Gratitude

I just felt this serge of overwhelming gratitude with all I have been incorporating in my life in the last year.  I am so excited to learn!!  To improve myself.  I’m excited to be an example to my kids of what that looks like.  I’m excited that I finally have the knowledge to begin to create an environment that my children can learn and excell in.  Books, music, conversation, wholesome recreational activities, service, real learning, motivation that comes from within, a quiet and peaceful rythym to our lives that gives us the time and environment to receive prompting on what we should do with our lives.  These are just some of the things I am truly grateful for. 

I have been sharing with people our choice to homeschool.  I’m disappointed with myself for the way that I have shared our choice.  I seem to share all the fears and I try to be so concientious of my words, I don’t want to offend others who have chosen a different path of education for their children.  The problem is, I think that these explanations overshadow why I’m choosing this for us.  I’m sure most people I have shared our choice with walk away wondering why in the world I’m choosing to do this.

I’m choosing to do this because it feels so right.  It speaks to my soul that this is what is right for our family.  It answers so many of our concerns.  How can we slow our lives down?  How can we spend more time with our kids?  How can we spend more time together as a family in the evenings?  How can I read lots and lots and lots and lots of classical literature to my kids?  How can I tailor an education to what my child wants to learn when he/she wants to learn it?  How can I stop the going, going, going all day long??  How can I teach my children to work really, really hard?  How can I train and teach them all that I feel I must?  I feel deep down inside that I can do it much, much better then I am doing it now.

The few things that we have incorporated from Leadership Education and a new kind of parenting philosophy have greatly impacted our family.  I see the result I want to see.  The few things we have done have worked!!  There has been more joy and excitement and peace in our home with just the few things we have done.  I know this is only the beginning.

We have a lot more to do.  I feel like we have only tried a few of the things that I know we want to bring into our lives.  I’m taking it step by step, knowing that real change usually occurs slowly and consistently. 

So, this is why we are homeschooling.  It is a lifestyle choice.  A choice for us that will bring more joy, excitement, and peace to all that enter into our home.  I truly am grateful.