One of my reasons for homeschooling is a new one I’ve recently added to my personal list of motivators: Igniting a fire!
I is for Igniting a Fire
Some pics from Laynie’s first competition a couple of weeks ago #layniegracedances #dance #dancer #9yearsolddancer #homeschool #homeschooling
Homeschooling gives children an opportunity to discover a true passion, and pursue it with no limits. Light a fire of interest in a particular thing in a child, and watch it grow like wildfire!
Just a little over 6 months ago, my daughter decided she wanted to become a dancer when she grows up. She had very little training in true technique, except for some recreational dance lessons as a youngster and a few years of recreational gymnastics. She couldn’t even do a split!
But she had been watching dance videos and trying to copy the moves, and she had an amazing new dance teacher who encouraged her and believed in her. My first ever Instagram post was a photo of her practicing her splits in the living room floor, and she was a good 4-5 inches from succeeding. She had just begun to strive to improve her flexibility so she could be competitive.
This was on her own motivation, and she begged me to pull up Youtube videos, help her stretch harder, and kept wanting to learn more and more. She now practices an hour or more per day, on her own, without any prompting from me. She’s made goals, and works hard to achieve them. It is truly an amazing sight. She is on fire for dance!
With her permission (actually she begged me), I’ll be sharing some of her new tricks she’s learning on Instagram. Give her a “like” every now and then. She loves it! And this mama is scared to death of my baby growing up and thinking of careers (she says she wants to be a ballerina, a Vet, and/or a children’s home owner/foster mom), but very proud of how hard she’s working towards her current goals.
She has a confidence and energy I don’t think she’d have if she were in public school. But in homeschool – she’s free!
I’m so thankful for the ability to homeschool, which gives her the time she needs to dream and focus on anything her heart desires. A fire has ignited in her that I’m privileged to see grow from a small spark of hope into a full-blown fire of determination and drive.
P.S. – I can see/hear the comments already: Let me address any concerns upfront for you. 1) No, we honestly can’t afford competitive dance. But we have been BLESSED where we are, that’s all I’ll say. Please don’t assume anything. 2) YES, of course I am very nervous of posting her pics on Instagram – that’s why they’ll always be a bit blurry or else black and white for her own protection. 3) Yes, I’m proud of her, as any mom would be, so of course I share pics of her sometimes, ok well, a lot! I’m proud of my other two children as well! I’d love to see pics of your kids in their sports/extracurricular activities on Instagram – follow me, and let’s cheer our kids on, I would love that!
This post is part of my Why We Homeschool series. I hope you’re enjoying these posts from me and my homeschool blogging friends!
Don’t miss the other posts in this series!
