A little background
I grew up in Northern California surrounded by wildlife and was outdoors for much of my childhood. From a young age, I wanted to grow up to be a teacher like my mom, and specifically help children with learning disabilities. As the years went on entering junior high and high school I didn't think much about the future and was in survival mode due to some family dynamics and my school experiences. Though I have some fond memories of my childhood fishing, exploring, and playing, most memories are clouded by stress. I am thankful for how my life has played out, though it has been challenging at times, I am grateful for my mother who always showed great love for others and set the example of what it means to be a nurturing mother and a teacher that listens.
School life
I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as a young girl in elementary school. This made my school experience difficult. I was fortunate to go to a performing arts charter school during elementary and junior high that allowed me to explore different interests and skills I most likely wouldn't have had access to in the public school environment. Though thankful for this school, it still lacked resources regarding my learning disabilities. I was labeled "gifted but distracted", always being questioned for being "too quiet" or "too loud". My "quirks" became an ongoing joke at school. I grew to hide my interests and skills because of fear I would continue to be talked about.
As a teenager, I felt disregarded and left behind by my teachers due to my learning disabilities. Being expected to learn in a way that didn't come naturally was very difficult and led me to hate school to the point of wanting to drop out. This led me to attend three different high schools before graduating. Once I started my senior year, I attended an independent study program that was the best thing for me. Surprising my teachers and family, I graduated early, even though I was originally behind. I started college early and was working full-time" all at the same time. I realized at that point that when allowed to learn the way that was best for me, I could succeed.
My school experience is just one of the many reasons my husband and I decided before having children, that they would do whatever it took to homeschool our future children. My husband was diagnosed with autism as an adult.
Having this diagnosis helped him realize why his school experience was also difficult. With my education in Early Childhood Education and Leadership in Business, as well as my experience as a child with learning disabilities; I feel equipped to create tools and resources for other homeschooling families. Mine and my husband's past experiences are just one reason why I homeschool and why inthiswildhome.com exists.
Church life
I attended church off and on from junior high to high school. During these years I thought I knew what it meant to be a Christian, I thought I loved Jesus and truly was saved. It wasn't until 2020, in my daughter's playroom listening to a pastor preach about the sermon on the mount, that I realized I truly didn't understand Christianity, that I had simply been "playing church"; loving the idea of Christianity but not truly understanding it. Being manipulated by churches with no accountability and "Christian" leaders in the past, I started to unlearn Christian culture and learn biblical Christianity. I am now truly saved by the grace of God and speak publicly on social media about Christianity, church culture, and the importance of reading the Bible in context.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
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