This past weekend our family joyfully celebrated the high school graduation of our oldest daughter, Angel, who has been educated at home since age four. There were six home-school graduates from the Norfolk, Nebraska, area -- this is the first year that we've had more than one or two home-schooled seniors -- so the families all got together and had an official graduation ceremony complete with "Pomp and Circumstance," caps and gowns, the works.
The graduates put a lot of work into their ceremony, which was a testimony to the blessings and effectiveness of home schooling. Sarah, one of the graduates, prepared a PowerPoint presentation with pictures of her fellow graduates, ranging from birth to the present and concluding with group photos of the girls, who have grown up together and have developed strong friendships through various home-school group field trips, co-op classes, and other activities.
After the ceremony, several young home-schooling moms told me that these seniors -- who are firm in their convictions, have not rejected or rebelled against their families' Christian values, are able to think logically and independently, have maintained their physical and emotional purity, and have developed mature, personal relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ -- are encouraging examples of the rewards which home-schooling parents can expect to reap from the time, energy, prayers, and sacrifice which they are now sowing into the soil, which is their children's lives.
That's Nice ... but How Will Home-Schooled Kids Cope in the "Real World"?
This is a silly question when you really think about it. I understand the concern that children need to be properly socialized -- to learn to get along with others, fulfill obligations, work cooperatively with others to accomplish a given task, etc. The truth is ... our homes ARE the "Real World." At Creation, God established families to socialize individuals to build a cohesive, functional society. Godly families have incredible influence. Few Christians realize how powerful an influence their families have on those around them. John 13:35 says, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if you have love one to another."
What better environment to discover what real Agape love is all about than in the setting in which Christ-like behavior is the most difficult to practice: our own homes? It's easy to be kind and courteous as we interact briefly with friends, neighbors and co-workers -- we put on our "happy face" and politely respond, "Fine" to the obligatory how-are-yous of those whom we know do not have time, nor genuine interest, for an honest assessment of our personal well-being. At home, it's different. Our family sees us not only at our best, but also at our worst -- when we are tired, moody, burned-out, stressed out -- they know when our hearts are not right before God and, sadly, they often suffer the affliction of our spiritual malcontent.
