If you are just starting out on your home schooling journey, it may be quite overwhelming right now. There are plenty of opinions telling you to do things one way or another. There are numerous curriculum companies telling you that their program is the best. There are co-ops galore if you live in a metro area or an area that has many home schooling families. There are just so many things that want to stake claim on your time, but there is one thing that you need to know that you have that tops all the others and that thing is FREEDOM.
One of my favorite scriptures is Galatians 5:1. It reads, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” I apply this scripture to all areas of my life including home schooling my daughters. This scripture reminds me that I have not been set free to simply allow myself to be placed in bondage again by all of the things that are vying for my attention, but instead my freedom allows me to stop and think about exactly what it is that I need to do with the freedom He has freely given me.
Are you embracing the freedom that home education is giving you with your children?
Take a moment to think about your purpose and mission for home educating your children. I’ve found that when I take to reflect on our mission as a family, I am less likely to purchase materials that we do not need, I am less likely to waver on the way we will do things, and I am less likely to sign up for activities that we really do not want to commit to attending. Reflecting on your purpose plays an important role in helping you to maintain your freedom.
It took me some time fully understand that teaching my children at home should not resemble bondage, but instead it should reflect a full life. I found ways throughout the years to restrict us. I plowed through programs that were not for us at times, and I even open our school up to other students which placed outside pressure on us. I know in part I made these choices out of fear. I’ve now learned that living a full life doesn’t suffocate, but encourages us to do our best with joy. So you will not find us, committed to several activities each week because this would feel like bondage to us, but for others this may be exactly opposite because they have the opportunity to be a part of all of the activities their hearts desire. You have freedom in your choices so embrace that freedom, and don’t allow one home school mom’s decision to impact yours.
Our journeys for teaching our children are different because we are different and our children are different. Making a commitment to home school is a big one, and it can be overwhelming without any outside influences. As you continue on your journey whether you have been at it for one year or many, remember the biggest gift we have as home educating families is freedom, and if we decide to put ourselves in boxes without flexibility or due to fear then we are giving that freedom away. Don’t give it away, but embrace your freedom.
Rainbow Resource has many homeschool planners to choose from to help you write out your goals and plans for homeschooling your children.
