This evening, I had the pleasure of reading My Mommy, My Teacher by Johanna Bluedorn to my sweet 2dd7.5. Sadly, I admit that this dear child has not always been so enthusiastic about being home-educated. We have already had many conversations about why it is that we homeschool when "so and so" does not. I have attempted to be honest without being critical of the decisions that fellow believers have made, focusing her attention on the decision that "Daddy and I" have made, based on our conviction from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We recognize, and acknowledge that others do not share the same conviction, but God has entrusted her to us, and she; therefore, has to submit to our decision to keep her at home.
Unfortunately, her lack of enthusiasm for being kept at home has often carried over to her attitude while being instructed. But God, (once again those two words inspire and encourage me), God has been working in her heart as of late, and we have been pleased to see marked maturity in her over the past several months. While she was saddened to leave behind so many dear friends in Virginia, and family in Pennsylvania, this move has been so good for her. She has drawn closer to us (her sisters, her brother, her daddy and me) in this time where playdates are virtually non-existant. She has also flourished under the love and attention of Gramma, Granpa, and aunts and uncles. Even better, she has shown initiative in reading her Bible and having quiet time (encouraged by a special Precious Moments devotional journal she received as a Christmas gift from her sister).
From the time she was a baby, she was the girl with the curl who was either "very, very good" or "horrid." Lately, she's been much less horrid and more often very sweet. She has always been beautiful (as you can see in my avatar), but lately her inner beauty has been so much more dominant. There are times when she can not keep the smile inside. The joy floods her face and we are overwhelmed by the toothless grin and those adorable dimples. God is doing wonderful things in her heart, and that has overflowed to our academic lessons. She is thriving in our home-schooling environment, finally content with the decisions we have made. Which brings me back to Johanna's picturebook.
This book has captured her heart. She admittedly loves "every part of it" and is even wondering when we will move to a farm and have chickens and cows too. She has poured over every picture, admiring the beautiful dresses, "I'd like a dress like this one, isn't it pretty?" Searching for the page where the kids talk about putting on a play for their parents so that she can show me. I am amused, I am delighted, but I am not suprised. As I consider how many books we homeschooling mothers read, books to encourage us that we've made the right decision, books that teach us how to teach our children, books that challenge us to not give up....Is it no wonder that our children might benefit from a book of their own about home-educated children? Even the precious "living books" that we read to them often include children who "go" to school. The videos they watch, the CDs they listen to, the toys with which they play (although we never bought the Fisher-Price Schoolbus ourselves) they all advocate the norm of children being educated at a school, in a classroom. Undoubtedly, our children might benefit from some external encouragement, in the form of a beautifully illustrated picturebook. I highly recommend My Mommy, My Teacher by Johanna Bluedorn, available at Trivium Pursuit. I appreciate that Miss Bluedorn has endeavored to bless our families, encourage our children, and glorify God in her writing. I pray that others would follow her lead and provide our families with many more books that will continue to encourage our children! |
