It’s that time of year again when the kiddos start returning to school. Some moms and dads are cheering and posting pictures of themselves jumping for joy as their kiddos get on the bus for the beginning of the new school year. As much as I enjoy giggling at the pictures I begin to take pause. I’m sure these parents love their children. By this time of year though even with the summer vacation being so short relative to the time that they are in school, parents have already endured the “I’m bored” and if there are siblings, all of the squabbles that take place when they have spent too much time with one another. I experience that kind of drama 365 days of the year, I home-school. That’s right I’m stuck with them. Neither of us parents that home school or parents that send their children to school have it easier. Both sets of parents will need to be attentive to their children. My husband and I have chosen to home school, which means we will have a different set of challenges than those that have chosen to send their children off to school, whatever reason that may be.
I will not be posting pictures by me with me looking miserable with my giant cup off coffee because I’m stuck with them. I’m glad that I’ve been afforded the opportunity to teach my children from the comfort of our home. Sure there will be days that I probably could take a selfie of myself looking miserable because my children have not been as cooperative and thrilled to wake up every morning to be told they need to do their math work or practice their spelling words. Because we home school I was able to watch and listen to them learn to read. Listening to your child learn to read can be painful if you have not had the benefit of this experience, but how awesome it is for me that I was involved in that process. I also get to giggle and snuggle together on the couch as I read to them or watch short YouTube videos on the creatures that we just read about in our science.
This hasn’t been an easy journey. I’m learning right along with them. I’m learning how much I fail and how to better love them. They are learning things that they would not be taught in the brick and mortar building, these days especially. They are learning too that they are broken because of sin and it effects on our relationships with one another. They are learning that forgiveness isn’t easy but that we as heirs of God’s kingdom through His great gift of salvation are called to forgive .
So as for those parents who are posting the fun and silly pictures of themselves jumping for joy as their children leave the safety and security of their home. Unfortunately they don’t have it easy once their children have gone back to school. Maybe they don’t have to put in as much time listening to their child learn to read, but they will need to be that much more attentive to what their children are learning and what is happening in the lives of their children while at that brick building. I don’t envy the parent that sincerely loves their children and is sitting at work wondering how their children are doing. Perhaps the pictures we all should be posting are of moms and dads praying over their children that God would protect their souls and that God would be their ultimate guide.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
~Laura