Last September, Manila Workshops and The Learning Basket, co-sponsored by Unilab and The Learning Library, held the Educating for Life Homeschooling Conference at the Bayanihan Center. It was attend by 470 people. It was awesome! I was there as the Event Director of Manila Workshops. This was my first event and it was a baptism of fire for me because I was thrown into such a huge event. Online casino Ireland. ###
with the Homeschooling Conference team – Ginger, Mariel and Sanne
Of course, being a homeschool mommy for the last 12 years, the homeschool community is like second home to me. But I have a confession to make: before this, I have almost forgotten about my passion and vision for homeschooling.
When our baby Zac died in 2012, it was very hard for me to get back to my normal way of life. Before Zac, I was happily teaching his siblings at home and even blogging about our journey. But after his death, everything was too difficult for me. Sitting down to write was a no-go because instead of being able to gather my thoughts about whatever topic I wanted to write about, all I could think of was the death of my baby. Sadly, even homeschooling became a burden for us. My children and I couldn’t sit down to study everyday because of the grief we felt.
A month after Zac died, I decided to find online work so that I could help provide for our family and continue to homeschool the kids. My thoughts then was that I needed to earn money so that if anything like that happened, we would have the resources needed to get the best care for anyone in my family. I was so focused on working and doing well at work that more and more, homeschooling was taking a back seat. We didn’t give it up, for sure, we were still studying, but not as much as we did before.
And then came this conference, and just like that, I was thrown back into the world of homeschooling.
A week before the event, I was told that we were going to be interviewed on TV. We agreed that I and Mariel will be doing the first interview on ANC Dateline Weekends together. On Solar Daybreak, I was interviewed by myself. Before the interviews, I was so nervous, I had to read up on homeschooling again to prepare for it.
You can watch the first interview on ANC Dateline here.
This is the interview on Solar Daybreak with Hllary Isaac.
It was because of these TV interviews on homeschooling that made me realize how much I missed teaching my children. I remembered how passionate I was about homeschooling as I was talking to Hillary. I think anyone can tell after watching this how much I loved teaching my children.
What truly cemented my decision to keep on homeschooling was when I got sick with pneumonia early this month and had to be confined in the hospital for a week. Before discovering I had pneumonia, I was depressed and struggling so hard. I couldn’t understand why I felt so lost. It was as if I wasn’t at that place where I’m suppose to be. The week at the hospital was a God-send. I was sad to be so sick but glad that I had time to refresh myself with God’s word. I read about the peace that God gives to His children and realized that until that time, I had no peace at all. I was striving so hard to do things that I thought I should be doing. So I asked myself: When was the last time I felt truly peaceful? As I pictured what peace was to me, I understood why I was struggling.
Peace to me was teaching my children, not only their subjects in school, but reading the Bible together, watching them learn, learning together. That was my Peace.
I am thankful to God that I became involved with the conference. Had it not been for that, I would still be lost. I was lost because I wasn’t doing the thing that I was most passionate about – the call of God to teach our children at home.
How about you, dear homeschool mommy? Thinking of giving up already? I’d like to help bring you back to your passion when you first began on this journey. Here’s mine:
Why We Homeschool – Our Core Reason, Our Vision
Do you remember your reason? Share with me in the comment section why you became passionate about homeschooling. What was your core reason, the vision that kept you going?
So sorry for your loss… It’s wonderful to read that you are able to reconnect with your passion once again.
Hi! Thanks for taking time to read my story. It is great to rediscover it.
I’ve tried homeschooling my children. We tried it for one year but in the ended we decided to put them back to school outside the home. They were in their middle school years and I think the transition was tough. They were doing so well already and with work and a little one it just didn’t seem to be the right decision to continue to homeschool at the time. I have a 4 year old though and I’m considering it for him.
Sometimes, it is really like that. The homeschooling lifestyle is not for everyone. It’s a good thing that you tried it out. Maybe this time, with your four year old, it will be better. Take care.
I’ve been reading alot of good things about homeschooling. I hope one day I could learn more about it and see if it fits us.
The way to really know more about it is to read homeschool blogs, read books and most importantly, meet up with other homeschool families. Hope you could really explore this lifestyle.
I am seriously considering homeschooling my son when he grows older however, I still have no idea how I’m going to do it since I am a single mom with a full time job… Glad you were able to find peace again, too
Liz, there are a lot of single moms who also homeschool their kids and are telling their beautiful stories. Hope you’ll be one of them, too. There are just so many benefits. Take care.
Good to know that you’re getting back to your “peace”.
I really wanted to join the conference but was unable to. I hope I’ll be able to attend next time.
Thank you, Janice. We did miss you. Please come next year. We have plans for a bigger and better conference next year.
Oh my, I love your thoughts about peace and homeschooling. We haven’t begun homeschooling yet, but I’ll surely feel more at peace by knowing that my son grows up loving God than getting merely academic achievements.
I think homeschooling is not for me. Kudos to you for homeschooling your kids for 12 yrs and sorry for your loss.
I am still for actual attendance in school but whether homeschooling or not what is important is that children learn what they should learn in school… the only thing that I am worries about homeschooling is whether children can learn social interaction the same way as in actual schooling.
Thank you for sharing your sad experience and how it affected you. I am sure that was such a devastating event, and I am glad you are moving on steadily. Homeschooling seems such a formidable endeavor. I am curious about it though if it would suit my kids. – Fred
I have met you in Martine’s first WAHM workshop and you were one of the speakers
I really love what you are doing and when I grow up I want to be like you! Kidding aside, I wish I could homeschool too!
My daughter and I have study time but I still need to find a structured lesson plan for us.
oh Michelle! hugs. God really has his gentle ways of helping us get up and get going.
Anyway, I thought you did incredible in the interviews!
Sorry for the loss :'< It is really heartbreaking especially for a mother. I never tried homeschooling but i read some articles about it. And congrats for your first huge event. More success
Thank you for sharing. I have friends who are very passionate about homeschooling. Although I got my education from mainstream schools, I do acknowledge the advantages of homeschooling.
Beautiful entry. I am so sorry for your loss but I’m happy that you’ve reconnected with your passion along the way. Congratulations as well on your growing community of homeschoolers.
I am not homeschooling my kids but I enjoy teaching them and making reviewers for them
You might want to consider homeschooling, then. I always tell parents who are already tutoring their kids at home that the amount of time spent tutoring is the same amount of time they will be spending if they homeschool their kids.
What an incredible story you had. Good thing you managed to overcame the odds and get back to do that thing you loved. Well, not a parent here but I had a lot of thoughts from my peers saying that homeschooling was way better than doing the traditional trend of educating.
Life gives us a lot of trials and challenges, what matters is we face it and we are able to move on. Thanks for dropping by.
Thank you for sharing your story. I have a lot of reasons for and against homeschooling. One thing I learned about youcis that you have to have passion for it.
Thanks! Yes I am very passionate about teaching my kids values and building their character.
so sorry for your loss..but im glad for you since you said you are finally getting back up!
i have mommy friends who homeschool their kids, need to do further research about it though, right now, im just slowly teaching my boy some english words and good manners. he’s a year old!
So sorry to hear about your baby, Zach, and the struggles you had to go through. Good thing this event came into your life and brought you back on track.