Chelmsford Independent, Concord, Massachusetts, 21 December 2006, Home for the holidays

The Baxter family probably doesn’t have too much left on its Christmas wish list because they got everything they wanted when Lt. Col. Brent Baxter returned home from Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago.

Brent, who had been overseas for about five months, reunited with his family on his son’s, Josiah, 14th birthday.

Brent and his wife, Lisa, have seven children, from Elise, 2 1/2, to Lindsey, 15. All of the Baxters’ children are home-schooled.

“[Home-schooling was] something that Lisa had her hands full with when I was gone,” said Brent.

But, Lisa was always able to turn to Friends of Grace, a home-schooling group based in Chelmsford, for help.

And, although he may not have been at home, Brent still lent a hand.

“I helped with homework, from 8,000 miles away,” he said. The Baxters’ oldest son, Josiah is studying biology. Their oldest daughter, Lindsey, 15, is studying physics. Six of the children are learning to play the piano on a Yamaha upright; Brent is also learning to play.

The Baxters found that home schooling fits the military lifestyle, because they have to move every couple of years.

“We don’t have to worry about a child halfway through high school; having to pull them out,” said Brent.

posted by Valerie

Tags: home education, home-schooling, homeschooling, military homeschooling

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