Story of a Homeschooler

The amount of secrecy I felt I had to hold really rings true to me with this crazy Josh Duggar situation. I understand family secrets, far far too well.

On Forgiveness

“We deserve to be angry. To be filled with rage. To not let abusers off the hook.”

The Day They Stole My Brave: Chantelle Chamberlain’s Story

“I’m taking back my Brave. One day at a time. Bit by tiny bit.”

I Was an LDS Homeschooler: Tirzah’s Story, Part Two

“I can tell you, you new parents who are wondering if it’s worthwhile to ‘train up your child.’ Believe me, it’s not.”

The Nightmares

“This is the power of childhood psychological abuse, emotional abuse, and spiritual abuse.”

Giving Too Much

“When I was 10, my family chose to allow our house to be foreclosed on because ‘god told them’ to pay another families’ mortgage, and when my parents couldn’t financially afford to pay both, they decided (knowing full-well the consequences) to stop paying their mortgage instead.”

Forgiveness and Power

“Over the course of my life I have been instructed to forgive so many times. Ironically, the people who were telling me to forgive were also the people who spent a good deal of time telling me that in reality there was nothing to forgive, or that no wrong doing had occurred.”

When Spiritual Abuse Comes From The Home

“At the age of 23, Selah’s parents interfered in the relationship with her boyfriend and eventually kicked her out of the home. Currently, Selah is living away from her parents, but struggles because she wants to have a relationship with them and her younger siblings. God has provided other people in her life, but the void of her family is ever-present.”

Connecting Homeschooling and Religious Abuse

“They have turned something that was meant to liberate children into something that is often horribly oppressive. This is why the two issues cannot be decoupled – homeschooling is successfully being used as a powerful tool by these people, no matter how many kids their power grab disguised as ‘advice’ hurts.”

Making My Own Way: Matthew’s Story, Part Two

“I witnessed first-hand the despair and hopelessness of many disillusioned homeschooling parents. These are people who, by and large, poured their hearts into raising Godly men and women. Seeing this convinced me that it’s best to adopt a “live and let live” parenting model and to love your children unconditionally!”