This thread has been very good reading and it is clear to see how God has called each of you. My wife and I do not "home-school" in the strictest sense of the word; however, to say that we do not, would be foolish.
My wife works from home and is present when our son leaves and when he returns; she has always taken a very active role in Donny's education. Thiis includes meeting, and befriending all of his teachers. She keeps in touch with them all and they see her as a friend as well as a parent. My point is, that we as parents have taken a very special interest in Donny's education and we talk about his school, teachers, subjects, what happened, friends, people hurting or falling back and why? It is simply amazing how much we have learned just by discussing everything from chemistry, trigonometry, world politics, history, good teachers, bad teachers, etc. In doing so, we have been able to offer Donny alternative ways at looking at things.
For example, only rarely does a teachers teaching style "click" with a student; we soon fixed the "it's the teacher fault...." with it's not their fault if they don't know that you don't get something. There are of course any number of ways of asking for help or for anything that increase your chances of getting what you want that a better than "...Duh, I don't get it"
These are life skills, some kids are born with them, Donny had to learn them.
But as a result of this journey, Donny has excelled and has made the national honor role in highschool three years running. He has become a very respected person, by peers, teachers and even the principal of very large highschool. He has become a leader, (not of his chosing) and is looked up too. This happened not by "chance", public schooling should not be looked as "out of mind and out of siight" as many parents tend to do.
Please do not think for a moment that we frown on home schooling, it's just that I wanted to show that "public schooling" is NOT
(left that word out) necessarily bad. As God takes an active role in his children, so must we in ours.
Thanks, to you all.
Darren