We work hard as parents and as Christian homeschoolers.
We get up early, we plan, we prepare the nourishment and wash the clothes.
We start our days with snuggles and kisses.
We also assign household tasks to the kids so they learn to participate in the functioning of the family.
We demonstrate how to fold, how to scrub and how to prepare a good omelet.
We open our devotionals and bibles and kick off our morning together.
We read to them.
We give a math lesson.
We encourage.
We wipe tears and explain that it’s more than okay to have mistakes on the page — it’s how we learn.
We crack the history books and read and discuss and discover.
We put aside our ‘me time’ for them. Constantly.
We try our best to lead by example.
We attempt to develop Godly character through tough lessons.
But we falter more frequently than we’d like.
We become frustrated.
We marvel at the fact that telling them the same thing 2563 times can still have no impact.
We beg them to stop. fighting. with each other.
To pick up their messes.
To do things for someone else, just because.
We work HARD to keep up with all of this parenting business.
We wonder at times if it’s worthwhile to put in this constant effort into child rearing.
We think about how much easier it would be if we just lived the ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘kids ‘ll be kids’ sentiment, and just accept it all.
We wonder about all of it… Is it really worth such diligence?
There are times we raise our voices LOUD, sounding ugly and mean.
We are surprised by our own anger.
We immediately regret.
We pray.
And then we close the door on the day.
And try again tomorrow.
And then, there are little glimpses, moments of His grace.
They turn the frustration into relief.
They really ARE getting it!
One does someone else’s chores without being asked.
Another plays imaginatively and happily with a sibling.
The eldest puts aside his own free time and offers to read a favourite book to his little sister, just because.
The tough work of parenting,
the encouragement, the tough love, the diligence, the persistence, persistence, persistence…
all work as building blocks in the formation of character.
We’re not raising children. We’re raising the Godly, mature, responsible, respectful adults they will eventually become.
Keep on parenting!