YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN!
It was just a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to get the latest updates for the Coronavirus. I was listening to a talk radio show while I was working when I heard the words of a desperate dad say, “I am locked down in my home with my children and I am not qualified to teach them. What am I supposed to do?” It was later that same day that I heard another interview with a mom who expressed the same deep concern. I was broken-hearted to hear these words come from parents who love their children but for some reason don’t see how much they have already taught them, the impact their teaching has had on their precious children, and the opportunity that they have in the middle of a pandemic.
So, I have decided to reach out from a place of understanding and experience in response to their genuine concerns. I have a confession to make:
I survived homeschooling all three of my amazing and now adult children, all the way through their school years - AND - they survived it too! It’s all too SURPRISING I know but is true nonetheless!
I believe many times as parents, we minimize the impact and value of the investments that we have made or will make in our children partly because we know our own flaws, shortcomings, and mistakes. Let me just say that: Love Covers A Multitude of Sins! (1 Peter 4:8b). Those words have encouraged me and kept me sane, able to live to see another day after many disappointing failures!
Let’s be honest, parenting is not for the faint of heart. While our children are young, it’s important to recognize that they don’t need us to be their friend - they have those, and they will come and go. They do however need parents who will always be there to:
- love and provide for them
-protect and teach them right from wrong
- guide, correct, and encourage them
-build them into responsible and productive people!
We have the privilege AND responsibility to recognize their strengths and help to develop them; to acknowledge their weaknesses and help them to grow through them. We get to be their cheerleaders when things are going well, and their comfort when things are hard. These are the deposits or investments that we get to make into building our children’s character that goes far beyond education. It will affect their future work ethic in school and career, dating and marriage, their own children’s future, and their relationship with us in the future.
It’s also important to understand that time doesn’t stand still - the things that are today may not be tomorrow, as we have seen in recent days. Right now, we have the gift of more time than usual to make investments in them. There is no one who knows or loves your children more than you do!
I recently held a free zoom meeting through 1VLA, specifically to have Q and A about this topic and I asked those who participated a question, and here are some of their answers:
One day your children will look back at this time of having the world upended -
what do you want your children to have learned from you?
-“I want them to know that God is consistent and constant and because we believe and trust Him, I want them to see unwavering faith in me.” (Kat)
-“I want to help them to know that they can have peace in the midst of trials and that God is sovereign and has a purpose. I don’t want them to be fearful - I want them to be prayerful.” (Tara)
-“That there is nothing new under the sun! Trust God and know His peace!” (Talia)
These answers come from a place of pure love for their children to equip and guide them when times are uncertain, to prepare them for the unseen challenges that they will encounter. It is helpful to develop these things that reflect character in ourselves first if this is what we want our children to remember and know.
Make no mistake, we as parents have been teaching our children since they came into the world! We have taught them how to walk, talk, eat, play, rest, think, compassion and care when they are sick, protect them when threatened and so much more!
YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN and I want to be here to help give you encouragement, guidance, and tools!
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
FROM ME
-I am committing to meet with you twice a week to do a Facebook Livestream on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30 pm on our 1VLA Facebook page!
-I will be sharing from a variety of topics and will occasionally have some special bonuses to help you along in your journey!
FROM YOU
- I would love for you to join me and share this with someone you know that might need some encouragement in this area!
-Message me your thoughts, concerns, questions, or topics that you would like to talk about (E-mail: brenda@1vla.com; Private message on 1VLA Facebook page, or go to 1vla.com and leave a message there).
I look forward to our time together!