Homeschooling is NOT Enough

Why did you do it?

Many of us decided to homeschool our children to offer them a better education. We wanted them to have more opportunities. We wanted to ignite a passion in them for life long learning.
Many of us wanted to have more control over our beliefs & values.
Many of us wanted to shelter our kids from the evils of the world.
Many of us just wanted to spend more time with our kids.

The majority of us fall within several of those categories!

We spend so much time picking out the perfect curriculum, the most promising activities, the most prestigious co-op, & the most personal support groups. We teach reading, writing, Algebra, Latin, guitar, Botany, the Civil War, & everything in between. We spend hours planning & perfecting each year.

Then our kids grow up, move out, & somehow, somewhere, they no longer believe what we thought they would believe.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!?!
We have entered into the Graduate Generation. We have, for the first time since public school became readily available, started cranking out young people who have spent the majority of their entire lives under the direct instruction of mom & dad.

Shouldn't they be exactly what we want them to be? Shouldn't they believe what we believe? Shouldn't they think they way we think?

HAH! NO! These first generation homeschool kids are still their own people. They are individuals who think for themselves, who make choices that they have to live with, who make mistakes just like we did.

So how do we ensure that they don't stray too far from the hopes & dreams that we had laid out for them?

We need to make sure that we teach them about God. They need to know WHY we believe the way we do. They need to develop a heart knowledge, not just a head knowledge! We are only 3 (possibly less) generations away from apostasy. Our 1st generation were true pioneers in faith. Their beliefs ran deep & were evident in everything that they did. The 2nd generation usually following in their parents footsteps. They know what to do, but they aren't really sure why they do it. By the 3rd generation, too often, they no longer care.

Teaching school at home is not enough if we don’t teach our children about God!
We need to truly disciple our children.
To disciple – the student becomes like the teacher.
"The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master." Luke 6:40
"The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord." Matthew 10:24
Its hard to expect our kids to be something that we aren't.
Its not enough to just teach them our values & beliefs, we need to teach them why we believe the way we do! Make sure they know the difference between God's commandments, the principles of the church, & the preferences of your family. If something is not in God's word, but your family believes in it, make sure they know that.

We have to learn to let go. The trickiest time in a relay race is passing the baton off to the next person.
When they pass from teens to adults – hand off the baton, don’t throw it at them the way the world does, don’t put the baton in their hand only to continue to hold on while running with them. Entrust them with it. If they drop it, its ok. Pick it up & start again!

We need to express joy & delight with our kids instead of always trying to improve them.
Are you guilty of loving our kids without truly liking them?
We love Christ because He first loved us! Do the same with your kids. Show them unconditional love, respect, & trust & they will return it to you!

Be sure to check out Hal & Melanie Young in their adventures towards Raising Real Men!