Bickering, quarrelling and competition. I would love to say that we don’t deal with these issues in our homeschool – but I would be lying. When I think of other homeschoolers I imagine that these don’t exist for them, ever. Sometimes I can get to the place where I am tempted to believe that I am the only one. I think those other moms have it all together, all the time. They are able to sit down and do school, each and every day with a smile on everyone’s face with every child having an eagerness to learn. I imagine this why so many parents question their ability to homeschool, because they honestly believe that they are alone in their struggle. They think everyone else has it all together. This is simply not true.
Kids are constantly maturing. They need to learn how to deal with the hard aspects of life. Disappointment, pain, failure and frustration. We are the ones that are put in their lives to help them through this. They don’t need to walk through these valleys alone.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man,”
1 Corinthians 10:13
Think of this verse not only for yourself in the context of your children. No temptation has overtaken them except such is common to man! Basically, what they struggle with is normal, they aren’t weird, strange or completely untrainable.
Kids need to be reminded of this. In the same manner that parents like to know they aren’t alone in their struggles, so do children. When they experience an intense emotion for the first time, such as public humiliation or stage fright they most likely won’t know what is going on. They might be feeling something for the first time and need us as parents to help them through it. As parents, we can share a story from our childhood about when we experienced the same emotion when we were a child to help them stay focused and not become self-centered and worrisome.
If one child struggles with anger, help them through this. Most likely they hate what they become when they are angry and want to change, but don’t know how. Help them to realize that anger is normal and teach them ways to deal with it.
The verse continues,
“…but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
God will not allow your child to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear. How reassuring! They will be able to get through it and get out of it. If your child ever tells you that they can’t change, remind them of this verse and teach them a better way!
We love our children and want the best for them. I am striving for a place where immaturities are in the past and my children are walking in the fruit of the Spirit, daily. It is a process but it is a goal. I am reaching for it but not there yet. Don’t get discouraged in the journey but know that we are striving for something greater, and we will get there. When we do, we’ll be get we kept pressing through!
