This post is not meant to cause a debate; just thoughtful discussion and pondering. Whether you home educate, send your child to private school or public school, that is up to you as the parent. No judgement. Much love. Parenting is hard – period, without all the judgmental glances and you really should do it this way looks we all too often receive.
To The Home Educator Parent
Maybe you feel pressure today? When your house seems chaotic and your kitchen table is covered with maps, and books, and spilled coffee… maybe you are tempted in your mind to retreat? Can I tell you something? You are doing a fabulous job! There will be days where everything goes smoothly, and everyone does their math homework with a smile. There are other days when everywhere you turn, there seems to be a battle. That’s just a part of life. If God has called you to this ministry, He will give you the strength and endurance and joy to press on. This is a worthy calling. Anytime we say yes to God, we will be blessed. So don’t listen to the lies in your head that tell you that you are a failure. You are most certainly not. You just have bad days, and that is okay. Pray continually for God’s wisdom.
To The Private School Parent
You sit down to count the cost. You scan your bills and wonder if private school fees are really worth it. Remember, you chose this route of schooling for a reason. Stay engaged with your children and get involved when you can in school activities. You are doing a fabulous job! Don’t listen to the negative comments you may often get for sending your children to school instead of what others think your children need. You know, better than anyone else, what your children need. Trust that Mama intuition. Seek God continually for His strength and power.
To The Public School Parent
Maybe, from time to time, you wonder if you are doing the right thing? After all, if you had your children with you all the time, wouldn’t that be better for them? Or maybe you contemplate sending them to private school, thinking that they’d have a more godly environment? Remember one thing… you didn’t make this decision lightly. You love your children and want what’s best for them. You have them there for a reason, and your reasons are good enough. No one else needs to persuade you to go a more godly route. The most godly route is the one that responds in obedience to God’s will. God’s will for my life and my children may look nothing like His will for your family. That’s okay!
If every parent chooses to home educate, who will evangelize the public schools? Who will show Christ to the other students and faculty? Who will witness of God’s goodness in their essay papers and tell their life story to the public school?
Your Most Important Role
No matter which direction you go with regard to education, the most important role you have in your children’s life is being an involved parent. Love your kids well today. Put aside the guilt. God never wanted you to carry this guilt and shame you wear. Keep doing your very best. Pray for your children. Listen to them intentionally. Love them unconditionally.
I can’t think of any place in Scripture that puts the burden of evangelism on those who are untrained and unregenerate and immature. (Samuel is the closest I can get… but he was uniquely chosen and set apart from before birth, and still put under the tutelage of Eli, a priest, in the temple.)
Even with Jesus’ (adult, chosen) disciples, he sent them out in groups, after a lengthy time of regular teaching and training in His presence, with specific instructions about what to do and what not to do in each city they evangelized, as they met with varying responses. Placing the burden of evangelizing an entire system on the shoulders of a 5 year old (or 15 year old!) seems perhaps well-intentioned but an odd place to start– a strange way to frame the argument. I don’t see *systems* as the aim of evangelism, but hearts of our neighbors. And hearts of our neighbors are not solely limited in reach by what schooling option we choose.
I also think that someone who wants to simply provoke discussion and not a particular subsect of parents shouldn’t put that subsect of parents in the title of the article. The very title is provocation and debate-starting… so then it seems disingenuous to start the article by saying, I don’t want to start a debate. The title in and of itself does so.
Just my thoughts (as, yes, a home-educating mom).
Thank you for educating your children. You are doing an amazing job! I totally understand what you are saying. The title is not provoking, in my opinion. It just gets me thinking as a parent. I don’t believe home education is for everyone, but I AM A HUGE SUPPORTER of it I don’t think evangelism should ever be considered a burdened. It was a JOY to witness to my friends in middle school and high school. For me, it was a mission field and I grew spiritually through it. Just my thoughts. I wrote the post with nothing but love and grace, I believe. I apologize if it came across as provoking. That was not my heart.
Thank you Jess!
Traci, thank you for this post. I am a parent who is 100% called to public school for this season. So of course I resonate with this. I’m sorry you’ve received such negative responses. There is nothing wrong or judgemental with posing the question of who will show Christ’s love to teachers and students and administrators if all Christians decide to home educate. I have an amazing level of respect for homeschooling moms. Their calling is different than mine in this season but just as important. No one is saying homeschooling families are abandoning a call to evangelize. There are plenty of opportunities no matter how you educate your children to share God’s love with others. But the fact is, the public school system needs people who are commited to positive involvement and engagement. I was personally have a tough day today worrying about some of the social issues for my daughter and this post was such a refreshing reminder to me to just simply love and teach her to love with God’s love. Thank you for sharing!!
Thank you Jess!
I grew up attending public schools (non-christian family) and my kids have always attend public schools (with the exception of homeschooling my oldest son his high school years). They’ve done very well, have witnessed to their friends and LOVE Jesus! Education defiantly is a choice that parents must make in prayer and discussion with the Lord. I do not believe every parent is to homeschool, nor is every child supposed to attend public school. Great article Traci!
Thanks friend! I appreciate your comment, it means a lot.
My question is would you still feel the same way if you lived in an inner city school district which was notorious for gangs, drugs, etc.? Where do we draw the line? It may be “easier” to send our kids to the public schools to “evangelize” when we feel it is a decent school system.
Hey Derek. Every case and situation is different. Many variables need to be taken into consideration. That’s why it’s important to pray and seek the Lord in each situation. His wisdom is key here 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
And of course my wife’s picture pops up next to my name. 🙂
Good word, Traci!
Thanks sweet friend!
I have friends and family on both sides of the fence, and I have heard the desires of each parent as they raise their children. Sending kids to Public School does not mean they will go to Hell, and Homeschooling will not get mine into Heaven. As Christians we need to extend grace to one another if our decisions are different.
Yes there are far too many problems/sin/temptations in Public School, and their teaching is not from a Christian worlview…that’s a problem. On the flip side, I do not want my children to grow up thinking they are better or more secure than kids who don’t homeschool…that smells badly of legalism and self-righteousness. I have seen kids go through the public system and come out of it strong and serving the Lord. And sadly, I have also seen kids come out of a home-schooled setting and fall into a sinful lifestyle. I am so thankful that God didn’t put the weight of the world on my shoulders…just the weight of 4 children. I will not give an account before Christ for THEIR decisions, just as they will not answer for mine. This is not a Salvation issue so choosing one over the other is our freedom in Christ. I am, however, acutely aware that my husband and I alone will give an account one day for how we raised our children…and I’m glad that God won’t care about their math facts ’cause their mother is a sad teacher in that department!
Susie, thank you so much for this well thought out and encouraging comment. You speak wisdom, love and truth! Thank you!
I homeschool and we have always reached out to all the neighbor kids with fun times at our place, bible studies round a firepit in our yard and creation clubs in the Summer.
Now, as several of my children have gotten to their teens, we hold weekly bible clubs in the schools together and get involved in every outreach to young people that we can. That way we can follow Jesus command to preach the gospel without being overly spotted by the world and have time to study God’s Word in depth. Delve into His creation, design and purpose for our lives every day.
I don’t know what it’s like for other communities but here kids are ‘sexting’ on the playground by elementary school and by high school only a very small percentage are virgins. Not an atmosphere for learning in my view!
That sounds amazing! Praise the Lord for all the wonderful opportunities you are taking part in! Keep serving our Savoir! Thanks for commenting.
As for the sexting, that just breaks my heart! We definitely need to keep a close eye on our children. And pray, lots of prayer.