Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Michael Farris:
Should my daughter go to college? I’ve heard that question countless times—both in my years working in the homeschool movement, and then as president, and now chancellor, of Patrick Henry College.

You know, it’s an understandable question. If we want to prepare our daughters to be godly wives and mothers—and that’s desirable—then is there any value in sending a girl to college?

But is it the right question? Shouldn’t we be asking, “How can I best prepare my daughter to serve God?”

Marriage is desirable. God created it. Moms and dads want their daughters to experience the joys of marriage and motherhood. But the reality is, not every girl marries or has a family. Preparation for the “careers” of marriage and motherhood should be a priority for our daughters, but it should not be our only goal for them.

Asking the question, “Shouldn’t girls go to college?” shouldn’t distract us from an important point: for some girls (as for some boys), college simply won’t help them achieve their goals. In my own family, out of my four oldest daughters, two went to college and two did not. All of them are now married, and all of them developed their specific talents through jobs, training, and apprenticeship—all built on the foundation of an excellent home education.

God has gifted each of our daughters with qualities that will help them play a special role in His plan. It’s our job as parents to prepare them for that role. I’m Mike Farris.