Friday, June 1, 2012

The Naysayers

SUMMER!  I love it- all my littles here all day.  We got a super fun pool.  It is the biggest one we have had, the kids bought it with the money form their piggy banks and I think that makes playing in it that much sweeter.  My favorite thing is that they stay outside for hours. I love when they are in the fresh air, learning problem solving and relationship skills as they play and fight too.

Our family recently made a HUGE decision about what sort of "school" the children will be in.  Up until now there was never any question.  My children went to a wonderful Catholic school, attended daily mass, and were educated with a changeling curriculum. My husband went to that same school and that was that- and we loved it!  Well, the good Lord has other plans for the little souls he is allowing me to raise.  Next year, we will be doing school in our home.  This will shock some of my friends from years past. It used to be, that when the subject of "homeschooling" would come up, I would cringe and say "I am NOT called to that"  well I wasn't- but now I am!

I have so many supportive friends and family members,  I was nervous to tell my Dad about our decision, but he was so great about it.  That was important to me!  but... Oddly, there are few  people who don't have confidence in me to educate my own children.  They have been convinced, as many people are, that at the age of 6 we must hand our children over to an institution to educate them. Does it occur to them that I already teach them constantly?  My life is dedicated to making sure that no moment is wasted, and no teaching opportunity is overlooked, so that my children are formed in their faith and become confident and healthy and peaceful!  How sad that when a mother decides to take on, in a more complete way, the education of the children God gave her, that she is bombarded with head shaking, thoughtless quips about organization, and ridiculous questions about socialization...(because we all know the public school system is doing a stellar job of socializing our kids, ha!) I don't think it is going to be easy, but I am so excited to incorporate "school" into the rhythm of our home. I will now get to watch my children have Ah-hah moments that I would have missed otherwise.  I will have the opportunity to grow in patience and charity as I help them in their struggles of reading, writing, and arithmetic. All of this while helping them become the people God intends for them to be! I feel blessed, and the naysayers can continue to nay and I will let them because "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31