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The Teen's English paper on the topic of Sacrifice. He may take it all back when he finds out I posted it on my blog, but what the hell...


The Greatest Sacrifice

by The Teen

The greatest sacrifices I have experienced were when my parents decided to homeschoool me, and to send me to Catholic school. The time and effort it took to homeschool me and my brothers was above and beyond what most parents are willing to do for their children. Sending me to a private school was a large investment in my education, and a large financial sacrifice on their part. The decisions they have made over the years regarding how and where I would learn have not only been an investment in my education, but also in my future.

Since I was little, my parents were very involved in my education. Even though I went to Kindergarten at Saint Joseph’s, for the next six and a half years I was homeschooled, which was a huge undertaking for my parents. When my two brothers finished Kindergarten, they came home as well. Looking back at it, it was one of the best things they could have done for me. I was able to learn the kinds of things I wanted, in the way that worked best for me. I had plenty of free time to read, play music and sports, and to pursue the other activities and interests I liked, while moving at my own pace academically. It was a lot of work for my parents, especially my mom, but they knew it was worth the effort.

Halfway through seventh grade, I started to wonder about what I was missing not being in school. We began talking about the pros and cons of each way of learning, and thinking about what would be best for me at that point. I wanted to try school again, make new friends, and get used to the different atmosphere and routine before high school. After much deliberation, my parents and I decided to end my homeschooling career and I returned to Saint Joe’s. It was an adventure being back in school, but I was ready for a new challenge. For my parents, it was a different sacrifice; this time a financial one.

At the end of my eighth grade year, I knew I wanted to go to Trinity. As the summer progressed, I learned more about the cost of high school. More thought was given to me attending public high school instead of Trinity, where I was sure I belonged. How would our family afford it? What would we have to give up? After much discussion and debate, I was enrolled at Trinity.

In order to send me to Trinity, my parents needed to rearrange things financially. We have always been a one-income family, so that my younger brothers and I could always have one parent at home. With tuition to pay, they needed to put off things that they wanted to spend money on. My mom took a part-time job, which meant time away from my brothers and the house. My dad and grandparents picked up the slack. It was a family effort, but they all helped out because they see my education as a top priority.

I can’t tell you yet what will come of the next three years and six months, but I can tell you that I will most likely be better prepared for college, and life in general, in the future because of their decisions. I can’t thank my parents enough; sometimes I take their sacrifices for granted, but hopefully they know that deep down I always know how much they have done for me. Sending me to Catholic school was the greatest sacrifice I myself have experienced. I owe it to my parents, all their support, their hard work, and of course, all their help.