This post is to mothers who are teaching and educating their children at home. Mom even if your child goes to a private or public school you can still benefit from this article. I am not anti-school, my kids went to awesome Christian Schools! And as soon as my son is potty trained, I am sending him to one of the best learning centers in Saint Louis, Mo. Transformation Christian School.

I am in a position in my life where I am able to teach my children at home. I realize this is a privilege most moms do not get to experience but wish they could. I also know, not all moms desire to teach their children at home and that is ok, do whatever works best for your family.

I want you to know that I highly respect teachers, I take my hat off to teachers, I am still trying to figure out how they are able to manage all those beautiful personalities, attitudes and the workload that comes with teaching and managing their own classroom.. I have 4 children at home and though it is rewarding to see your children blossom right before your eyes, it has a reality side to it as well. I really think teachers should get paid a salary equivalent to the salary of a doctor. I just want to take the time to thank all the teachers for your acts of service to our children. I which there was away that we as parents can make it more easier for you to teach our childern.

When I decided to teach my children at home, I had questions in my thoughts like every mother has when she is about to embark on a journey called the unknown. I had questions, doubts and fears but inside of my heart I believe this is what I was suppose to be doing. Yes I knew it would be a big sacrifice and a huge responsibility because I would be responsible for them getting everything they needed to succeed. But I knew I was not alone, and if God was leading me in this direction, then he would provide me with everything I needed to get the job done.

With any responsibility the first question we asks ourselves is, are we qualified to handle the task that is set before us? Are we willing to handle the task that is set before us? Will we be successful in handling the task that is set before us and last, am I suppose to handle this task that is set before me or is this something I just took on myself, a new experiment I want to try or God is this you really leading me to take on this task?

You and I are getting ready to explore what we really agreed to take on. Our reasons for teaching our children at home may be different, but we share the same journey. Moms just because you are sending  your children to learn in a classroom setting, doesn’t mean you get to escape your responsibility of teaching your children at home.

Can we just say all parents are teachers? Some has professional degrees and the rest of us was born with the natural ability to teach our children. God has given us an innate ability to lead and guide our children. Who is better able to love, nourish, teach and care for our children more than we are? Who has the instinctual and intuitive ability to know exactly what our children needs more than we do?

I am aware that not all moms are walking in this awareness and are labeled as bad mothers, but today I want to focus on the moms who are aware of their influence as a mother. Regardless of how you became a mother this article is for you.

There will be days when you don’t feel like you have walked in your full potential as a mom, on those days give yourself lots of grace. Do what ever you have to do to restore your relationship with your children. Our children are so precious and they desire fellowship with us. It is our job as parents, to teach our children about the ways of God and to bring them into true fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I have listed some scriptures letting us know that teaching starts with the parents.

Isaiah 28:9-10 ESV “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 
“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Genesis 18:19 ESV For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

There are so many voices that are in the world today, who voice will you teach your children to listen to. I will tell you who voices they should be listening to. God’s and Your voice. You have an obligation to teach your children to listen to the right voice. If you do not teach your children someone or something will be teaching them. The book of proverbs tells a son to listen to their father’s and mother’s instructions.

Proverbs 1-8:9 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;  Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.

If we are going to teach our kids the ways of the Lord, then we must become a student of God’s word, so that we will have the knowledge to teach our children the ways of righteousness, holiness and truth.

I think we are not aware of just how much time we are allowing others and things to teach our children. Sometimes we are just to overwhelm and tired to do it ourselves. So lets do the math of how much time we really have to teach our children the ways of the Lord. Lets explore how much time we really have every week to teach our children. There are 168 hours in a week.

*We rely on our churches to teach our children the ways of the Lord 2 days a week for about 2 hours. 4 hours a week

*We use our schools systems to teach them and educate them about 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. 35 hours

*Our children have to go to sleep. If they go to bed by 8pm and wake up by 7am, that is 11 hours. 77 hours a week.

*We are left with 52 hours a week teaching our children about the ways of the Lord. Now that is not including doing homework which can take up most of the evening depending on how many kids you have. Lets allot 1 hour for homework per day, for 6 days. 6 hours of homework time. We are down to 46 hours a week.

*If your children have after school activities like sports or lessons we will allot 4 hours a week for extra curricular activities. Leaving us with 42 hours a week to teach our children.

*I forgot to add daily cleaning and chores, like cooking, cleaning and making sure our family have fresh clothes, bath time, and all the other things that comes with running a household and extra commitments outside of the home. I will give 2 hours a day, 14 hours a week to that. Leaving us with 28 hours a week. That is only a 1 day and 4 hours a week, we have to really teach our children.

Moms who have to work outside the home and still have to come home and take care of her responsibilities at home, grace and grace and more grace to you. I have walked in your same shoes, I know how overwhelming it could be at times. With that kind of work load and schedule we are to tired to teach anybody anything. When we get home we just want to relax and fill ourselves up so we can constantly give to everybody else. I know everyone can’t afford a Christian education but thank God for the families who can afford it, at least our children are hearing about the love of God and his teaching while they are being educated.

This is not to make moms feel guilty but to shed light on who is actually raising our children. Public education are teaching our kids things that were never taught to us as kids when we were in school. There are things being taught in some of our children schools that are in direct opposition of what the word of God teaches.

So If you have decided to teach and educate your children at home, do not allow the pressure of everyone saying your kids are missing out on the social aspect of their lives. Homeschool groups are on the rise in almost every state where homeschooling is allowed. Your children have their church community if you are part of a body of believers. Your community and the state that you live in probably host homeschool events, just look it up on the internet.

But family is where real community starts. When have we gotten to the point where the family is not enough for us. Our neighborhood community activities is not enough for us. The events around our city is not enough for us. You can meet and fellowship with others around you in your own community.

Mom, you are well qualified to teach your children at home if you can, and if this is what you desire to do. God gave you everything you need to educate you children and led your children in the way of righteousness. Your child is an individual, they are unique and each child learns differently. You as a mom knows that. Sometimes others want to label your children because they are not keeping up with the learning style that is set for them by a decided on curriculum, but do not allow anyone to speak negatively about your children.

You speak the word of the Lord over your godly heritage. Some of our greatest leader that have lead this country were homeschooled. Most of our greatest olympic champions had to be homeschooled to develop their greatness. They have programs available to help you to teach your children at home and all you have to do is oversee their learning. I want moms to be encouraged that you have made the right decision in teaching your children at home.

Coach Angie!

http://www.noboundariesbtc.com

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