When I started homeschooling 14 years ago, I really didn’t think I would be doing it for so many years. I wanted to, but didn’t know if I was capable of it. When our oldest was 14, he talked about attending our local public school. We talked it over with him extensively and prayed with him. After a few months of prayer, he decided he wanted to continue homeschooling. So, here I was with a very intelligent young man and I was endeavoring on our first year of homeschooling a high school student.

I have to admit I was scared. I didn’t know if I had the knowledge to teach him, or the patience to relearn things I had forgotten. It was then that I handed over our homeschool to the Lord. His strength would have to take over where I was weak. His wisdom to lead me would get me through. The days were long at first. I felt like he was already smarter than I was, but the Lord opened up doors for us to learn together.

My first concern was choosing the correct curriculum. I prayed and prayed for God to show us what would work best and fit into our budget. We decided to go with a few different curricula. Each had what we felt would teach him what he needed to know as a high school student. God even had a plan for the future. He knew our other children would be able to use these textbooks as well and that took a strain off of our budget each year.

As the days and months went by, we noticed that with patience, hard work and determination, we could do this! We could teach our children all the way through high school. As the years went by, we found ways to teach things that we were not able to. Online classes and local friends who were willing to help in the areas we were weak in, really took the pressure off. We found that God always provides a way if it is His will that it be accomplished.

Our oldest graduated in June of 2012 and he is thriving! He is assistant manager at his place of business and is attending classes to become a firefighter. He already volunteers at our local fire department right alongside his dad. We have our daughter graduating in the spring and she will be attending college to become a worship leader. With the time she has had for her interests, she has mastered the guitar and wants to go on to teach others this wonderful instrument of worship.
So before you begin homeschooling the high school years, take time to really search the scriptures and focus on God’s plan for your family. Allow Him to lead you every step of the way. Don’t focus on the negative, and enjoy each day with your teen. Trust me it goes by very quickly and you will wonder where the years went.

You can do this with the Lord’s help! He won’t let you down. Just lean on Him every step of the way.

This is our family’s homeschooling verse:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6. I encourage you to have a family verse and a homeschool mission statement.

Is homeschool high school years in your future? If so, when?