The Main Reason We Home-school

This post is to help people understand why we have chosen to do what we do, and stimulate some thought on these issues.

Lest some take offence, let me make it clear that we are not saying that those who send their children to state schools in N.I. are sinning, nor are we judging and condemning those who do, nor are we saying that those who do are bad parents, nor are we saying that we or our children are superior, nor are we attacking the good work that Christian teachers do.

As parents we must ask ourselves, how can we best obey the following verses? We believe the answer is consistently Christian home-schooling. Nevertheless, "Let each be fully convinced in his own mind." (Romans 14:5)

1. Our children's training must come from Christ
"...bring [your children] up in the training and admonition of the Lord."
Ephesians 6:4

2. Their whole day should be pervaded by the Word of God:
"You shall teach [God's words] to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."
Deuteronomy 11:19

3. Is it right that God-given chastisement is not available for most of the day?
"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him... Do not withhold correction from a child..."
Proverbs 22:15; 23:13

4. How can we best prepare our arrows for shooting into the World?
"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth."
Psalm 127:4

5. We must be careful what company our children come into and who teaches them
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.'"
1 Corinthians 15:33

6. As Exclusive-Psalmists we believe that it is detrimental to encouraging our children to adopt this practice, or to tempt them to go against their consciences, by sending them to a school to sing man-made hymns every day. (No wonder so many RP children turn away from this position.) At home, Psalm-singing can be part of their schooling.
"Lead us not into temptation."
Matthew 6:13

"But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."
1 Corinthians 8:9-13

7. All things should be done for the maximum glory of God, including the education our children receive
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31

8. Christ must be King over education as well as every other sphere of life
"...that in all things He may have the pre-eminence."
Colossians 1:18

Christian home-schooling is not something to be adopted lightly, but I doubt that anyone would, esp. with the responsibility and the pressure to conform. We respect those who either do not have the finance or the confidence to seek after this ideal, and those who take a different opinion for good reasons. We also don't want false guilt to be created in the hearts of those who have looked at the options and decided differently to us. Examine your own heart and circumstances before God, not by what others do.

Good Christian parents of course still do supplement the 'neutral' teaching of schools with a Christian education at home. We are just trying to take what we see as a more consistent approach as much as possible.
More...

A Quick Thought on Home-schooling

Q. What is the purpose of sending one's children to school/ home-school?
A. To be educated about God's world and equipped with knowledge to live as an adult.

The answer is not "to be missionaries". That is not the purpose of education.

How many times I have heard people say, "I'm sending my children to be salt and light!" Are they salt and light in the first place, or could some of the influences they get have the opposite effect? I've seen the tragic situation of someone asking why his children have gone off the rails. If he knew how some of their teachers were influencing them, then he wouldn't ask. (I knew as I was at school with them.) If you send your children to school, be vigilant about what influences they are getting.

Please note that I am not despising the good work and witness that many Christian teachers have within the state sector. In fact, I say, "Keep up the good work!" Nor am I saying that those who send their children to state schools are bad parents.

I am also not saying that home-schooling will save your children. Of course not! I've seen a person from a home-schooling background who doesn't appear to be Christian as well. I believe that the worldly influence of the home-schooling parents had a lot to do with it (as well as too quick an acceptance of a confession of faith without questioning inconsistent behaviour afterwards).

Home-schooling parents (and all parents) need to think about the influence that they have on their children.

Do not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals. Do you know enough about the company your children are keeping, including teachers?

More...

Irish Constitution Protects Home-schooling

By the way, while we're still on home-schooling, the Republic of Ireland's Constitution states the following...

Education

Article 42

1. The State acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the Family and guarantees to respect the inalienable right and duty of parents to provide, according to their means, for the religious and moral, intellectual, physical and social education of their children.

2. Parents shall be free to provide this education in their homes or in private schools or in schools recognised or established by the State.

3. 1° The State shall not oblige parents in violation of their conscience and lawful preference to send their children to schools established by the State, or to any particular type of school designated by the State.

2° The State shall, however, as guardian of the common good, require in view of actual conditions that the children receive a certain minimum education, moral, intellectual and social.

However, please note this recent attack in 1999 on home-schooling that was lessened through help from the American HSLDA. It would be interesting to know what eventually got passed. it sounds like they require registration, which is less free than the U.K. (except for liberal Scotland).

Here is another great section in the Irish Constitution:

The Family

Article 41

1. 1° The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law.

2° The State, therefore, guarantees to protect the Family in its constitution and authority, as the necessary basis of social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and the State.

2. 1° In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.

2° The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.

3. 1° The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack.

Rest of post

New Scientist Doesn’t like Home-schooling

See this article on the Answers in Genesis website about subversive types like yours truly. The evolutionists are getting scared about their monopoly being taken away. After all, as has been confessed by the liberals who organised it in the U.S., the point of the state system was to eject Christianity from schools and stop its influence upon the next generation, so that they could transform society into a wonderful, atheist/humanist utopia. Isn't the world a better place for it?