Christian homeschooling is about more than a good education. In order to truly be successful, we need to work on something deeper than math facts and writing skills.
God is working to restore families. By calling you to homeschool, He is inviting you to take a vital role in His plan and purpose. His model for the family, made up of mom, dad and kids, is the foundation of a healthy culture. He wants to restore a healthy, godly society. By accepting the calling and participating in God’s plan you have the opportunity to do something of eternal value.
He wants to establish families which will model Christ to the world and raise up generations who will be his light and His love to others. This takes more than finding a curriculum which will help our kids do well on standardized tests.
We know God does not call us to things He does not equip us to do. Let’s take a look at three ways we can follow His plan for our homeschool.
Beyond Curriculum, Building a Whole Family with 3 Main Ingredients
Attitude – Character building – A godly attitude starts with gratitude for all our blessings and opportunities.
Help your children develop a good attitude toward school. Make it part of life, instead of something they have to do to earn play time. Take advantage of learning opportunities found everywhere:
- Character training as we deal with people in public
- Helping with the budget and price comparisons at the grocery store
- Take an interest in how everyday items work
- Learn colors as you sort laundry together
What do your words reflect? When you speak to others about homeschooling in front of the kids do you moan and complain about the work, the stress, the frustrations and the time commitment? Or do you share enthusiasm and excitement about the opportunity to learn and grow and overcome obstacles together? Your words will set the tone.
Ability – Honoring each person’s individuality – Romans 12:4 tells us “…We have different gifts, according to the grace given us “
Respect your child’s personality and way of relating to the world. Don’t try to change them or force them into a mold. Think about who they are then find ways to work with their bent.
- Some kids seem scatterbrained and hyper
- Some are very methodical and slow.
- Some are strong-willed and driven
- Some are relaxed and uninterested in any form of academics
While you can re-direct this a bit and it will get better as they mature, trying to form them into your idea of who they should be is futile, frustrating for you and them, and disrespectful of their God-given personality. Click here to for an easy test to determine your child’s personality type.
Atmosphere –Model God’s Love – Learn with them, encourage exploration Remain positive in the face of challenges. Acknowledge and reward what they CAN do more than focusing on what they can’t do. Work as a team. Create a home environment designed to nurture your children’s potential:
- Seek God in all thing
- Play worship music in the background
- Create a schedule with plenty of margin for unplanned disruptions
- Identify your priorities and cut out non-essentials
- Pare down clutter for greater peace and simplicity
What are some of the ways you are making your homeschool about more than just education?
Leave a Reply