I sat sipping my tea and slowly turning the pages of one of the most current homeschooling catalogs, when I became aware of an uneasy yet familiar feeling as I perused through the mountain of curriculum choices. Perhaps you too have felt it at times: The anxiety, the confusion, the “I’m-not-doing-enough-and-my-children-will-never-be-ready-for-college” feeling that often overwhelms and causes a heavy-heartedness which can feed an attitude of discouragement. That’s when I stop, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and pray again to remember the goals my husband and I have for our children and for the willingness to continue to trust in the Lord for His plan for them.

We want our children to know God more each day, to love Him with all their hearts and minds and to be shaped into His image. At my first introduction to homeschooling, my immediate reaction was one of a thrilled and grateful acceptance of this possibility. Why? It certainly wasn’t because I knew I would be fantastic at teaching math or science or even reading. Rather, it was because my children would be home, we would be together, and my husband and I would have the awesome opportunity to instill in them the Godly character we so desire them to have, as well as to build the strong familial relationships that God intended for us, but that are unfortunately so scarce today. 

In her wonderful article Special Days (Sep/Oct ’05 issue of Home School Enrichment) Marcia Washburn calculated that a family who homeschooled for twelve years would gain almost three and a half years of additional waking time together as a family. How wonderful to know that! For along with the desire to do so, time is exactly what is needed to develop in our children the Godly character qualities that have become glaringly absent from our world.  The struggle comes with trying to balance character training with academics, or perhaps with the thought that these are two separate areas within our households.  Instead, we need to watch as the path toward academics and the path toward virtuous training merge together to form a single road upon which each family is traveling.

As I look back through the years at various weeks within our home, sometimes there is very little about academics going on. I recall when, during a recent two-week period, my husband, who is involved in construction, had a job in which he needed our two sons, ages 13 and 15, to help him. Therefore, they were gone for a couple of days each week.  At the same time, an elderly neighbor called and asked if the children could come over to rake her two acres of lawn and also pick up the apples that had fallen from her trees.  Members of our church were also in particular need of a meal, and my daughters, ages 7 and 10, helped me prepare and deliver it for them. 

The algebra, spelling and other various “lessons” went untouched during that time, but relationships were built, and the skills of homemaking, building, and communication, along with the virtues of industriousness, compassion, kindness, patience, cheerfulness, and a willingness to serve and help those who are in need were learned through the daily rhythm of family life. When our children stand before the Lord, what is going to be most important to Him?  Will it be learning the names of all 50 states and their capitals, or the fact that they gave of themselves to others with willingness to serve and further His Kingdom?