Home Education Week: So now what?

Welcome to Home Education Week, hosted by Principled Discovery.

It wasn't too long ago that I was asked, "How long do you plan to do this?"

Do I actually have educational goals for my kids? What are we planning for next year? For high school? College?

Here's the short answer: my goal in homeschooling is to do everything I can to help them reach their full potential.

Easy. Simple. Clean.

Yet what that REALLY means is that I have to spend a lot of time with God, getting really super close to Him, so that I can see my kids through HIS eyes ... not my eyes which are tainted by the neighbor's accomplishments, or the National Merit Finalists, or the latest Dateline which tells us how painfully behind American students are compared to the rest of the world.

I have to really give their gifts time and patience to blossom and hone and develop. I have to appreciate the fact that they may take great passion in something that does not interest me in the slightest. I have to be sensitive to their strengths and abilities, and choose educational resources that will fit them as an individual.

I also have to remain flexible to change as they grow and enjoy exposure to all life has to offer. Should we have a little contest as to how many of us changed our majors in college? Anyone? We all need time, and sometimes that time gives us a chance to experience something new and discover our life's love.

I take our "purchased and planned" learning resources a year at a time. I stay aware of the special needs my kids have, and the fact that even they can wax and wane year after year. When they are thriving with a little academic nudge from me, I nudge away. When they need to slow down and absorb more slowly, we apply the brakes.

I have the most crazy, diverse life experience - from my jobs to college classes, etc. I want that for my kids. I actually never found that "one thing" to focus on. Instead, I have discovered many, many things that I can do. Those things have allowed me to give to my family and to the world, no matter where we live and no matter what we do. It's really cool.

My kids may find one, phat passion that they pursue. They may be more like their gypsy mom. You just never know. My prayer for them is that they use their gifts, so they can love what they do in the world, even on the difficult days. I want them to experience a life of giving back, in exactly the way that they were made to give.

It's going to be a fun journey.