Monday, August 15, 2011

Home Schooling - A not so politically correct view

Every year around this time, I have to fight the envy that I feel.  Mothers are breathing a sigh of relief and sitting down with a good book and cup of coffee in a quiet house.  They are having lunch with friends and getting their nails done.  Mothers are shopping without the constant talking and they can actually concentrate on their task.  Mothers are getting a much needed break from the constant neediness of their children.  They are refreshed when their children get off the bus and run in the door.  Then I step back and repent!!  I am highly blessed among women!!   I get to spend all my time with my children!!  I get to sew into their lives all day every day.  I get to determine what they see, hear, do and learn!!  I get hugs and kisses off and on all during the day.  The greatest gift I get is the shalom of knowing that I am being obedient to the leading of Yahweh.  When I see on the news a story about a shooting or stabbing at a school, I stop and pray for them but I also pray a prayer of gratefulness that I know where my children are and what they are doing.  I never have to have that moment of panic and wonder where my kids are.  If there is bad weather, I know that my children are safe with me.  If there was a terrorist loose, I would know that my children are with me.  There is such peace in my life knowing that I decide what is safe, or what is healthy, or what is appropriate for my children.  I decide what curriculum that I use.  I decide what my children will learn today.  I decide what books that they will read.  I decide what friends that they will have.  I decide what trips that they will go on.  One of the greatest blessings is that I get to insert Yahweh into everything that we do.  We have scripture time during our school day.  When teaching math I explain how we need math to understand the complexities of Yahweh's creation.  When teaching science I get to tell how Yahweh created the heavens and the earth.  When teaching history I use the Scriptures to tell my children how the world began and what Yahweh wants us to learn from our past.  It is an awesome responsibility  that we have been given as parents.  Why do we want to hand that responsibility over to people that we do not know?  Why do we trust others to know better about what is best for our children?  Why do we let them walk out that door  knowing that for 8 or 9 hours we will have no idea what they are seeing, hearing and learning?  Yahweh did not design public school, man did.  Just because that is the norm and what everyone else is doing, won't let us off the hook for being responsible for our chilren's lives.  I have nothing against the teachers or administrators.  They are doing a job, a difficult job.  We as parents have relinquished our responsibilities and therefore someone must take up the slack.  It is very politically correct in the home school movement to clarify that we don't think home schooling is for everyone.  That it is a choice that we choose, but it is o.k. for you not too.  However, I am not politically correct.  I think that we as parents are accountable for how we raise our children.  I also believe that everyone that claims to be a believer should pull their children out of the public school system and teach them at home.  If you want to be a follower of Yeshua(Jesus) then you should be able to see the corrupt influence that public or private school has on your children.  Every where I go people are impressed with the behavior of  my children.  A lot of people that I come in contact with will say things like; I wish my kids behaved like that, I wish my kids respected me like that, I wish that I could home school, I wish that I had the patience to home school, or the one I hear the most is, I think I will send my kids to your house to learn how to behave.  Ughhhh!!  How embarrassed I would be, if I said any of those things.  I am nothing special.  I have no patience!!  My children pay every day for the mistakes that I make.  What I am, is obedient!!!  What I am, is a mother who puts the needs of my children always above the needs of my own.  I do without!  I sacrifice!!  I work hard!!  I have bad days when I am selfish and don't do what I need to do, but then I get up the next day and get back at it.  What will matter at the end of our lives?  What will we have to show for it?  What will be your legacy?  College, money, possessions, accomplishments, business opportunities, friends, trips and a great retirement.  Or will your legacy be children that are happy, healthy, loving, respectful, grounded, pure, innocent, righteous, giving, serving, smart, and will look back and call you blessed!!!  I home school because that is what Yahweh told me to do.  I love home schooling because I love my children above anything else in this world.  I choose home schooling because one day I will stand before the Creator and make an accounting for how I raised the precious gifts that he gave me.

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