Recently, I lost 35 lbs. How did I do it? Diet & exercise! I faithfully got up every morning before the rest of the house and ran or did my workout video. The eating part I had down to a science. But, I was nervous about the exercise program! Could I do it? Would it be too hard? I can’t workout for an hour per day! I don’t have the time! I hear similar questions to these from people about HSing. Can I do it? I can’t teach my child! Will it be hard? When will I find the time? Just like exercise, HSing takes a little organization, a little hard work, some perseverance, and lots of prayer!

My exercise program (P90X and running), like all good ones, begins with a warm up for 5 minutes. Then, it gradually increases in intensity for 35-45 minutes and then decreases to the cool down. What, you ask, if anything, does this have to do with HSing? Well, when you start homeschooling, you should warm up. For example, kindergarten and 1st grade can be the warm up. The intensity of the studies will increase as you and the child progress through the middle school and high school years until graduation. That is when the cool down comes into play.

If you commence a running/work out program without a warm up, your risk physical injury increases. A person cannot just go out and run a 5K with no prior training. They will end up quitting a short way in or harming themselves. The same is true for school. Foundations and goals must be set. Training must occur. If you ease into your school year, you are less likely to burn out & become frustrated. The younger you start with your child, the more you set them up for success and the less de-programming you have to do from public/private school.

Now, there are those instance when, for reasons only you know, you pull your child out of school. There is never a time that is too late. If you are 14 or 74, there is never a time when exercising is a bad thing. It is never too late! I began running in my mid 30s(I am still in my mid 30s) and I have competed in several races. There is a woman is every race that I run who always wins. I asked her what her secret was. She said that she had been running since she was in high school. Maybe one day I will pass her, maybe not but I am hot on her heels. The point is that I have been at it for a few years and I am better for it. I am healthier and in better shape than I ever have been. Am I worse off for beginning late? No!!! It has been great for me! I couldn’t even run once around my block when I 1st began. Two months ago, I ran 5 miles! Schooling your child at home, no matter when you start, will take some endurance. This job was much harder than I imagined. You’ll need help from a trainer(God) and encouragement from fellow runners(Heart to Heart and other HS moms). Let the Holy Spirit guide you in all your decisions from the biggest to the smallest. He will renew your and refresh you. For this marathon, you don’t want to get lost, hurt your knee, or sit on the side of the road crying. You want to follow the path set before you(by God) and allow Him to give you the strength you need to get from day to day or sometimes even hour to hour. We are called to finish the race. 2nd Corinthians 9 says, “Run in a way that will get you the prize. All who take part in the games train hard…..I do not run like someone who doesn’t run toward the finish line.”
Train hard, keep up your endurance, set your eyes on the prize, finish well!