The Mertens

Merrily Mentoring the Many Mertens

 

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to homeschool four children at different levels? For some, homeschooling can be wild, terribly busy, interesting, and/or fun. For the Mertens, it is all of the above. Mr. and Mrs. Mertens have been homeschooling for ten long, years. Happily, Mr. and Mrs. Mertens started homeschooling when their son, Roger, was five years of age. The reason they started homeschooling, is because they did not have the funds for school. They felt God uttered they should homeschool. Naturally they have four wonderful children, as mentioned before; three boys and one girl. their names are: Roger, Dalton, Drew and Sarah in that order. Within the ten years of homeschooling Roger, they have homeschooled Dalton, Drew and Sarah. Homeschooling at different levels can be very difficult. Aside from getting started, which is first, there are homeschooling activities, benefits and negative experiences, continuing and back to the past that will be mentioned. There will be a lot discussed.

 

As well as doing math, spelling and other subjects, happily and willingly the kids help their dad outside. Some of those fun things strenuously include: growing vegetables in a garden, cleaning animals, which is done after they have been hunted, working of vehicles, hunting and even helping their mom inside the big house. In addition to working outside with their dad or inside with their mom, Roger and Dalton had a job mowing and taking care of lawns. (now they are working on forclosed houses)

 

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility; you have a much closer bond with your family, like the Mertens, and you do not have to deal with the public school's bad attitudes. Although there are several benefits in homeschooling, there are some negative experiences in homeschooling, such as burn out and all the frustration which takes place in getting prepared. What will happen next? Cannot wait to see. This is so amazing! Unfortunately the question is still standing out, will they continue to homeschool?

Most likely the Mertens will continue homeschool until Sarah, the youngest, graduates from high school. Hopefully they will continue homeschooling. Mrs. Mertens articulated, "If I were able to go back to the time when roger first started school and live up to this day, I would have done things much differently. For example, I would have waited until  Roger was six years of age to start hime in school."

The Mertens have fun doing all the activities they do, as a family. Additionaly, they enjoy the benefits and negative experiences experienced in homeschooling. Continuing to homeschool, they will enjoy watching their last child graduate. While looking back, Mrs Mertens articulated she would have waited to start Roger in school a year later. The most important thing in the Mertens' homeschooling lives is raising their children in a Godly fashion, because living for God should be the number one priority in our lives. She is merrily mentnoring the many Mertens.