Teaching

Just so you know.  Sending my children to public school was not a decision made lightly.  It was a matter of prayer and fasting, and continues to be so. It is not a matter of being lazy or uncaring.  I still teach them.

I teach them things like virtues, manners, work ethics and integrity.  I teach them to love God and to treat others with kindness.  I teach them how to handle situations from others whose parents don't teach these things.  Have there been times when someone has not been nice?  Of course, but those times are few and my children have learned to find the strength and ability within themselves to handle those times with grace. I teach them to understand that the child or adult who was unkind is still learning too.  I teach my children where to find strength and courage within themselves to defend not only themselves, but others who may feel weak.  I teach them to understand that real strength comes from God and so when they feel weak or scared, to understand that God is not weak or scared and He is with them.

 There are times when the work at school is hard, or boring, or flat out wrong.  I teach my child to work hard and to reap the blessings that come from the law of the harvest.  This law applies to so many areas of life other than the garden; school success is just one of them.  I teach my child that not everything they see in the world is right or true.  If there is something discussed at school that is different from our beliefs, we compare it to our beliefs. We discuss it, investigate it, and learn from it.  I teach my child how to determine what truth is and what it isn't by teaching them to pray and to follow the spirit.  He is the teacher of truth regardless of where things are learned, at home, at church or in the world.

I teach my children through involvement in my community how to shape our community.  I teach my children to make decisions about life and what will be best for them as an individual, as a member of a family, and as a member of a community.

 I teach them to love learning for learning's sake and that answers to some of life's biggest questions can be found within the pages of a book and from those who have lived the longest, those with grey hair and soft voices.  I teach them that learning is a lifelong adventure that doesn't end when you graduate or when you reach a specified age. Experience teaches us, success teaches us and our failures teach us. We can learn from others, be blessed by seeing other's victories and their mistakes and bless others by allowing them to see our victories and failures.  I teach them to celebrate success and growth in themselves and in those around them and how to have compassion and grieve for those who struggle. 

Just so you know.  I teach them to understand that what works for us and our family may not be what is best in another family.  I have many friends and family who have chosen to homeschool.  My love and support goes out to them.  Parenting is the hardest thing we have ever done.  We all are in the same place here.  We are doing the best we can for the ones we love the most.  God does not teach me using the same methods he uses to teach you.  He gives us different challenges and different strengths to overcome those challenges.  Let us, as parents, use His example in teaching our children. 

Thank you to all who have participated in teaching my children. All of you, school teachers, Sunday school/primary teachers, coaches, neighbors, community leaders and family, please know I am grateful to you for your assistance in this big, beautiful, frustrating, rewarding, overwhelming and totally worth it job of teaching my children. I just wanted you to know.