Responsibility and Homeschool

This Time is Valuable. This time with my family MATTERS. You don’t have to live an entire life to learn this wisdom. I’ll let you know a secret – these wise people wrote books. Yes. I learned this from reading a book. But not a homeschool book.

It’s no secret that I am a Babywise mom. I tell everyone I can about the principles that run our lives. I tell new moms, I tell people with young children, I even tell people without kids. People with children who are grown, will stop and ask me, HOW are your children so polite? WHY are they so well behaved?

HOW IS IT THAT YOU LOOK SO HAPPY?

I kid you not – I have had multiple people ask me this over and over again in everyday life. How do you always look so happy with your kids?

And I’ll tell you why. 

If you’ve never read any parenting or child-rearing book – you need one

There are so many books out there. Books on everything you could ever want to learn, are far more thorough and developed than the internet. In the realm of books, there is a HUGE selection of parenting and child-rearing books available today. Books that teach methods for reasoning with your 3-year-old and how to speak your commands (just so), to get your kid to comply. 

If you’ve never thought to read a book on raising your kid, but you think you like to be a “go with a flow” kind of family, then I recommend just trying on a book for size. Even reading any one of those “How to” parenting books will still be golden for you. Putting a couple of tools in the ‘ol tool bag, so to speak. 

BUT you’re probably thinking, Britney, what the heck does this have to do with homeschool? I just want to know why you decided to be a weirdo. 

Here’s why. 

As a sleep-deprived new mother of an 8-week-old, I desperately picked up a book that I had gotten as an unsolicited baby shower gift. Reading that book not only got my baby to sleep, reliably, but it changed my whole perspective. 

There is a whole line of these books, starting in infancy and going up through the teenage years. 

Here is a highlight reel of what we implemented.

• Creating processes for kids routines
• Maintaining a daily schedule that flows naturally with our bodies
• Streamlining and automating responsibilities, freeing up headspace 
• Understanding when and how to use discipline vs. when and how to use punishment
• Choosing a direction to lead from
• Making right choices, the first time, every time 

All of that is put together. All of that combined comes from one source. Like an umbrella over it all. One Goal.

Our family has a goal. My parenting has a goal. I make Mom choices with my goal in mind. Not a goal like, “Let’s make it to bedtime!” Kind-of goal, (though most days I can’t wait to get them to sleep!) But the goal is to someday be friends with our kids. Someday, when they’ve left to make their mark in the world, they still WANT to come back and visit us. They WANT to be with each other and they want to be with us.

Our other goals also include things like creating adults who are emotionally mature and secure, who have a strong sense of moral responsibility, and a deep understanding of their identity. 

We want our kids to grow up and have self-control. We want them to be able to eat a cookie, and not HAVE to eat the whole bag. 

We want our children to be a blessing and a joy, and they are. And so, I enjoy nurturing their growth. 

After teaching my 4-year-old how to read, just by following a book, I learned how simple it can be to teach your child academics alongside their moral training.

What is right for us, isn’t right for everyone.

Or is the right thing to do just the right thing to do?

I have a deep sense of responsibility for the upbringing and influences on my children. They matter to me. So I make time for what matters most. I’ve decided to give my time to ensure they are educated fully. We’ve decided to be patient and dedicated and engaged with our children’s development. I’ve decided to homeschool.

If you want to read more about the down and dirty, not-so-nice reality of my choice, you can read that here.
–> Homeschool for cool kids

Has it ever been on your heart to teach your own children? 90% of the mothers I know today have degrees in some shape or form. Everything from culinary to medicine, and finance in between. Some even have graduate and doctoral degree(s!) Has there ever been a time when mothers have been so beautifully educated? I believe the only true qualifications are that you can reason, you can read, and that you love that child fiercely. I believe that as mothers in today’s age, we are fully equipped, we just need to believe that we can. Are you considering making the brave leap into homeschool? Drop me a line below. I’d love to hear from you!

So now it’s your turn! If you try this, tag me at @goldengluegun