{Thoughts On a New Year of Homeschooling}

I’m cleaning/organizing the schoolroom today. We don’t start school around here until after Labor Day—but I must confess I have not even THOUGHT about what we are doing this year, even after all my well intentioned plans to do school through the summer. The fact is, I needed the break and so did the kids. So… we took a break!

It’s easy to become anxious about all that is before me as I make lists and write out what needs to be done by subject and skill level. But as I reflect on my two oldest daughter’s homeschool years I am reminded that the BEST memories and the best “fruit” from their homeschool years really came from hours of reading aloud on the couch. The good stuff, the best fruit, was born from good conversation and meaningful discussions about everything from history and science to politics and current events. It came from studying the Bible together and asking questions together.

The best fruit never came from a text book.

As you begin a new school year, keep in mind the best thing you will do with your children this year is to show them by example what it means to love them through the ups and downs of everyday life.

Love them when they don’t get long division again (even though you’ve explained it a million times).

Love them through hormonal outbursts 🙂 …yours AND theirs.

Love them enough to consistently correct not only their schoolwork but their attitudes and actions.

Love them enough to say “I’m sorry” and to extend forgiveness as often as it is required.

Love them enough to put your husband first. <3 Love them enough to stop "school" and address a bigger issue—because you realize that a child who knows Latin but can't be kind or respectful is really worse off than a kind, respectful child who only speaks English. 🙂 Love them by demonstrating the character traits you want them to learn. After all, children learn by example first. What are you hoping to harvest at the end of your homeschool years? Plant with the harvest in mind.