From Spunky Homeschool a great refection on what in means to succeed at home schooling:
. . . When I first starting homeschooling I thought about all the things that would make homeschooling a success. And I often compared myself to other families and used them as the way to determine my success. (Just like I’m tempted to do in blogging.) And to no great surprise, I usually come up short. I seemed to be unable to measure up to the mythical standard of the “perfect homeschool family”.
Many families give up at this point. Thinking that they have somehow failed their children, they hope a different school arrangement will accomplish what they have “failed” to do. But over the years, I have noticed that it rarely does. Why? Because it’s not a method it’s a Man.
Just in the past few months adultery, divorce, and suicide have all touched our local homeschool community. Homeschooling is not the salvation of our culture. Jesus is. Homeschooling will not make a family successful. Jesus does. Homeschooling will not keep a child from rebellion. Jesus does. Homeschooling will not keep a marriage strong. Jesus does. And the minute, I think that homeschooling will do any of these things, is the day I begin the slide toward defeat. Homeschooling will not build a successful family any more than a hammer will build a successful house.
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Psalm 127:1
Don’t expect homeschooling to do what homeschooling was not designed to do.
So if you find yourself, as I often have, in a panic because you think you are not meeting the standard of a “successful homeschooler”. Think again and give up the “mythical standard.” Don’t compare yourself to those around you. Fix your eyes on HIM. Don’t give up homeschooling. (A carpentar would be lost without his hammer.) Give it back to the Master Craftsman and let HIM design your family according to his specifications and for HIS glory.
