Back to school 2014

I've seen a few blog posts and such lately in which a mom is reveling in the joy of dropping off all her kids back at school. The house is now quiet. Her time is her own. A full day without the interruptions of children. Let the celebrating commence!

These moms love their children and acknowledge the joy of motherhood. No doubt many of them miss their children during these blissfully quiet days. But I found myself not liking these posts. Jealous? Probably.

I want to be happy for them. I assume they've thought through all the options and decided homeschooling is not right for their family. I don't think homeschooling is right for every family. I'm a semi-reluctant homeschooler myself. It's the best choice for us out of the available options. But I have lots of things I'd rather do with my time. I want to train for a 10k or at least to go to the gym when I'm awake and not exhausted. I want to get lunch with a friend or coffee by myself and read a book or just go to the grocery store without having to keep track of my brood. I want to go to the dentist/dr/hairdresser without having to line up babysitting. Older moms will say "it's just a season of life." Well, that may be, but this is a really long season.

So I'm writing this post just to remind myself that it's worth it. I don't want to change the decisions I've made to have more than 2.14 children and homeschool most of them. I want to encourage my fellow mamas in the trenches. This is a good work we've chosen to do. We are well-equipped to educate our children because we're their mothers.

So many wonderful resources for homeschooling!

Christian mothers, we need to make sure we're listening to God's wisdom, not the world's. I'm not saying every mom who sends her four-year-old off to preschool is worldly, but every mom should examine her motives. The Bible tells mothers:

• to love their children and husbands (Titus 2:4)
• to teach their children diligently (Deut. 6:7)
• to bring children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) 
• to not neglect discipline (Prov. 13:24)

These things are best accomplished in our family if my children are with me.

Mary "needed" a backpack this year too.

Again, I say NOT EVERYONE HAS TO HOMESCHOOL! In fact, we've had two kids attending a local Christian school for several years.

I AM saying (most of all too myself) DON'T LET THE WORLD'S VALUES DISCOURAGE YOU! The moms doing the happy dance as they drive away from the elementary school with an empty mini-van are not to be envied. Consider carefully the decision to let your children be taught by someone else for most of their waking hours. I hope this doesn't sound judgmental. I'd love to talk more about this with any interested friends, but I've already spent way too much time on this blog and we've got to get back to the books!

Ruth at her desk.

Paul's lucky he's not in "real" school b/c they'd never allow him to sit like this.

So here's my pep talk to all the mamas of littles, many, and tiny ones still on their way:

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Prov. 31-27-31