I thought if I homeschooled, my kids would always behave. What's going wrong? Tune in as Michael Farris dispels the myth of the perfect homeschooler on this edition of Home School Heartbeat.
Mike:
This week, I've been trying to dispel the myth of the perfect homeschool mom. And guess what? There are no perfect homeschool children either.
In theory, this makes sense, but, because we've worked so hard to train them, and dedicated our time and resources at a sacrificial level, we have a hard time accepting it in practice. Then, when our kids do misbehave, we have a tendency to overreact.
Your children need to be well behaved, but they cannot be perfect. The Bible says so. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You can and should punish them for deliberate misbehavior, but keep a watch on your own motives to see if you aren't just embarrassed by your child's public display of human sinfulness.
When you see your own children act inappropriately in front of others, you may compare yourselves to the other family and think, "I've never seen the Smith children behave this badly." Well, maybe you haven't, but I can guarantee you that the Smith parents have seen their children behave that way!
Here's a principle that can liberate you from the myth of the perfect homeschool child: simply deal with your children according to what they have done. Don't let your fear of the reactions of other people cause you to deviate from punishment if deserved or mercy if warranted. Let God give you the wisdom to stand for what is right while administering discipline with love and mercy. I'm Mike Farris.
Mike Farris has received many letters from homeschooling moms needing some encouragement. Michael's answers to these letters make up the chapters of The Spiritual Power of a Mother, yours for a minimum donation of just $10.00. Call us toll-free at 866-338-8614. That's 866-338-8614.
