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My senior dd's plans after graduating…
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I thought I would share a bit about my first child to be finishing homeschooling. It’s been great seeing so many high school topics being discussed, so I thought some of you might be interested in hearing about our oldest daughter.
She’s a senior this year, our oldest of five and has always homeschooled. Can’t believe our first one is finishing! We’re so proud of the sweet amazing young lady she has become. Her education has been a mix of curriculums over the years: Sonlight, SCM, Queen homeschoool, a brief stint with Abeka, and one year with Heart of Wisdom. She has always been a voracious reader and I definitely attibute this to making good, twaddle-free books always available to her.
We began knitting and spinning about seven years ago and have a small angora rabbit fiber business. She has long known that she wanted to be in the fiber business, but hadn’t zeroed in on what area…dyeing yarn, teaching classes, owning a yarn shop, being a knit wear designer, etc. She started working part time this year, so she was feeling tons of pressure to find the time to figure out “what she was going to do after she graduated”. After praying and talking to my husband a few months ago, we decided to pull the majority of her school requirements away, leaving only the literature from her British Lit. course that she was doing (she had already finished all her requirements to graduate…she was just working on extra stuff). I told her to begin developing some ideas. I wanted her to have the freedom and the time to spend exploring her dreams.
She has done tons of research on the pros and cons of college, but cannot come up with a particular degree that she feels would be absolutely applicable and worth going into that much debt for. She’s currently reading a book titled, “Is College Worth It?” by William Bennett and finding it very thought provoking. She’s not against college…she’s just against the idea that everyone should go, just because, even if it’s not going to directly help them achieve their goals. So she has put college on the back burner, confident that she can learn what she needs to succeed in her fiber business goals using internet sources, workshop classes and various books.
In the last month or two, she began a blog to journal her path, opened an etsy shop, opened a Paypal account, designed and ordered business cards and designed an infinity scarf with some handspun yarn (she’s got test knitters now, working on the pattern and giving her notes). I think she is fine-tuning her goals to realize that she would like to be a knitwear designer.
I hope some other moms are encouraged, hearing that homeschooling does work and can be done through to the end!
Here’s her blog if anyone’s interested in following her journey!
http://www.eloiseknitsandpurls.blogspot.com
Blessings,
Lisa
How exciting and encouraging. Thanks for sharing! We aren’t there yet as our oldest is 13, but we are definitely in the camp that college isn’t for everyone and isn’t the only way to success. We always say that we will prepare the kids to go on to whatever they choose next.
Blessings to you and your daughter on her new endeavor.
Christie
Yes, thanks for sharing. We also have a long way to go before high school graduation but it is wonderful to hear of her success; college bound or not. Good for her!
Wonderful ad so timely for me with a up coming 9th & 10th graders. Thank you for taking the time to share.
That’s wonderful! And I love her blog! My oldest is 23 and chose the college path (finishing a degree in engineering.) We told him all along that we supported his going to college…or not. God has different plans for different people. I’m glad there are those who feel comfortable enough knowing that and can make choices based on God’s calling rather than the world’s idea of success.
BTW, I’ve always been fascinated with fiber arts. My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet as a girl and finally declared me hopeless. I’ve always wanted to learn to knit, spin, weave, etc. We have hair sheep so we don’t sheer them but I would love to learn. Have even talked to artists at fairs and such. But, as a 50yo wife, homeschooling mom, librarian, farmer, etc. I don’t see it happening any time soon.
This is awesome! I have a BFA in fashion design, but I took quite a few fibers classes and contemplated switching majors. It is a wonderful area and will always be applicable because we all need clothes.
Hello Lisa,
I am a homeschool grad only a few years older than your dd following a similar path and I have found that the programs at Olds college fit my plans well and I thought they might be of interest to her. They have spinning classes in Canada and the States and weaving classes only in Canada.
http://www.oldscollege.ca/continuing-education/special-interest/fibre/fibre-week/index
From what I can tell the spinning and weaving programs will provide a strong understanding of color theory and dye experience.
Another couple programs of interest to me.
http://www.tkga.com/?page=HandKnittingProgram
http://www.crochet.org/?page=MastersInfo
Another well respected program BUT I have heard it is a VERY difficult to achieve. I might attempt it AFTER the Olds program.
http://www.weavespindye.org/program-overview
I personally have llamas and sheep (one of whom I am waiting in the barn with as lambs should be imminent!!!!). I am taking the spinning in the US and the weaving in Canada. And I plan on starting the knitting and crochet programs in the near future.
I am also getting an associates in business BUT college is not necessary to learn what business knowledge she needs. However, she DOES need that knowledge. I do not learn much in class that isn’t in the dry boring textbooks and I know for a fact that there are living books that teach it too. But I don’t remember in the barn what they are! Lol 😉
If she does go to Fibre Week have her look me up. And if she wants to know more about the programs first hand have her pm me.
Best of luck whatever she decides!
Kati
P.s. What is her name on Etsy?
this is such an encouraging post!! I am years from seeing this kind of fruit but I am so glad that you shared it with us. This is what I desire to see happen with my kids. They find their passions and pursue them. I just sent the link to my husband to read. This was a great motivator to keep going!!
Thanks,
Amy
Just to add more encouragement … My oldest ds graduates this year too. We used Sonlight to start but in his 3rd grade year we switched to Ambleside. Followed that completely until yr 7 then a bit more piecemeal. He is doing a large chunk of their yr 11 this year. He is not planning on college … he is going to go through a local electrician apprenticeship which we are excited about. He loves to think about and discuss issues and politics. He has also had his own handyman business for the last couple of years. He plays electric guitar and drums in the worship band at church and is daily improving on playing the piano by ear. He is a very hard worker! Oh and he is playing on the local ps baseball team this year. We are very proud of him. There were a few years when we weren’t sure we would ever make it!! But here we are!!
Olivia in OH
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