Ten Ways to Love the Homeschool Family

In a previous post I recommended ten ways to tangibly love your friends and family, neighbors and church members who have chosen to send their kids to public school.

However, in this article, I simply want to offer ten more ways to serve and extend grace specifically towards the homeschool family as they juggle the unique challenges of school at home.  Homeschool children, too, need to know the great love which God has shown them in Christ, so may we serve our homeschooling neighbors and friends to the glory of God.

1. Bring an afternoon pick-me-up for the homeschool teacher. This may seem like nothing more than a friend bringing another friend a treat, and in a way it isn't; but what you communicate with this gesture is, "I see you and I support you. I might not understand or chose the same methods as you, but I am here to champion your efforts. I love you as Christ loves you." 
2. Purchase school supplies or even parts of a specific curriculum.  One thing you should know about homeschooling is that it can, at times, break the bank. Living usually on a single income with multiple children at different grades, homeschooling comes with a cost.  You can help a family relieve some of that burden by asking what you can purchase for the coming year.  From school supplies to textbooks, I can assure you that even a single item will be met with joy.
3. Invite the children over to your house. One way to support a family that homeschools is to simply open your home.  Invite the children over to your house to play when the school day is over. Make it a point to ask them about their school day and ask what they are learning. Use this as an opportunity to point to the gospel and biblical truths.
4. Attend a child's sporting event or art show. You might not know that homeschool children have entire leagues and clubs dedicated to sports and the arts. Find out when their games and events are, and simply show up. This has the potential to make a lifelong impact on a student's life when an adult other than their parents (whom a homeschooler is around constantly) takes time to make gospel investments in their life.
5. Provide a meal or snack for the family.  Homeschooling isn't simply school at home, but is rather a way of life. It's a 24-hour, never-ending learning environment that happens right in your own home--for better or worse. Which means food must be stocked at all times: breakfast, lunch, and snacks that are usually offered at public school are the responsibility of the homeschool parent. Providing a snack or a meal for the family will be a gasp of gratitude.
6. Recognize the children with your own 'awards' pertaining to character or a job well done.  Surprising a student by recognizing their hard work, applauding a job well done, or championing their growth in character development would be a special way to honor a homeschool student. Awards days and student recognition tends to be forgotten in homeschool circles, but this can be very formative and motivating for a child. Again, showing the ways you value a person can lead to opportunities to speak about Christ both now and (most notably) in the future.
7. Send a letter of encouragement to the homeschooling parents.   Sometimes the progress in the "classroom" is hard to see. At times a homeschooling family will wonder if their child is really soaking in anything at all.  There are many joyful days in homeschooling, but there are plenty of discouraging moments as well.  Send a note to the homeschooling parents vocalizing your support and that you are rallying their efforts. But do maybe include a tissue in the card though, the homeschooling mom will need it after reading your words if it comes on one of those particularly challenging days.
8. Pray for the homeschooler's day as you wait at the bus stop or drop off at carpool. When you are dropping your own children off at school, use this as a moment to pray for your children's friends who will learn at home today. Ask that God would give the homeschooling parent a passion for teaching with patience. Pray that the students would love the art of learning and would respect their parents throughout the day. Ask God to meet the homeschooling family in their greatest need for the day. And if your homeschooling friends are not believers, pray that God would open their eyes to the truth of the gospel.
9. Complete tasks in the home. The thing about your home being the central location for school is that is also the central location for everything else in life.  Those who don't homeschool can naively believe that being "home" means you'll have more time for chores.  You can physically serve the homeschooling family by extending a compassionate hand in folding laundry, cleaning toilets, wiping windows, or even caring for younger siblings if it is during the school day. It doesn't have to be an all day endeavor. By sending a text that says "I'm coming over to unload and reload your dishwasher" you might have just taken the first step to start a gospel conversations and demonstrate your love through Christ.
10. Create dialogue with the homeschooling parents at your church. Homeschooling parents aren't as scary (or weird) as you might think.  People are usually afraid of what they don't know, and tend to put up walls in defense (This is true on nearly everything in life). But don't keep the homeschooling family at arms length because they have chosen a different mode of education. Talk to them. Ask them about their experience. Ask them why they have chosen to homeschool. Ask them about their challenges. Take a moment to pray with them, and if they aren't believers, have the hope of the gospel on your lips seasoned with salt.

I hope these ten ways give you plenty of ways to start serving and loving the homeschool families in your church and neighborhood. Don't stop with these though!  As you develop a relationship and seek to demonstrate God's kindness to them, you will know how to best minister to the growing needs around you. 

"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free [homeschooler or public schooler]; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Colossians 3:11-15