| Leaving A Legacy |
The gift of encouragement
It's been an interesting week! Hard to believe it's only been a week since Bo got home because so many thoughts have gone through my mind that it seems more like a month. We've had many long conversations about homeschooling and his trip. It seems there were lots of other homeschoolers on his team (about half the kids) and there were many conversations about the pros and cons of homeschooling (mostly the cons, apparently.) He told me that the first few weeks were tough but things got easier as time went on and he proved himself to be a nice, funny, intelligent guy. He made friends (one a cute blonde from Alaska!) whom he will probably have relationships with forever. But the trip left him with the impression that he wished he weren't homeschooled because he was convinced that he was being slighted somehow. Now, if there were ever a dagger to hit a mom's heart, that's the one to use! I really, really wanted to know what it was he thought he was missing, and he couldn't really tell me. The kids were saying "You've missed your freshman year, and now if you tried to go it would be harder to fit in." His leader had the . . . mmm, lets call it audacity to be nice . . . to say to him, "Your mom is an idiot for homeschooling you. You aren't getting a chance to make your own mistakes now instead of later." ??? Excuse me? As if he doesn't make mistakes at home? As if he doesn't have any interactions with other kids? And he couldn't verbalize to me exactly what mistakes it is that he needs to make, either. Sigh. Life is not always easy in homeschool land, is it? It's been a difficult week as I've attempted to process all these thoughts. Enter the gift of encouragement. I want to encourage you to reach out when you need to! Don't be embarassed to say, "Hey, I'm drowning here today!" There's someone out there who's got a little more time under their belt, and that means they've been through those same feelings. Reach out. If you can't think of anyone you know, email me! I love to encourage moms to stay the course. You have to remind yourself of your goals, your call from God, your commitment to finish the race. And don't get weary in well doing. The difficult thing I came to acknowledge this week is that homeschooling costs my kids something. I do NOT like that piece of information! And yet I do think it's vital for me to know and understand it in order to minister to my kids properly and with compassion. Because I want them to know that most things that are worth something have a cost, and the payoff on the other end of this cost is going to be huge for all of us! Seriously, the BIGGEST reason kids give for my kids needing to go to school is . . . lets all say it in unison now, ready? SOCIALIZATION. I guess I should have their dad take them into the bathroom, give them a swirly, teach them some evolutionary theory as fact, steal their milk money, and call them by a few swearwords. Just kidding. Sortof. The thing those kids aren't old enough to have learned yet is that HIGH SCHOOL DOESN'T MATTER. As in, one year after graduation (maybe sooner) they will suddenly look around and realize that the intense, dramatic social structure that ruled their lives that entire four years has strangely dissolved into thin air; any gains or status they had there are now useless; any perceived less-ness was only a vanishing phenomenon, and they have a whole new structure to deal with wherever they are. I say my kids will be way more prepared for the real world by having strong roots, knowing who they are in God and our family, having a good idea of their own special bents and gifts and having a plan for their futures beyond who to take to the prom. Anyway, as I was walking and praying yesterday morning, it hit me again that they have all the rest of their lives after they graduate for their friends. This time is all we have, though, to build our family. These years will never come again. I'm determined to make the most of them. 8:29 AM - Aug. 29, 2007 - post comment
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 Misty Krasawski is the overly-blessed mom of eight children whom she homeschools in sunshine-y Florida. She has been clinging ferociously to the hand of her Lord since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, homeschooling for the past thirteen years, and has eighteen more years ahead of her with the children who are glad she will have done most of her experimenting on those who went before. Her wonderful husband Rob has much treasure laid up for him in heaven for having been called to such a daunting task. Home User Profile Archives Recent Entries - How to Emergency Quick Clean Your House! - Being "frugal" or . . . not - On Turning Forty - Day at the Corn Maze - Permission Slips for Moms--at Heart of the Matter! 
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I felt a bit despairing. I knew I needed some seasoned advice. So I sent out a note to several homeschool moms I know; a couple I know only through their writing and one I've had the privilege of meeting a few times. And they answered! They told me that no, it's not always perfect, and yes, it's usually hard. They were able to offer sound, practical advice. The listening ear, though, was what I needed most of all.