The Turning Point

2011-09-16T22:12:00.001-04:00

Homeschooling. It's a big decision. I remember our first year. There were lots of discussions and prayers between the two of us. Could we do it? Would people think we were crazy? Would we "mess our kids up"? More prayers and discussions...We had seen family and friends homeschool successfully. We felt like we had a good support system in place. Finally, we decided to jump in.

As a dad, I was certainly committed from the start. I just did not know what to expect. It was all new. The first few years were great. I saw my daughter's progress almost daily. I also enjoyed the flexibility that homeschooling brings. We were able to set our own schedule and go on vacation whenever we wanted to plan it. My wife attended a homeschool conference each year and would come back excited with more great ideas. She always wanted me to go with her, but I unfortunately I never made it a priority.

And then it happened. It was three years ago and I decided to take a few days off from work and attend a homeschool conference with my wife in Charleston. I knew I may be one of the few males in attendance, but how bad could it be, right? With my mother-in-law watching the kids at home, at least my wife and I would get some time away... a mini-vacation. By then my wife was a pro at these conferences. She looked over all the courses that she was going to attend and then had some "suggestions" for me. Some training we attended together and some separately. To say that I was blown away was an understatement. That was the first time that I really started to understand the journey that we had embarked on three years before. I met other dads and heard other homeschooling stories. It was like a veil was lifted. I left that conference with a passion and fire for homeschooling our children. That passion still exists today.

Something else was born that weekend. This website. Yep...three years in the making. It took almost two and a half years to get it out of my head and onto paper, and another 5 months for the design/programming team to get it operational. The ideas have morphed a lot since the original thought entered my mind, but the core purpose has remained the same... everyday help for homeschool families. Help with questions about homeschooling. Help with swapping, selling or buying curriculum. Even help with everyday financial needs... saving some money on everything from fast-food to piano lessons.

So, today it begins... the official launch of Homeschool Hotline. Even though we have worked for months, the site may not be perfect. Hopefully, we have fixed all of the programming glitches. If you see something that you think we need to know about, please be kind and contact us. It will be an ever evolving project. Naturally, it will take a while for the listings to grow in the Local Link and the Swap Shop. Keep checking back. Our desire is to be a blessing to homeschool families. Period.

From our homeschooling family to yours, welcome to Homeschool Hotline! We hope that in some small way, we can help you and your family with your homeschool journey.