thoughts on homeschooling

With my daughter and son having grown up in what seems to have been a blink of the eye, when asked for homeschooling advice, I tell everybody to slow down and do the things you love with your kids. Enjoy your time together, for it is fleeting. Each family is different. Like different flavors of chocolate. Of course give them the basic math, spelling, etc, curriculum, but really focus on what YOU love teaching. Be your own style! Do you love science? Art? History? Literature & music? Teach what you enjoy or feel passionate about. If that means traveling to Europe with your husband to show the kids the birthplace of music & theater, or going for walks, or reading wonderful books on a blanket under a tree, or building a deck, or messy art (definitely not my thing), or photographing & enjoying God's beautiful creation, or creating wonderful food for family & friends, then do THAT! I love the Deuteronomy verses that tell us to teach our children as we rise up and sit down, as we go along our way each day. That sounds beautiful to me. That is something I can do, although it does not show up in test scores. And my family will look different than yours.

The second thing I think is most important these days, after seeing so many messed up or confused kids who were homeschooled and grew up in church, is to teach a biblical worldview. This simply means to teach our children to think about all things through the lense of scripture. To discuss politics, current events, movies, art, music, theology...absolutely every topic under the sun...from a biblical worldview. How does this fit with scripture? What is this music, art, movie, article...saying about God? Or the nature of man and the universe? The basis for ethics and morality? Is it true? If it is not true, we aim to understand the opposing view so we can have an intelligent answer for it. We do want well educated children, but it is much more than just the facts & numbers we find in good curriculums. It is preparing them for a meaningful life in their culture where they can be used by God to have an answer for those they lovingly reach out to, whom God has put in their path.