Nov

6

Rebellious Teens: Homeschoolers Are Real People, Too

Posted by Homeschool_Dad

November 6, 2007 |

I started homeschooling in 1989, with just two children. They were eager learners, sweet spirited and loved the Lord. Homeschooling was almost idyllic as we did projects read good books and I poured my life into them.
The catch phrases back then were: jumpers, no such thing as teenagers, modesty, instant joyous obedience….
There were others. Back then we, meaning myself and the other moms I knew, felt that if we just followed the algebraic code A+B+C=D, or rather, Discipline + Christianity+ Homeschooling=Perfect Child.
Stop laughing.
Really.

Now our kids are grown. Well, that batch anyway. And do you know that those kids had the audacity to be……
human?
Say it isn’t so!
They made the same mistakes we made. Sometimes they rebelled. Sometimes they followed the Lord and sometimes they did not. And we looked at each other tearfully and said:
“But they weren’t raised this way!”
Now, those children are adults with families of their own. Some of them are struggling. Some seem to be settled in to their faith, some seem to need more time in the pig pen before they remember who they are and come home, like the prodigal s on.
Could we have done things differently? Surely we could have.
But ultimately we are only the parents. We do not know, nor can we control the choices our children make for good or bad. The father of the prodigal understood. Eli understood. Others throughout the centuries have understood. God understands.
Homeschooling was not, never has been, never will be, the end all beat all answer to raising godly children. It is part of a lifestyle but ultimately we can only choose for ourselves.
Enjoy your kids while they are young. Read good books. Spend quality time together. And store these things in your heart because there will possibly come a time that you have to stand firm and watch as your teens work out their own salvation.
What a bloody process that is.
Homeschool because you are called to it, because you know it is right for your family..do not homeschool because you think that your kids will miss some of the weaknesses of youth. You may be disappointed.

You may find yourself laughing and nodding as you read Stop and Smell the Dead Fish I certainly did, although there are no dead fish in my upstairs hall….yet.
The Good Shepherds is a fascinating article about the rural movement many homeschoolers,including my family are attempting.. I have found that getting back to the land may not be as simple as it first appears…Anyway..check it out and let me know what you think.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. Monica on November 7, 2007 10:19 am

    Read the Good Shepherds article….. , thou shall not covet, thou shall not covet, thou shall not covet…… That where we want to be, we’re not there yet… God knows what the future holds.

  2. From the Vault..My Favorite Posts :: Home School Central on March 25, 2008 9:19 pm

    […] Rebellious Teens-Homeschoolers are Real People Too I reminded myself that homeschooling was not an insurance program. […]

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