KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT COLLEGE

We love this quote from "Anne of the Island" ~ the Green Gables series:

"There are lots of things that never go by rule,

 there's a powerful pile o' knowledge

 that you never get at college."

It was hard not to conform to the pattern of the world and yet convince friends and family that  homeschool education HAS prepared us and will continue to prepare us for "real life" even after high school graduation. But why change a good thing? Real life learning at home is fun and it works!

Back in our high school years, Mom asked us what we would like to be doing in 10 years, then 5 years.

Then she helped us plan what to do the NEXT year in order to start preparing for those goals and dreams.

Everyone may have different goals and dreams, therefore it makes sense that college is not always the right path to prepare to attain them. Just as public or private school wasn't the right path for us 13 years ago.

We answered that we want to be godly wives and mothers in 10 years and at least preparing for it in 5 years. Then Mom asked if that includes a career. We were absolutely sure that we want to stay home to be homemakers and raise any children that God may bless us with. We would like to serve the Lord in our family, church and community, whether we marry or not.

We then discussed if college would help us gain any of the skills we will need. The answer was, no; going away to college might even get in the way of our dream, giving us feminist attitudes. We know women and mothers who are working outside their homes because they "can't afford to give up their income". We also know that many young women lose their purity when they leave home and are not under the protection of their fathers. We also know that paying off college loans can be a burdensome expense that young married couples may have to take on. We know there are many ways to earn a living or help contribute to the family income without having a college degree.

With these things in mind we thought about other ways to continue our education and the benefits of continuing our education at home.  While continuing to study subjects we need practice in (like consumer math), we focus on interests like piano, handicrafts, child care, building websites, buying and reselling, mother/daughter Bible studies, serving in the church library, reading and sign language and find ways to use these interests in serving the Lord. We also practice homemaking skills by taking on more duties at home and helping extended family when there is a need. We also enjoy typing, filing and answering phones at our father's office when needed and providing cleaning service for our brother's office.

We are choosing to remain under the authority and protection of our father's house, continuing to learn, serving and helping keep an orderly home, until he gives us to our future husbands in marriage.