THE HOMESCHOOL AWAKENING

When our oldest was old enough for kindergarten, we knew exactly where we wanted her to attend. This public school was exactly what we envisioned and it was a wonderful experience. The following year, when she would enter the first grade, my husband and I were children's pastors at a church that also had a private Christian school. We were blessed that our kids were able to attend this school at no charge to us. The Christian school was, again, a wonderful experience.

Two years later, my husband and I stepped down as church staff and moved to a new church. This meant our children were no longer able to attend the Christian school without a very large chunk of money. Unfortunately, with three now in school, we just could not keep them in financially.

We decided to enroll our children in the public school by our house. It was horrible.

Here are just a few things we experienced:
- Teachers showing up to school to teach in pajamas.
- We were one of only five sets of parents in the entire school to show up for parent/teacher night.
- I tried to meet the principal on five different occasions, she always refused to come out of her office and meet me, nor did she return my phone calls.
- My daughter's third grade teacher had her cigarettes on her desk, in view and reach of the children.
- On one of my visits to the office to speak with the principal, a man who had never been to the school walked in and said he was there to pick up a friend's daughter. They told him to go on down to her classroom and get her. They never verified with the parent, never checked for notes from home, never even asked the child if she knew the man.

After only six weeks, my husband and I knew we could not continue. We pulled our kids to homeschool them. We were met with the office staff laughing at us and telling us how stupid that was and that we would be back. We never went back.

Homeschooling our kids was the best decision we could have made!

Homeschooling wasn't always easy. In fact, there were many days I thought I had lost my mind. There were many days I thought I was underqualified or incapable of teaching my children. But my husband and I always came back to one thing: God qualified us to teach our children when He gave them to us.

All four of my children have all graduated from homeschooling now. As I look back, the days weren't always easy or perfect. But they were always good. Homeschooling them was a blessing, a gift from God.

As I look at the schools now, I would make the same decision, only I would have made it faster! Our children are our gift from God. He calls us to take care of them and to protect them. When I look at all that is happening in our school system today, it breaks my heart.

Kirk Cameron has a brand new movie all about homeschooling. Families across the nation are experiencing the homeschool awakening, taking advantage of the freedom and opportunities for self-discovery -- with the world as their classroom. Kirk dives into the adventures of dynamic American families on a mission to put fun and faith back into learning. The Homeschool Awakening explores the ins, outs, and honest answers to homeschooling’s most frequently asked questions.

The Homeschool Awakening is in theaters today (6/13) and tomorrow (6/14) only. To find a theater in your area, click HERE.

Whether you already homeschool your children, you are considering dipping your toes in to give it a try, or you are completely against homeschooling, this movie is for you! Don't miss The Homeschool Awakening!