NEW YORK (AP) -- Jill Nardini planned to homeschool her family even before she had children.
Nardini, 44, a self-described older mom who had fertility problems, said she wanted to spend as much time as possible with her children. Her desire to teach her 9-year-old son Joey and 7-year-old daughter Jessie about their Christian faith also influenced the decision.
"I know my kids better than anyone else. I know how to direct them," said Nardini, who lives in Kentwood, Michigan.
Though still rare, the number of homeschooled children has been rising steadily for the last several years. In 2003, the last year for which figures are available, about 1.1 million students or 2.2 percent of children aged 5 through 17 were being homeschooled, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That's a 29 percent increase from 1999.
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