Raising Children to Live a Normal Life
June 30, 2009 by Renae
While reading Little Homeschool on the Prairie’s review of the documentary Grown Without School, a quote captured my attention:
There is a myth that through homeschooling you can achieve…more than a normal life.
I want to raise the next George Washington, Albert Einstein, or, for a current example, Ravi Zacharias. In my dream, my children are famous, and make a positive impact as salt and light in the lives of multitudes. Maybe this will happen, but, most likely, they will live a normal life.
They will grow up to be employees, business owners, parents. They will struggle when making life-altering decisions. Their clothes will get dirty, and they will experience pain. Hard work is before them.
How do I best prepare my little ones to value this earthly routine? Can a quiet life ebb with joy through the trials to come? Proverbs 4:23 admonishes,
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the Latin root of the word diligence is to love earnestly; to choose. Love takes constant effort, steady application, and exertion, but without it life is meaningless. Heroes love whether or not acknowledged by the crowds. They walk amid the common things and extraordinary events knowing that even an ordinary life is worth sacrifice.
Salt is meant to be sprinkled, not poured. Light illuminates, but even the sun does not shine everywhere at once.
Renae teaches her eleven-year-old son and two little girls at home. She has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her children for five years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.
Related posts:
- Father’s Day: Raising Your Own Superheroes By Matt Binz Husband of HOTM writer Lee Binz and otherwise known as Mr. HomeScholar...
- Raising Boys vs. Raising Men Raising Boys vs. Raising Men There is a difference raising boys and raising men. Strategies...
- Am I a normal parent? As a homeschooling mother of 4 children, 5 and under, I would imagine that I...
- Life Lessons “Learning never ends”– that’s our homeschooling motto. But in actuality, it’s more like our life...
Raising Children to Live a Normal Life | Home School News Blog on Tue, 30th Jun 2009 2:39 am
[...] View original post here: Raising Children to Live a Normal Life [...]
Beth on Tue, 30th Jun 2009 7:44 am
Divinely spoken Renae! I am sometimes asked questions like, “So, how advanced is your son in “blank”. I think people sometimes assume that if you homeschool your child will be “heads” above the rest and that just isn’t always true.
I love how you said, “How do I best prepare my little ones to value this earthly routine?”
That’s a thought we should all ask ourselves.
[Reply]
Raising Children to Live a Normal Life | Homeschooling Information on Tue, 30th Jun 2009 8:03 am
[...] Read more from the original source: Raising Children to Live a Normal Life [...]
Mozi Esmes Mommy on Tue, 30th Jun 2009 1:26 pm
What is “normal?” My child will definitely have a blessed, loved life here at home…
Mozi Esmes Mommy’s last blog post..Magic Marker Monday – Canvases
[Reply]
Kathryn Lang on Wed, 1st Jul 2009 9:46 am
I am not normal and am growing up children in the same path. We are called to be peculiar and I want them to reach their full potential.
I am trying to teach them to discover their passion so that they can follow that to their purpose.
Kathryn Lang’s last blog post..Conspiracies Miss the Proverbs 31 Woman
[Reply]
Tammy ~@~ Reply:
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:19 am
Yes! And as they see us living our lives with passion for the tasks God has before us, hopefully, prayerfully, they will catch that same passion for whatever God has before them.
Thanks for sharing, Renae
Blessings,
Tammy ~@~
Tammy ~@~’s last blog post..living in the dot
[Reply]
Renae on Wed, 1st Jul 2009 4:44 pm
Beth,
Thank you. Every one of us has gifts and talents and I believe homeschooling allows us to bring those out in a better way, but you are right. Just because I homeschool my kids doesn’t mean they are going to win the national spelling bee every year.
Mozi Esmes Mommy,
But now that I’m adult, I realize that some of the mundane things I must do every day are a bit boring. The question for me is can I do the endless laundry, dishes, and cooking with joy? And can I spread that joy to my kids?
That is a good question. I used to have a sweatshirt that said normal is boring.
Kathryn Lang,
I agree! I guess when I was thinking of normal, I was thinking about the routine things of life that we all have to do to survive. Homeschooling is still peculiar, but it sure feels natural to me.
Renae’s last blog post..Principle Approach is a Curriculum
[Reply]
Ann Dunagan on Wed, 1st Jul 2009 6:54 pm
For my husband and I, our heart is to raise our children to fulfill God’s purpose, whatever that may be. It has nothing to do with being “famous” or wealthy; rather, it has everything to do with loving and obeying God, and following His plan.
Ann Dunagan’s last blog post..The Challenge: DAY 16
[Reply]
Mommy Brain » Links for Friday, July 3, 2009 on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 2:05 am
[...] ~ Renae has a great post at Heart of the Matter Online: Raising Children to Live a Normal Life. [...]
Kathryn Lang on Sat, 11th Jul 2009 10:09 am
Hey Renae – I guess in the grand scheme of things we are the normal ones!
Kathryn Lang’s last blog post..The Proverbs 31 Heart Brings Focus
[Reply]