There are lots of arguments on the best way to educate our children. I’m not here to take sides.

Educating our children well is the main goal. 

It does not matter if your child is homeschooled or public schooled or private schooled. Our unifying goal as parents and care-takers of the next generation is that they are educated well. This is the way, guys, that we build a better future. By pouring into our children.

So what does this look like if schooling location doesn’t matter?

Be present with them. This doesn't mean you only do kid activities or cater your time to your children. It means you actually hear them, respond to them as a person, look them in the eye every chance you get. 

Let your child discover the world around them for themselves. Don't guide them, or helicopter over them, through discovering new things. Take a few steps back and let them explore themselves. A child will only learn their true limits when we let them test those limits. A child will learn faster that a worm is safe when they discover that worm on their own.

Ask probing questions to your children and let them make their own conclusions. This is a hard one because it requires us to retrain our thinking. But don't ask questions in a way that provide the answer. Make them work through the question to get to the answer. Provide guidance if needed, but don't lead them.

Allow your children to watch you to live life so that they can learn how to do so as well. Our children will learn from our example if we let them. If we keep them preoccupied all the time, they won't be present with us.

Stepping back and letting kids make decisions on their own. Don't strong arm them. There is a big difference between your child having an opinion, or a strong opinion, and them just being bad and disobeying. Give your child a chance to decide on what they will do. Learn who your child is and what their responses are to things. It will actually be easier to discipline bad behavior this way but allow your children to figure out who they are.
 
What do you think? Anything you would add or take away from this list? It seems like it is exceptionally hard to be present with our kids these days. There seems to always be something much more important to do. Once we slow down and focus on these actions while raising our babies, I think their real learning begins. 

​Lori
To know God and to make Him known
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Happy Tuesday Friends!

Co-op is over for the year but we will continue on with some learning. Because of the laid back approach I take with Samuel we sort of never stop with the school stuff. 

This week are continuing to work on the sight words at, it, and, has, what, and why. I have to rotate the words out longer for Samuel to help keep his attention. And we have to circle back a lot to help make sure he really has learned something versus just memorized it. The word has has been an exceptionally hard for him to remember.

Speech therapy continues on this week. The are continuing to work on eye contact and taking turns and all the speech that goes into that.

For reading, we will read the next chapters of our Bible and our read aloud book, Winne the Pooh. For Winnie the Pooh, I'd like to read one chapter a week but that is definitely not what we have been doing.

Lastly, we will continue to spend a lot of time just playing. Samuel got over a fear of worms yesterday. He was super proud to show me wormy!

Lori

To know God and to make Him known

Check out these books! Every one of these authors also have done interviews about their books over at the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast. I HIGHLY recommend going and listening to what they and Ginny have to say!

Book 1
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and more Secure Kids by Kim John Payne

Book 2
Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Sef-Reliant, and Better Students for Life by Peter Gray

Book 3
Barefoot and Balanced: How Unrestricted Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children by Angela Hanscom

Book 4
Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff

Have you read any of these books yet?? 

**This post contains affiliate links. They send you straight to Amazon though so there is NO extra cost to you!**

​Lori

At this point I don't even remember when I figured out that I wanted to homeschool. It was definitely sometime in my early 20’s. I do think it is important to point out, I’m not against public school. It has its place and there are plenty of kids who need to go there. Ultimately, if we find my two youngest sons would thrive there, we would send them. I will say, that as time goes on, I find it harder to believe they could thrive better in the public education system but anything is possible. 

I am going to break down my WHY into 3 main points. My guess is that there are probably more nuanced points and these points listed will probably evolve and grow as time goes on, but for today this is what I am writing.

Reason #1, I want the opportunity to shape my child's education. However that looks. Whether we do classical education or turn to some sort of online method or something, the mode doesn't actually matter. I want the opportunity to educate my children myself and decide how it's done. I truly do feel that it is my responsibility and privilege to educate my children. I mean I guess you could call that perspective selfish but it’s how I feel. ( Ok so real talk, I HAVE been called selfish for that perspective. Ridiculous but it happened.)

Anyways…..

Reason #2, I want to control the influx of media and topics that don't align with our family values. Let your mind take you where you want with that. It's probably what I mean. I dislike the increased nature of computers in school. I dislike the increased sexuality in school. I dislike the generalness of the schools trying to teach our students morals and how to be adults while that is our job here at home.

Reason #3, this time is short with my children and I really want to be home with my babies. I just really liked spending time with them. You know even with the older kids, I love being able to drive them places and fit in the short amount of time that I do get. That short 10 minute drive home from picking up those 2 kids from the bus stop is just precious time. Samuel gets super excited to see them and I hate missing those moments. Just last week, Samuel spent the drive over to get them clearing off the seat for Sis and telling me about how he couldn't wait to make a heart for her because she loved him so much. If I was working, I would have missed this moment. 

In retrospect, my desire to homeschool really comes from more of a place of wanting to spend time with my children than anything else. Maybe that perspective will change, maybe it won't. Ultimately, I think it's time we live in a world that is more accepting of spending time with our children. 

What do you think? What are your reasons for educating your children?

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