However, when he is done with preschool, what will we do? I'd love to send him to a private Christian college prep school like the one I went to in Louisiana. However, I don't know how my parents were able to afford such a thing for both my brother and me and I don't see any way that we will be able to pay for it, especially for two children.
The other option is public school. Woo hoo, we could sure save a lot of money with that option. However, my brother went to a public school in Louisiana for a brief period of time and it seemed very "rough" and I don't mean from an academic standpoint. I also had some friends that went to public school and they were just different from my friends at private school. I can't explain exactly how - a little rougher? a little less sheltered? a little more risk-taking and wild? I know that public schools in Texas, and especially in our district, are top-notch and nothing like what I've heard about public schools in Louisiana. But I just can't seem to shake the worries I have about teachers who don't care and students who are up to no good. I also hate the fact that God is not in the public schools and I don't want our children getting conflicting messages between home and school.
So what will we do when Nicholas leaves preschool? Homeschool? Private school? Public school? I think about this several times a week. I lean towards homeschooling but still worry about whether or not I can handle it, whether or not I'm qualified to take this on. Fortunately I have another year to mull over it.
I recently joined an email group of homeschooling families at our church so that I can get exposure to some of the issues that homeschooling moms deal with. I happened to get an email today from this group with the following story:
(Excerpt written by Ethan Demme)
Moses didn't feel qualified to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. He was frank with God about his perception of his abilities. Moses' questions may be summarized as, "Who am I? What shall I say unto them? They will not believe me. I am not eloquent."
In reading through this interaction between Moses and God, it is encouraging to note that as Moses trots out one question after another, God patiently answers each with a reminder of who He is and what He will do for him.
It is only when Moses says, "Let someone else do it," that God gets angry.
We know from our perspective, with our 20/20 hindsight, that Moses was uniquely qualified to do exactly what God had called him to do. His education in Egypt coupled with a strong Levitical heritage, seasoned by forty years in the wilderness, and enhanced by his experience as a shepherd, made for a peerless candidate who could and would lead the children of Israel out of the wilderness and into the promised land.
Guess what? God has uniquely equipped you to teach your children. You were created before the foundation of the world for this very work. This good work. The eternal work of training, teaching, shepherding, and raising your kids to live forever with Jesus.
You know more than you think. You have been wonderfully endowed and furnished to teach your children. Your children need what you have to offer. While I may understand math, you understand your kids.
So when you are tempted to be discouraged or feel unqualified, remember Moses. And Moses' God. He has called and prepared you for this very journey. He doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called.
How inspiring! God has blessed us to be parents and no one knows our children like we do. Surely we are better equipped to train and teach them than a stranger who is in charge of a class of 20 other students all at different educational levels. Hmmm, definitely something I need to keep in the forefront of my thoughts over the next year.
1 comment:
As Jeff always has said "Nobody will care more about a child's education than his parents."
There are so many resources, support groups, & curriculum choices that if you do decide to homeschool, you CAN do it! One of the greatest things I've found about planning our day is that I can tackle all the "curriculum" things I want in about 1 hour for Kindergarten. When I taught 1st grade, SO much of our day was transitional stuff (moving from desks to floor, please be quiet, time to take out your pencils, bathroom break...that all takes lots of time when you have 22 busy bodies!).
If you would like to see what I've laid out for this year I would love to have you over and share it with you.
I was VERY overwhelmed a few months back when I was starting to figure out the "meat" of our Kindergarten days. I think I've come up with a VERY workable plan, and it's something you could easily do with Baby playing next to you :)
Just pray. See what you're led to do. I truly feel we were led to homeschool. Perhaps you'll be called to another route...but I know you'll do what's best for Nicholas & your family.
And the confidence part? You are WAY on the ball with presenting Nicholas with educational experiences every single day. Homeschool does not have to be like classroom school--it can be, but it doesn't have to be. Try not to compare what he did at preschool to what you could do at home. I've had to let that "teacher" part of me go a little, becuase I felt like he wasn't getting enough at home.
But he is. It's just a different kind of enough.
You can do it if you want to!!!!!
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