Why I Homeschool

I have been asked by several people what made me decide to homeschool. A couple of people asked me if I was having problems with the school?
Homeschooling may be more acceptable, but many people want a good reason. Wanting to give your child a Christian Education is controversial. Some believe that we should "train them up in the way they should go" while they are young. Others think our children should go to public school to be lights there, to represent Christ in the school. My Pastor went to public school, while his brother was homeschooled in high school. His brother wanted to be homeschooled, but my Pastor looked at his school as a mission field.
I guess my reasoning is more personal. My older children are in public school. They work hard to maintain their beliefs and be strong for Christ. They want to be lights, and have stood up for Christ in many classroom debatesas well as with personal issues. However, they don't feel like missionaries. They feel instead like they have to make sure they aren't dragged down by those around them...from peers to faculty.
I spent some time with some homeschooled children before making my decision. These were not shy, unsocialized children. But they seemed to have something that many children I see just don't have. They felt free to be who they are without feeling like it was wrong. They weren't peer dependent. They didn't feel like they had to hide their faith. They didn't feel like what brand they wore or what shows they watched or how many friends they had (in life or on myspace) mattered. I doubt popularity or any of those issues that plague other children entered their minds a whole lot. And, from what I saw, these children had respect for their parents, their lives, and those around them.
1. I homeschool because I want my daughter to love Jesus, and to be free to love and learn about Jesus without feeling pressure to do otherwise.
2. I homeschool because she can learn about the world with a Christian worldview, not a sheltered worldview that keeps other theories from her. She will learn about evolution, but she will also learn that it is not a theory we believe. She will learn about her creator.
3. I homeschool because my daughter was beginning to feel negative about herself, already feeling like she had to measure up to everyone else and be like them.
4. I homeschool because I get to spend quality time with my daughter any time I want to.
5. I homeschool because I know what Laura is learning, how she is treated, and that she is safe.
6. I homeschool because I can make sure Laura is working at the pace for each subject that ensures she knows what she is doing and works best for her.
7. I homeschool because God put it in my heart to do this and I need to be obedient even though it isn't always an easy task.

Personal Beliefs, Personal Attention, Academic Pace, Practical Living, and Character Training are all major reasons to homeschool your child.