Who should homeschool?

I once believed that everyone could and should homeschool.  God has a way of using life to humble all those ‘shoulds’ and ‘oughts’ right out of my spirit, so I got rid of that notion pretty quickly.  But I still hung on to the the idea that just about anyone is capable of homeschooling with success. 

There are obvious reasons why homeschooling isn’t right for everyone, and I don’t think academics even make the list.  For example, if both parents don’t agree, then homeschooling isn't going to bless anyone.  I have also met some ladies who struggle with unreasonable expectations of themselves or their children.  This makes for an unpleasant living environment and often counteracts any possible benefits to homeschooling.  And of course, if the primary teacher would prefer to be doing anything else over schooling, homeschooling isn’t going to be much fun.  I hesitate to even mention that parents who do not like their children are probably better off with an alternative homeschooling.  Sad as that is, I know this situation is out there.

Homeschooling is a commitment, most people know.  But it is also a passion.  And passion makes commitment so much easier.  Lacking that passion, the commitment is a heavy burden.

I recently heard from an essay the idea that there are two types of people: some love to learn, see it as a lifelong pursuit and have an innate and insatiable curiosity.  These people make great homeschoolers.

But if someone lacks the excitement for learning, there really is no point to homeschooling.  If school is just about getting it done, completing the minimum and checking the boxes, then it probably is best to hand that duty (because that is all it is) to another person.  Why introduce an element of friction to relationships between parents and their children?  Send the kids to school, and then soak up good family fun when the school day is over!

Parenting

In both school and my private devotions, we are studying 1 Chronicles.  At the end of the book, David asks the Lord if he could build a permanent temple for Him.  He is so eager to do this, though.  It is almost funny.

David is told that he cannot build the temple, so in his excitement he can bring himself to obey only the letter of the law.  He draws up the building plans and gathers the supplies from all over the land.  He donates his own wealth and encourages others to do the same for the cause.  From fundraising to deciding the weights of the forks, David is the picture of micromanaging. 

David so anticipates the building of the temple that he appears to even abdicate the thrown!  Most kings die before their sons are crowned.  But David crowns his son and commissions him in front of all Israel to get to work.  That is dedication lacking all pride.  The Lord’s temple was more important than David’s kingship—something that hardly came easily to him.

In today’s society, these are considered negative traits and behaviors: controlling and micromanaging.  But I see in the response of Solomon a genuine and humble respect and shared love for the Lord.  Solomon carries out David’s plans and gives his father due credit for his efforts with the temple.

Childhood

A while back I heard DJs on the radio talking about the joys of childhood. They were asking listeners to share what would be their iconic items to embody their positive memories from the past.  I didn’t need any more prompting to take a trip down memory lane.

As I listened to the radio, the dining room came flooding back to me.  My mom, two sisters and I lived for five and a half years with my maternal grandma.  Her role in the house was more like mom, while my mom worked hard and served in the more traditional father role.  My grandma created a safe haven for me in the wake of my parents’ divorce.

I don’t even have to close my eyes to see the wall paper in the dining area with the pitcher and platters of food repeated in such a pleasing pattern.  I can smell the battered fried fish that was a rare and favorite dinner of mine.  I can even hear her voice telling me to be patient while she prepared the meal. 

I had many chapters to my childhood and I am thankful for them all.  But the time with my grandma was pivotal and wonderful. 

I don’t think that there is a week that goes by without my thinking about my grandma.  She shaped my life.  She loved me in a way that I never doubted.  In fact, she may be the only adult in whose love I was and am always confidant.  Even now, when I go through trials and triumphs, I know she would say her piece and love me just the same.

We have her table in our kitchen today.  It is Grandma’s Table.  Our meals, our crafts and games all take place on that table.  And silly as it may be, I feel her love pouring out on me because of it.  I think about her hollering about the paint I can’t get off of it or grumbling because I don’t use the wood polish enough.  I imagine her being proud of who my kids are as they write, play and create at that table.  I feel her praise when I make a meal that my family devours.

What would my childhood be without my grandma Mac?  I don’t even want to imagine that! 

Interesting revelation (to me, anyway)

My daughter joined a local Frontier Girls troop.  She is having a blast earning badges and learning through hands-on activities.  She is cooking, baking, picking up litter, taking more responsibility with her pets and sewing.  Sewing.

I am proud of her and am so happy that she is feeling accomplished.  She is learning about food safety and expanding her culinary repertoire.  And sewing.  She has learned a lot about the needs and tendencies of both rabbits and dogs.  And sewing.  Dancing, geography and music badges are also coming her way.  And sewing.

You know what I have learned while my budding flower has been blossoming?  I hate sewing.  That is not overstating it, either.  I am not saying that I just prefer not to sew.  I am not saying that it is too hard for me.  I am not saying that it just isn’t my thing, or that I prefer other activities.  Nope.  I hate sewing.

Don’t worry; I feel the proper amount of shame for choosing to eschew the poster ‘child’ of homemaking.  Sewing is great.  It is all about creativity, good stewardship, talent and skill.  You can make meaningful gifts for loved ones, contribute beautiful items to charities and provide the quality basics for your own family.  How can I pass on that?

Well, I can.  And I do.  I am grateful my girl likes it.  I am doubly grateful for our dear friend who teachers her—doubly is understating it, actually.  But I, I…I do not like sewing.  Not one little teeny bit!

Way to Save!

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a free homeschool day!  We so often back out of these outings because of money and our dogs.  This time we just gritted our teeth to resist our natural tendencies.  We want our kids to have these experiences, so we scraped up the money in the midst of the chaos and took them to see the fishes.  And we praise the Lord for new friends who were willing to take our doggies for half a week.

More on that in another post.  What I want to share here is a miracle of money.  We planned this trip in tandem with my sister and her family.  She made the reservations for the hotel.  I got a call less than a week before we left.  She told me that she noticed the prices for the room went down, so she canceled our bookings and made new ones.

Then she called me an hour later to say that the priced dropped again!  Even better, the super cool room that they were getting was $10 less than the standard room I was getting, so she upgraded us to be her next door neighbor! 

So, before we even left our house, we saved $40!  Isn’t that cool?

Hey, didja notice?

My hit count passed 3000.  My side has been visited over three thousand times.  Not too bad for a girl in a teeny town!  That is pretty thrilling to me.  I know it doesn’t matter too much and I know others are far more popular, but it is a cool moment for me.

Our prayer

Our big prayer right now is in regard to Brian’s position at work. It seems the state is working out a major reshuffling of personnel on a statewide basis to bring balance to the staffing of each institution. Some are grossly understaffed, which means ridiculous (read: unsafe) amounts of overtime. Others are apparently overstaffed. Having only served at the former, I can’t even imagine what that is like.

So, in December the state is supposed to open all the vacant positions throughout the state for bidding based on seniority. That means it is possible that we could be leaving the area at the same time that we need to move out of this house!!

Before this possibility presented itself, it looked like we couldn’t even dream of leaving this area until 2014. We love so many people here and we are blessed with fantastic activities. But there are issues from which we can’t seem to move beyond because we live in such a small community—a small community with a prison mentality, no less. When lives are small, insults seem big. When there are no prospects beyond ‘these four walls,’ it suddenly becomes totally rational to stab a dude for eyeing your pudding.

And I guess I look at a lot of pudding. I am tired of glancing over my shoulder for the various ‘lifers’ who seem to have nothing better to do than involve themselves in the pettiness of small town prison life.  I want to be free!

Relying on the state to carry this out is nothing short of foolishness.  But I can rely on my God.  Will you pray with us?  We want a fresh start, more opportunities for our growing children and to be closer to our siblings.  This job transfer is the ticket.  Please pray for His will and His timing and for our faith and hope to grow.  Thanks!