Why I Decided to NOT Home-School (;

For those that saw my previous blog, "Why I Decided to Home-school" , you may be VERY confused right now…unless you actually READ it (busted...wink, wink!) then you know it had nothing to do with what school option we are going with for our children to in the coming years.

It was about ME learning in the “School of our Home” as our children teach me invaluable lessons everyday about what really matters in life.

I remember when my belly was huge with our firstborn son (I mean, REALLY huge…as in make-small-children-point-and-scream-huge) and my list of what I would “never” and “always” do as a parent was even MORE huge than my belly!

Here’s some of those crazy expectations that made that list...and how many days it took after having a baby before those delusions were blown out of the water:

Pre-child delusion #1: “I will NEVER use a pacifier”

Reality Check: 5 days (Now I know why parents nick-name nuks “The Silencer”...God BLESS Pacifiers!!!)

Pre-child delusion #2“I will ALWAYS be patient and kind as a Mommy.”  

Reality Check: 1 week (“Ahhh! Why is he still crying for NO reason!?”)

Pre-child delusion #3: “My children will NEVER throw a fit at the store in a frenzy for candy.”

Reality Check: 18 months (this is when the first reluctant obediance with poutful tears occurred)

Pre-child delusion #4: “I will ALWAYS keep my home clean.”

Reality Check: I’ve been laughing deliriously about THIS one since coming home from the hospital with Gideon!

I think you get my point.  Maybe that’s why Jesus warned us about filing up our hearts with false expectations when he said in, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for you don’t know what tomorrow will bring.” (Matthew 6)

One of the most important roles we have as parents is to be contortionist (no, I don’t mean just so you can keep your head on a swivel 24/7 to keep an eye on all those little troublemakers!  Though, that would be a nice talent to have!) We need to be flexible to change and grow as our children change and grow.

The choice we make in where our children attend school is a perfect example for this.  Although I think the MAIN emphasis of how our children are being raised should always focus on the home front (not just finding the best daycare, preschool, school, college, etc…which I hit on in a previous blog, "The Great Debate").  It’s also useful, and wise even, to plan ahead about what kind of schooling would be best for your family.  What is NOT wise though is to proclaim OUR choice as the best choice for the entire world, even the entire universe because who knows what tomorrow may bring!

As it stands now, my hubby and I are planning on our boys attending a private preschool together this fall then enrolling Gideon in public school the following year.  But who really knows if that will still stand by next year…or even by tomorrow?  We could get so rigid in our plans and goals, that we miss God’s gentle leading in a fresh direction if we’re not careful.  Each kid is unique and what may work for one, may NOT work at all for another.  I’m learning the best approach to any situation in parenting (be it schooling, friendships, rules, etc.) is to make a plan but flex and flow!

With this in mind, I commit that as a parent I will ALWAYS be flexible.

(Reality Check: ZERO minutes…won’t even try this one because I’ve finally learned always and never just AIN’T happening!)

P.S.  We haven’t really decided to NOT ever home-school, just wanted to have a funny blog title.  We LOVE homeschooling and the idea of it makes my heart throb because I would SO love to...that being said, I’m not sure I’m called to do it right now, and as this blog just explained, may never REALLY know...