Our first year of homeschool was nothing like I imagined. I didn’t have the structure I wanted. Often times I felt inadequate, like I was failing them. I wondered if I had made a wrong decision in the beginning or if I was in over my head. 

But then I realized maybe-just maybe, they needed a little extra time to just be kids. To soak up the world around them, not letting their days be defined by textbooks and set in semesters. But by their animals, mud puddles, pretend play, or learning life skills. To enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Why, as Christian women & mothers, do we not take up our role as the care takers in the home and confidently go forth, leading, nurturing, and even learning from our kids without question? Why have we let a society (that is obviously suffering in so many ways) tell us that our kids will be behind if they do not follow a blue print that is the public school system? Why do we question our intuition and God given abilities to raise them ourselves? 

We have forgotten the little things and have stripped our kids of being kids. We did a lot of unschooling this year and I think it was the best, most eye opening and liberating choice for us. Ironically, for me mostly. As their mother, I think I truly saw my kids for the first time in a way I never had before because I was made to slow down from the rat race we’ve been conditioned to. 

I’m so thankful for the blessings I’ve been given in my children. Not to say we don’t have hard days because we do. Time is a blessing we often take for granted. I think this world wants us so busy because if we do slow down, our perspective shifts & priorities change. 

God’s done a work in my heart that only He could do and he used my kids to do it.

I hope when my kids are grown, they smile and reminisce about our days at home together. The stories we read aloud. The horses we rode. The adventures we went on. The fun we had painting, planting, and learning about life hands on. That they never felt like they got the short end but had a foundation laid to learn and grow upon that was entirely theirs and not set with the boundaries of four walls. 

I hope they loved that we were a family and together it was magic. It’s a privilege, the joy of my life to raise & teach them, watching them grow into the wonderful people God intended them to be. I’m only sad I don’t play this role in their story forever, serving as a reminder for me to hold fast to these fleeting days and enjoy every second. I love you girls, what a wonderful adventure we are on. -Mom