Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Pro 22:6)
When I tell people I home school I get a lot of different reactions. "Wow that must be difficult" "I could never do that" "So how is that going for you?" I realized yesterday that the academic part of the homeschooling is the easiest part for us. Teaching my children to read to write, teaching them math concepts, world history, science, art, health is not the most difficult part. For that you simply need to discover how your child learns best and teach them that way. You make learning fun and engaging. You encourage or praise when needed. For me that side of homeschooling comes naturally to me and I am blessed to have boys who love to learn. The part of homeschooling that is more important are matters of the heart. Now this is the reason we are homeschooling in the first place. We want our boys " taste and see that the LORD is good"( Psalm 34:8). We want them to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and to decide for themselves to follow and love Him all the days of their lives. Along with this comes character training. It's hard work. I am in the trenches. Yesterday was a real difficult day with lots of respect and obedience issues. I thought for a moment, it would be so much easier to just give in and let them do what they want. I has other things that need to get done that day. But then the Lord spoke to me as He often does and reminded me of Proverbs 22:6. It's is important that my children are men of godly character. It is important that they know right from wrong and are compelled to choose the right. It is important that they understand that sin has consequences. It is important that they know they have forgiveness with our Heavenly Father. It is important that they know their parents love them and truly have their best interests at heart. And there was nothing I needed to get done yesterday that was more important than that. I have often said "what will it matter if my children are successful if they are spiritually bankrupt" And it's true."Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? "(Mar 8:37) Taking the time to sit with them, teach them God's ways, pray with them, and just be involved 100% in the shaping of their character is such a huge responsibility. I am so thankful for His word to teach me wisdom, His Holy Spirit to guide me, His power to carry me through, and most of all His grace which is sufficient for me. (2 cor 12:9)
(Pro 22:6)
When I tell people I home school I get a lot of different reactions. "Wow that must be difficult" "I could never do that" "So how is that going for you?" I realized yesterday that the academic part of the homeschooling is the easiest part for us. Teaching my children to read to write, teaching them math concepts, world history, science, art, health is not the most difficult part. For that you simply need to discover how your child learns best and teach them that way. You make learning fun and engaging. You encourage or praise when needed. For me that side of homeschooling comes naturally to me and I am blessed to have boys who love to learn. The part of homeschooling that is more important are matters of the heart. Now this is the reason we are homeschooling in the first place. We want our boys " taste and see that the LORD is good"( Psalm 34:8). We want them to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and to decide for themselves to follow and love Him all the days of their lives. Along with this comes character training. It's hard work. I am in the trenches. Yesterday was a real difficult day with lots of respect and obedience issues. I thought for a moment, it would be so much easier to just give in and let them do what they want. I has other things that need to get done that day. But then the Lord spoke to me as He often does and reminded me of Proverbs 22:6. It's is important that my children are men of godly character. It is important that they know right from wrong and are compelled to choose the right. It is important that they understand that sin has consequences. It is important that they know they have forgiveness with our Heavenly Father. It is important that they know their parents love them and truly have their best interests at heart. And there was nothing I needed to get done yesterday that was more important than that. I have often said "what will it matter if my children are successful if they are spiritually bankrupt" And it's true."Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? "(Mar 8:37) Taking the time to sit with them, teach them God's ways, pray with them, and just be involved 100% in the shaping of their character is such a huge responsibility. I am so thankful for His word to teach me wisdom, His Holy Spirit to guide me, His power to carry me through, and most of all His grace which is sufficient for me. (2 cor 12:9)
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