Don’t Quit! Don’t Give Up!
I know homeschooling is demanding. I know you get tired. I know you worry about high school credits. But, Mama, don’t quit and don’t give up. Let me tell you one reason why.
I sat down at my desk earlier than usual yesterday. I thought about beginning today’s post, but decided instead to wait and see what might happen during the day. I’m glad I waited.
Yesterday’s to-do list included a trip to nearby Cookeville. I stopped at a small business where I have shopped occasionally for 20 years or more. Two clerks were near the counter, but I chose to ask for help from the one who has been helping me there for many years. As he rang up my purchase, I asked, “Haven’t you worked here a long time?”
“Fifteen years,” he said.
“Don’t you have several children?” I asked.
“I have four,” he replied.
“Don’t you homeschool them?”
“I should have kept homeschooling them,” he said. He proceeded to tell me how each of the children is being educated now. With sadness he described the hearts of the two oldest ones. “It just took one year,” he said.
Speaking of himself and his wife, he said, “We’re still creationists, and we believe in Jesus. I was homeschooled and my wife was homeschooled.”
I dug for a business card from my purse and laid it on the counter. “What’s this?” he asked.
“We write homeschool curriculum,” I said. We chatted some more. With dismay he told me about the ungodly teaching his oldest children are receiving in local public schools. He was sad, and I believe he felt helpless to do anything to change things.
“I will pray for your children,” I said. As he headed to the backroom and I headed to the door, I called out: “You’re the dad.” I don’t have adequate words to describe the thoughtful look on his face. Don’t quit, Mama, and don’t give up.
You shall therefore take these words of mine
to heart and to soul;
and you shall tie them as a sign on your hand,
and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead.Â
You shall also teach them to your sons,
speaking of them when you sit in your house,
when you walk along the road,
when you lie down, and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 11:18-19
Dear Charlene,
I have been teaching for 32 years ~first public school for 21 and Homeschooling for the rest. I am close to burn out. I had a difficult day this last Monday.My Homeschooler is a very gifted 9th grader. We know Jesus as our Savior in our family and I thank God for Homeschooling.But there are days when it is overwhelmingly hard and I feel like a slave to educating my son. I did get an app on my phone that counts down the days. I DO treasure the Homeschooling days,but am ready for retirement when that comes! I know I will not give up! I treasure your podcasts! We are doing something just for us tomorrow ~a field trip to the zoo and we are leaving Co-Op at the end of this year;the drama has been too much!!! [I teach a HS and a MS/Elem Spanish Class and help with LEGO CLUB. I wouldn’t have signed up to teach a HS class,but no one else had anything for my child that he was interest in or needed. Then,AFTER the class was established ,a teacher decided to teach Chemistry,so, my child was able to get that class,but I still had my class.Luckily,I had structured small to begin with~8 students.Now there are 4 ,as 4 of the students left for various reasons. Happily,some of the failing students are finally doing a little bit better.And two of them are passing with flying colors! I just wanted you to know that your curriculum and your emails/podcasts are very helpful!!!!
Thank you from this long-time teacher!