could have more faith
But I can come to You bold and unafraid

I can be me
A broken mess You knit together perfectly
A child You’ll love no matter what the world may see
In Your eyes there’s no one else I need to be
I just need to be me

I can be honest, I can be fearless
Unashamed to show my every weakness
I can stop comparing, because You’ve promised
Just as I am is all You ever wanted

I can be me

A broken mess You knit together perfectly
A child You’ll love no matter what the world may see
In Your eyes there’s no one else I need to be
I just need to be me

You are strongest in my weakness
I am Yours and I am free
I could be stronger, I could be braver
But I know to You it’s never gonna matter

A broken mess You knit together perfectly
A child You’ll love no matter what the world may see
In Your eyes there’s no one else I need to be
I just need to be me

Need to be me. It’s okay to be me.

Despite my own limitations and insecurities, I am enough just the way I am. The Lord has given me everything I need for this new journey ahead. Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” As a new homeschooling mom, I know I’m going to need a lot of grace and guidance from above. Thankfully, the Lord is willing to provide it abundantly and then some!

As I streamed more of Mallary’s music on Itunes, I discovered that she is a prolific songwriter as well. With a powerful voice and a big dream, a hopeful 17-year-old Mallary Hope left Cohutta, Georgia for Nashville to pursue a career in music. After countless hours of hard work and knocking on doors up and down Music Row, she established herself as a notable songwriter, with songs cut by popular artists like Faith Hill, Sara Evans, Lauren Alaina, Jana Kramer, Danny Gokey, and Katie Arminger. Though she was finding some success as a songwriter, it wasn’t until Mallary’s transition and focus on Christian music that she really found her voice, a format that allowed her to make music that illustrated where she was in life, and truly make an impact on those listening.

Another song that has touched my heart from Mallary’s album “Out of My Hands” is “You Will Make A Way”. The chorus hails:

This mountain’s climbable, this river’s crossable
Nothing’s impossible, You will make a way
Through every circumstance, I’m held inside Your hands
Day after day, You will make a way
I’m not afraid, You will make a way

Time and time again, God always makes a way. Whether that’s through a special Scripture verse, a much needed phone call from a long distance friend or a cheerful song like this one, God reveals himself to us at just the right moment in time.

I’ve also been inspired by the song “3:16 (No Greater Love)” from “Out Of My Hands”. This catchy, upbeat tune reminds me that no matter where I go, God’s is always there. Even in the simplest of moments, like grabbing a cup of coffee at the local coffee shop, God is there. In fact, did you know that He is everywhere?

OUT OF MY HANDS TRACK LIST

“Out Of My Hands” by Mallary Hope includes the following song tracks:

You Will Make A Way
Looking Back At Me
3:16 (No Greater Love)
Pray With You
Walking With The Light
Me
Out of My Hands
Lay it Down
Love More
Home to the Water
Now
My Love
My God
Yours
Saving Me
Lay It Down (Acoustic)
My God (Radio Version)

“Out Of My Hands” by Mallary Hope will be released nationwide on April 26! To learn more about the beautiful artist behind the music and listen to her songs, visit here.

Happy Listening!

Jilleen