I stumbled upon this list on another blog I was reading a few days ago and instantly fell in love.
Because when you've reached the halfway point in your school year and when you've been all bundled up trying to stay warm and disliking January (VERY MUCH) and you find this list which picks you up and simultaneously kicks your butt into remembering the most important things about why you do what you do, then yes, you share it.
You share it with yourself on your own blog so you will never forget the beautiful, rest-filled, peaceful, grace-filled reminders, but also, maybe, you share it for any of your fellow homeschooling mama friends (or friends considering homeschooling) who may need the encouragement as well.
Because when you've reached the halfway point in your school year and when you've been all bundled up trying to stay warm and disliking January (VERY MUCH) and you find this list which picks you up and simultaneously kicks your butt into remembering the most important things about why you do what you do, then yes, you share it.
You share it with yourself on your own blog so you will never forget the beautiful, rest-filled, peaceful, grace-filled reminders, but also, maybe, you share it for any of your fellow homeschooling mama friends (or friends considering homeschooling) who may need the encouragement as well.
Principles of (Happy) Moms Who Home Educate:
* God is in control of
our family’s home education.
* Home education is a portion of my full
vocation as wife and mother. Keep it proportionate.
* Home education, when done from love and
humility, is a steady path to sanctity and heaven.
* Home education is primarily a way of life,
not an alternative to school.
* My husband is objectively the spiritual head
of our household, the spiritual director of our home education.
* All home education decisions are prudential
between husband, wife, and God. Leave the neighbors out of it.
* Homeschooling is mostly joyful and right. It
is also hard work worth doing and involves purposeful suffering.
* Anxiety and worry are not an inevitable part
of home education or an outward sign of hard work. They are signs to re-group.
* Burn-out is preventable.
* There is no perfect curriculum
(self-designed or prepackaged.) Perfect is the enemy of the good. Be content
with good enough. (Good enough does not justify sloth which is not good enough.
Know when to realize that any additional effort toward improvement would result
in a negligible improvement, especially in comparison to the effort required to
gain it.)
* Plan primarily based on the truth about Mom,
playing to my strengths, secondarily on the needs of the family as a whole,
thirdly on the individual needs of each child, playing to their strengths.
* Emphasize character formation for all,
especially formation that increases family harmony and independent
decision-making.
* Academic achievement is over-rated.
* Focus on today.
* Progress is not linear and best gauged over
time.
* We’re never behind. We’re exactly where God
wants us. We entrust the past to God’s Divine Mercy and the future to His
Divine Providence.
* Saints do not compare themselves to their
neighbors because they keep their eyes fixed upon God.
* Delegate out of humility.
* Know when to take a break to refresh and
renew.
* Know what I need to feel comfortable in my
home. Prioritize maintaining a basic level of order.
* Discussion counts as an invaluable learning
and teaching tool.
* Mastery takes time, for student and
educator.
* Laughter is good, even when it needs to be
redirected.
* Academic standards are arbitrary.
* Time spent on curriculum planning is time
not spent on other things.
* Money spent on curriculum is money not spent
on other things.
* A sense of humor lightens our load.
* Enthusiasm is contagious.
* Enthusiasm enhances motivation and
engagement.
* Engagement and practice increases retention.
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| "Entrusting the past to God’s Divine Mercy and the future to His Divine Providence..." And grateful that God has a giant one of these set aside for each of us on any given day... |
