The man who told me to look into homeschooling five years ago, when my firstborn was only one year old, passed away on January 8. He was my father-in-law.

He lived only five minutes away. I saw him almost every week and, of course, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the kids’ birthdays. He was a constant presence in my life, in other words.

And now, he is no more.

The sadness overwhelmed me to the point where I entered the grieving stage of denial. Almost three weeks later, I have not left denial yet. Denial protects me from hurting. It also helped me make it through the memorial and funeral services.

Denial keeps me strong so I can answer the kids’ questions.

But the fact remains, we homeschool because my father-in-law planted a seed with me. It took several years for it to sprout, but it sprouted.

“You should look into homeschooling him,” my father-in-law said to me five years ago, pointing to my one-year-old who was toddling around us. “I met this lady from Ohio and she said it was the best educational experience for her sons,” he continued.  Continue reading »