The Homeschool Minute ~ Hal & Melanie Young

Yep, it’s January. Gray, cold skies. Just what we needed to make our depression complete. And then, the children. Hyped up on Christmas treats and freedom, they’re bickering, irritable, too energetic, and lazy (How do they even manage to do both?), which just emphasizes our failures as parents, doesn’t it?

It’s tough and we’re there, too!

When we’re tempted to throw up our hands, we need to remember, though:

We serve the God who “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (1 John 1:9)

• There’s an answer when we feel guilty for spending too much time on the internet instead of reading to our children or when we find ourselves yelling instead of being the adult in the situation. Uh, huh. Repent. The Catechism for Boys and Girls puts it this way, “Be sorry for our sin and hate it and forsake it because it’s displeasing to God.” When we do that and trust God to forgive our sins because of what Jesus did on the cross, He does. Thankfully, He really does.

We serve the God who “will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” (Joel 2:25)

• Homeschooling gives us flexibility and freedom to recover from all kinds of messes. It’s January and though it feels like, “Oh, no! Half the year is gone! We’re ruined!” Instead, realize that it’s almost eight months until the next school year starts. Even if you had a catastrophe (and we’ve been there–cancer, sickness, hospitalizations, moves) and you’ve gotten almost NOTHING done so far, you can still catch up before next year. Pare down and focus on the essentials. Close the computer, turn down your phone, and just start wherever you are to make progress in the right direction. God is amazing when you do things like that. He is so merciful!

When your children are grown, you’ll look back and realize that many of the things you were anxious about weren’t really the point at all.

• We have a few grown children, now, and they’ve turned out all right. They’re good guys who love the Lord and we’re proud of them. We’ve realized, though, that the most important parts of what we gave them in homeschooling weren’t the days when everything went well and we accomplished all the academics on my list. Instead, it was the side-tracked days Melanie felt awful about. The days we spent disciplining and discussing and counseling. The days that felt like a waste back then are the days that shaped the men our boys would become. Don’t begrudge them.

The very next verse in Joel after the one about the locusts says it so well, “And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.” (Joel 2:26)

Don’t be discouraged in the days of battle in your homeschooling. It’s the end that matters. Disciple those children, friends!

Yours in the battle,

Hal & Melanie

PS. This week on our radio program, Making Biblical Family Life Practical, we talk about Homeschooling in Hard Times. Download it at the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network and get practical help and real encouragement for making it through times like these!

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