Is everything going well in your homeschool now? Just wait. If your experience;is;anything;like;many;vet- eran homeschoolers, you can reasonably expect the day to come when you will
encounter;difficulty;and;discouragement.
When you do, you will be faced with a
critical choice: run . . . or overcome.
I had never even heard of home-
schooling until my husband suggested
we teach our firstborn 5-year-old at
home. I’m a researcher by nature, so
when he mentioned it, I started inves-
tigating. I quickly recognized that he
was;on;to;something;significant.;Then,
because both Scripture and experience
have taught me to believe that God is
active in our lives and cares even more
about our growth and character than we
do,;when;I;“just;happened”;to;be;invited
to;join;a;homeschool;field;trip;to;a;lo-
cal;farm;and;met;Beth,;I;was;delighted
but not surprised. While my sons held
bunnies, chased chickens, and mooed
at;cattle,;I;had;a;conversation;with;Beth
that;showed;me;she;was;a;deep;thinker
who passionately loves Jesus. Later, as I
reflected;upon;her;words;and;the;char-
acter qualities displayed by her children,
I decided to ask her to be my home-
school mentor.
So began a relationship that has since
blossomed into a dear friendship. Our
hearts are knit together. Knit, because
for;Beth;to;effectively;counsel;me,;I;had
to be transparent about what went on in
our homeschool. At times, that was really
painful.
Welcome to Homeschooling
Once, with great embarrassment, I con-
fessed;how;I;had;washed;our;breakfast
dishes, and then, instead of teaching my
son how to write his letters and numbers,
I folded laundry . . . and then I decided
to;de-clutter;our;work;space;.;.;.;and;then
the telephone rang . . . and while I was
still on the phone my mom stopped by
.;.;.;suddenly,;it;was;time;to;cook;dinner
and;bathe;the;kids;and;another;day;had
ended. Of course, this could happen to
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
Don’t;Run;From;the;Mirror:
Why You Need to Teach
By;Stacy;Farrell
If you fear that your shortcomings disqualify you
from teaching your children, I have good news!
