Priorities

October 1st, 2010

I was thinking the other day about our priorities.  I think it’s because I was thinking about how quick I am to skip our table work during school time some days.  And at first it worried me.  But then I realized it’s more planned than I had originally thought.  Because sometimes (most times) you can’t do everything everyday.  So we choose that which is most important.

Our priorities run as such:

Love

I want them to feel loved more than anything else.  Because I believe if they know we love them and teach them to love each other it’s the first step to loving others and loving God above all else.  And really, if they have nothing else in this world I would rather them be illiterate than not know love.  So, if we’re having a hard morning, I drop the lessons and spend time with them.  If friends call or drop in, we stop what we’re doing and visit with them.  Loving others is more important than finishing worksheets.

Obedience

They must learn to obey.  Not only does it make life better for everyone, it teaches the long term obedience to their Father.  Consequences now are better than consequences later.  So, in every day life, when one of my kids is having an “I’m not going to do what you say and whine and flip out all day” kind of day then we drop our lessons and really focus on that child and that issue.  I addressed how we discipline in this post I submitted to Heart of the Matter.

House work

This one technically can get flipflopped with school work around here from time to time.  Depends on how much school work we’ve done lately and how bad the house is.  But usually, house work goes hand in hand with obedience in our house.  Because they have jobs to do.  And if they don’t do them, then it is a lack of obedience.  And because learning to do your job, daily, even when you don’t feel like it is great preparation for life.  Please don’t get me wrong, when I talk about obedience and house work I realize I start sounding like the Pearls.  No, no, no!  It’s not legalism.  And there’s a lot of mercy, laughter, and chaos thrown in.  But generally speaking, this is one of our focuses.  Learn to clean and take care of your stuff and your life will be better for it someday.  It’s a losing battle as my van and the stuff growing in my bathtub is a testament to, but I’m tryin’ ovah here!

School work

This makes the last of our list.  Because I believe learning happens amidst all the other life scenarios I already listed.  And because I believe it shouldn’t be that hard.  If they are ready for a concept they will pick it up fairly easily.  Leaving a lot of time for the other things.  When they show readiness and interest in reading we work hard on learning letters and sounds until they are proficient in reading.  I learned this one the hard way with the first child.  Because when he was ready, he did it.  As I am now learning with his multiplication tables.  I’ve worried and spent too much time spinning my wheels.  Now he’s showing interest and catching on so quickly.  After all that worrying.  Every time.  Pointless.  Say it with me (because I need to hear it!) “Worrying=Pointless”!!

Now, I know by setting our priorities this way that I probably won’t have Harvard scholars.  I’m okay with that.  If at any point they desire to be Harvard scholars, we’ll do what it takes to get them there.  But I expect them to be loving people who happen to have degrees.  Not accomplished jerks.  And I’m aware they are not mutually exclusive.  I’m not saying at all if your focus is academics that your children aren’t loving.  At.All.  It’s about balance, people, balance.  I’m just saying, when you drop in to visit, expect us to drop everything to hang out.  We teach them how to learn, instill a love of learning, and work through the curriculum we choose each year.  But overall try not to stress out on the academics.  (You know, aside from those homeschooling freak outs I have periodically that I’m failing!  Which was the catalyst for this post, by the way!)  This is, after all, one of the many reasons we chose homeschooling.  So that we can focus on their other needs as well.  I just have to keep that in mind when I’m having one of my freak outs.  And I need you to remind me of this when you hear me stressing out, ‘k?  So, when you’re having a homeschooling freak out, take a deep breath, take a step back, and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.  Because worrying=pointless.