Hey friends, how are you today? How was your weekend? We spent our weekend in Ohio because our baby completed her sixth semester at her university. Amid COVID-19 regulations, we still had to packed and store and take all the necessities, including her, back with us. I love to visit her school’s town, in spite of the number of times we’ve been there, there is always something new to experience.
It’s good to have her back home with us, now our little family is complete again, praise the Lord. As an ex-teacher myself, it’s exciting and I suppose a bit prideful that both girls have decided to go into that same field. As parents we have the opportunity to leave lasting impressions on our kids; that’s both scary and beautiful. Whether they choose to enter our field of work or not, even the manner they approach work is most times gained from their parents. Because as parentings, we are in the business of teaching, whether we teach consciously or subconsciously.
Almost every teacher I’ve spoken to throughout the past few months groan with frustration over the regression of their students. According to several psychologists and therapist kids have suffered throughout the past twelves months of school and social restrictions. Kids have suffered from neglect more so, in spite of the fact, that parents have been at home. Can you believe it?
A few years ago, when my husband first suggested the idea of homeschooling, initially I was not at all enamored with that idea. Twenty four whole hours with the girls, day in day out, seven days a week, I could not even imagine the thought. I was convinced someone would not survive this ordeal. I was afraid for their lives; I was not sure I could perhaps nor should be trusted with them. Who would survive this?
Initially, let me tell you, it was not pretty. The Lord blessed us with two children, just two and to help us further, He gave us two of the same sex. There really should not be any complications at all to the matter. They were just two and a half years apart; they had the same mother and the same father. Yet friends, these girls were as different as night and day. A blessing, you say, from the Lord, you say, well … I could not see it then. One ran headlong into any and everything. There was no stopping her. “I can do it” was her mantra. She had very little fear and she loved to experiment, especially in and with things that were none of her business. The other was afraid of her shadow. She hates surprises, she wants to know in advance of any changes that may potentially take place in her schedule. She dots every i and crosses every t before she makes a move. She took her time to accomplish any task because it had to be done just right. She was a follower though, so she followed her sister into almost every disaster. Can you imagine my frustration during our school time?
Then there was the way they learned. As a teacher, it was my custom to stand in front of my class with all eyes on me. Perhaps because the first born had spent two years in a public school, she had no problem adapting to my teaching style. Eyes on me, nothing in your hands, sit up straight…. How hard can this be?
Well, the second born did not get the memo, or perhaps she assumed it did not apply to her. This child could not stay still. Tap, tap, tap, went her pencil, squeak, squeak went her chair, scratch, scratch went her crayons, I still have nightmares. Suddenly her legs and her head would exchange positions; questions were answered under the table. Deep breaths, deep breaths. In the end, I had to adapt or break her. Sadly, I must say, I came close to breaking her. I thought there was only one way to teach. The fact that I was a teacher by profession almost became a deterrent rather than an advantage in our homeschool journey.
For a minute there, I forgot the objective, well actually somewhere along the line, I switched objectives. Too quickly I forgot that though the Lord blessed us with these kids, we were just their temporary keepers. They were not mine to do with as I see fit, the Lord had a bigger plan for their lives and our time to parent though short, in the scheme of things, was of the absolute importance. I was their parent as well as their teacher.
But then again, we all parent as well as teach. In fact, that’s exactly what parents do; we teach. Did you know that? Every single day, as parents, we teach our kids something. We pass on knowledge, doctrine, experience, skills to the next generation whether we do so intentionally or not.
What have you been teaching? Where do your footprints lead? Take heed they are following you. Have you read last week’s posts FINALLY, IT’S HERE and TOO MUCH, TOO SOON? Thank you or go ahead to keep in touch.
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Wouldn’t it be fun if one of your daughters got a teaching job in Alaska so you could visit there in the winter? 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Good post
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Beautiful, honest truth.
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praise the Lord, to our wonderful God be all the glory
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My girls are long gone and grown with families of their own. It has been funny as they began to be mothers, they would sometimes call me and say “Mom, I’m so sorry! I understand now.” As they grew up and left home, at first i thought my days of teaching them were over. But I soon came to see I will be teaching them until the day I die. My youngest daughter recently told me as I struggle with arthritis and the accompanying pain that I was teaching her how to grow old gracefully and to remain thankful in old age. Makes me realize how much I need to stay close to the Lord as they are still watching me and learning from me.
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Praise the Lord! I remember thinking I will never be like my mom, now I think if I can be half the woman she is, I would be blessed 😇
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That’s great – having everyone together. 😊
One thing I am taking away from your experience is the need for one to unlearn and let God teach us, as parents the unique persona of each ward.
Greetings to the family. 🤗
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Amen and amen 🙏🏽 you have precipitated me because next week’s post is about unlearning 😂😂 I appreciate you, my friend. May the a lord bless you
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Smiles. Yay! 😍
Looking forward to the post.
Aww, you are welcome. 🤗
Amen. And you too, ma’am. 😊
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My daughter has homeschooled her children since the oldest was in kindergarten. He graduates this year with 37 college credits to add to his high school diploma. Her children are ages 19, 16, 14, 10 and 4. She has done an amazing job with them, joining co-ops as needed and adding her expertise to the pot as she helps others. When the pandemic hit and parents were stuck with kids at home, she just kept doing what she had been doing all along, except for teaching her co-op on Zoom. Amazing to me! I taught for 34 years and had my own children in my Spanish classes twice. Not a good experience for us since I’m a demanding teacher and both children were relaxed in their learning styles. But we survived.
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Homeschooling was one of the best decisions we made for our children, I would do again with everything I know now. I commend your daughter. God bless you
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Ever since the pandemic began, I have been teaching online full time, and it feels like homeschooling. It’s the most rewarding career I have ever had!
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😅I’m sure it feels like homeschooling, I pray that the Lord continues to bless you during this time and keep you safe
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Thank you! Same to you.🙏
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In my first month at University – training to become a teacher, I was to write an essay entitled “My Education” so far. I got a high grade for it and school was hardly mentioned in it at all! It sure is amazing what we learn and who from. But God is merciful.
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Amen and amen 🙏🏽 the Lord is in the business of teaching, as we are to learning 😅we have the best Teacher
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We are probably the first generation that was so “belly-button-focused” as to think we could raise children without making mistakes. Previous generations just took it in stride to do the best you knew for your children and leave it up to them to learn their lessons. Love hard, discipline firmly and consistently, and when you make mistakes, admit it, confess it to Father and get His forgiveness, as well as the forgiveness of children who know they are loved.
Good advice in your blog, Brenda. ❤️&🙏, c.a.
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It is always a pleasure to read your comments. You are so succinct and to the point. I could not have said it better my self. God bless you, my friend
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Actually, you say stuff much more succinctly than me and make me work harder! 😉
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Eeeek! I homeschooled, too; although I only had one student. When I look back, I so wish I had been a better parent, and taught my son well.
But, God has much grace. He redeemed, and continues to redeem. I’m not advocating the shirking of any responsibilities, but we all mess up. He works in the life of my son, as well as in mine. We both learn and change. Thanks for sharing how y’all do, too.
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Wow 😯 we do have so much in common 😂😂 I thank the Lord, He has been good to us. He placed people in our lives, people who has done this before, they gave advice, shared their experience
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It’s what He put us together for. 😁
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Amen 🙏🏽
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It’s so much easier to teach the one that has the traits we like. I’m afraid I tried to stamp out the traits I don’t like about myself in my kids and I’m so doing they thought I didn’t like them. Still trying to repair that damage asi learn to love myself and them the way God made us.
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Yes, it is easier, and I realize I was doing exactly that, I realized I had to do things differently, I started to pray 🙏🏽 and ask the Lord to change me
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