September Thoughts in February

My three children have been in several different educational settings since their nursery school days. We have used private, parochial, and public schools. I have had lengthy discussions with professionals, educators, other parents, as well as kids as to the best way to do this thing called education, but it comes down to this: every child has the capacity to adapt to the environment he/she is placed into by his/her parents.


I did not always share this point of view. I used to think it was all about the child's bent. This current year, we have one of our children in a private boarding school academy, one child in public middle school, and one child at a parochial elementary school. The different schools continue to adequately meet the different needs my three children have, however I really believe that one is not more superior to another because of its' name, location, or even its' curriculum. I have met fine people - administrators, faculty, and parents at all the institutions my children have attended. My children have learned a great deal about life by having rich diverse educational experiences, but as they get older as do we as their parents :-), we have come to fully appreciate the key to success in parenting is Proverbs 22:6 (Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it), not the school they have attended. The important word for us parents is that these precious children have been entrusted to us and it is our job to raise them in such a a way that they will ultimately seek God's will in all they do and the Lord will show them which path to take.

I have been asked by many young moms which school is the best and I used to favor one type of school or another, or I would address the child's needs but life is not that simple. Economics plays a role in these decisions. I want to encourage you to have faith and courage to do what you are able to - live within your means. Don't spend everything you earn on their education - so that you have nothing left for yourselves. Bloom where you are planted. Trust God that if it is His will to homeschool, you will be equipped to do so. If His will is that you use your public school, He will surround you with a support system that will benefit your children, or if it is His will that you go the route of private or parochial, He will provide the funding, but also the path that is clear for you as parents to lead your children down.

The honor of christian parenting comes from seeing your children trusting their lives to the Lord. And, the honor and privilege of releasing your children to the Lord is a daily task - - one which will need to bathed in prayer wherever your children are educated.