I wanted to chat a little about homeschooling.
I am not a perfect mother. I am not an older, wiser mother. I am not extremely organized and tidy. I do not have the "patience of a saint". I've recently thought about how much "easier" my days would be if I would just throw Ryan in public school. My husband is away, I am tired, the house needs more attention than I have left right now, I really want to workout more hours during the day bc I want to lose weight faster.
Ryan's bold, ADHD type personality sometimes leads me to feeling like a failure! and think if I threw him into public school for just like one year they could tame him down for me.
These are my self-centered thoughts throughout my first couple of months of homeschooling.
Maybe I'm not really equipped for this. I'm not as good of a mother as this homeschool mom. I'm not as patient and mild tempered as this homeschooling friend. I'm not as smart as this other homeschool friend. I could go on and on.
When people find out that I homeschool, the most common response I encounter is "Oh wow, I wish I could homeschool but I don't have the patience for it". Just like me, maybe God wants you learn something through this? Maybe God wants you to LEARN patience? Maybe God wants us to learn to be more selfless? Give up some of the extra things we want, and take control over the children he has placed in our lives?
Homeschooling is SOO counter culture. It doesn't really make sense according to our American labels for a normal, imperfect family to choose homeschooling. So I challenge that if the idea has come to you, if you've said or thought "I wish I could home school but..." Spend more time thinking it through and praying. I feel like God is the one placing that desire in you. Not everyone wants to or can homeschool. I'm not implying that everyone should. I don't think in general terms like that. I do believe MORE families should.
I feel convicted. I do believe homeschooling is a desire that God lead me to. It wasn't a natural decision. I wasn't home schooled or around any home schooled kids growing up. I'm being obedient and I'm growing.
Through our homeschooling journey I am recognizing minor flaws in the way I parent and discipline my children. Minor because they are 5 and 2; MAJOR if I had waited til they were 14 and 11! or WORSE if I had waited until they were 14 and 17 and probably a good head taller than their short little mom.
I am seeking God more for leadership in my day
I am making every (or close to every) day intentional in the discipline/positive reinforcement areas.
Im learning new habits.
I believe God intends to grow my patience, grow my organizational skills, and make me a stronger mother to leads these rambunctious boys before they hit those "rebellious" teenage years. I can teach them to obey my word NOW, rather than wish they knew how to obey me when the stakes are higher. Mark Discroll posted a quote, I think it came from Billy Graham? or someone. "If children don't respect their parents, they were never truly respect anyone" I thought of that, in my mental debate. Ryan hasn't learned to respect me. Maybe if I throw him in school where they are trying break his will, and control him (NOT the same as SELF control) then I'll get him back after a year and he'll be more respectful? No... that's not really how it works.
Putting Ryan is school this year would greatly be hypocritical on my part. I just really feel that it is not the best place for my sons. Some of you have found good schools that you are involved in, and feel good about it .I've heard FAR more stories of parents being angry about what is being taught in school- like they have no control over what their kid is learning?
I ONLY ever went to public school, I never succeeded. I had excellent test scores. I never did homework, I was always in trouble or falling short in some area. One of the things I'm looking forward to with my boys is LEARNING in my own learning style! I just think our kids are too unique to be grouped into common core standards. My son learns when he is moving around. He says "umm Umm umm" over and over when he is excitedly trying to get through a sentence bc his brain is going way faster than the words can come out. He talks things out and asks many questions to fully understand something. My younger son still has some growing to do, however it seems that his learning style will be more laid back. Maybe he will prefer to read things himself and think things through before discussing them.I'm looking forward to how God intends to mature and grow me through my homeschooling journey. I might struggle with insecurity, but I know I'm being obedient. I know that this is where I'm called to be.
I don't hate teachers, I know there are some great ones out there who care for kids. But I do not approve of the way the government is involved with education. I know that many teachers are held back, and can't work the way they feel is right because of the standards placed on them.
http://themattwalshblog.com/2013/10/23/we-are-going-to-home-school-our-kids-but-thats-only-because-we-hate-education/
I think this guy is extremely intelligent and full of common sense. I think my husband and I should track down he and his wife, and make them our friends. HA
*Check out Bringing Up Boys && research "the deliberate dumbing down of America"
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