How We Got Started in Home School

So, some people know early on that they want to home school their children, or they themselves were home schooled.  Sometimes they know of a family that is already involved in the home school life style.  For me, it was a lot different.
 I hope nobody takes offense here but, I used to think that all home schoolers were a strange cult, that lived off the land in communes, and sheltered their children so much that they grew up socially defective and unable to function in real life.  Now, before you get upset with me I will explain.  I grew up not even knowing about homeschooling.  I had never even really heard of it until after I graduated from high school.  Not one person I had ever known home schooled, or even knew anyone else who did.  It was one of those topics that were really out on the fringes of my existence.  As I grew older, got married and started to have children, it still was not even something I even slightly even considered looking into.  My husband and I went to public school.  Our parents and siblings had gone to public school.  Every single person I knew went to public school, and our children would, of course, go to public school.  We looked forward to our children's first day of school.  Since we live in the country, they got to ride the school bus.  That first day, we walked out to the end of the driveway with them, held their hands, smiled and assured them that it was going to be fun.  An when that big yellow bus pulled up and stopped, waved to them, wiped a tear from our eyes, and watched as they were taken away.  My husband and I both knew, of course, what public school was like.  We knew that riding on the bus was not that we made it out to be.  We knew that our children would probably get picked on at some time or other.  We knew that there might be days that they came home crying.  We knew that teachers were overworked, underpaid, and many times just going through the motions.  We knew that lunches could get stolen, or older kids would expose them to words they were not supposed to know at that age.  We knew all these things and more.  But that's what we went through.  And though we knew all this,(and for me at least it was the hardest time in my life) we willing sent out little ones out to face all those things with a hug, an extra treat in their lunch box and some lies that it would all be o.k. Sigh.
So, how did all this lead up to deciding to home school?  Very simply actually.  I worked at the school one year as a special needs assistant.  That one year working in the environment that my children spent 6 hours a day in was enough for me to really take a step back and wonder if this was all there was out there.  Now, the school I worked at was not broken down, or poorly staffed.  They were not struggling with gangs, violence, or a big drug issue.  In fact, I would have to say that as far as my experiences with schools go, it was at the top of my list.  I did see a few things that upset me, and there were time that I had to excuse myself and go and cry in the bathroom.  Nothing 'serious' mind you, just the slow and methodical breaking of little souls into the mould they are supposed to fit in.  As his was happening, the mom of child I was working with was going to try home school the following year.  A close relative of mine had decided to home school her children.  The seed was planted.  What made it all come together was this.  My oldest son, Ryan, was getting bullied at school and on the bus.  The bus driver tried her best, but her job is to focus on the road.  If she didn't catch it in the act, there really was not too much she could do.  At school, my son did all the right things too.  He talked to teachers about what was happening.  We talked to teachers about what was happening.  The school did their very best to help us.  In the end, nothing changed. So we knew what we could do.  We could take responsibility back for our own children, and educate them at home.  Scary.  Very scary for me.  I didn't have a clue about what to do or how to start.  But I knew it was, and could be done!  So, I jumped in with both feet and pulled all 4 kids out of school right before Christmas break in 2009.  It has not been a easy road for us, but it is the right road.  We have never looked back, and now enjoy looking forward.  What a wonderful gift we have received.