I'm going to put myself out here, and share a little about the last year or so in this thing called, "choosing a school." Sounds simple, right? Kids have been being educated for years either at home or within a formal institution. As our kids get older, and as our friends kids get older, school choice has become a topic of more conversations than I'd like to admit. It seems so loaded. Public, private, home school, when to send your child to school, whole day, half day....to name a few options. I am honestly so worn out with the weight of all these decisions, and really, we haven't even made one yet (except for Oliver's two day a week preschool, which I over-thought too). I'm in an internal cycle of not knowing what is best for our kids, educationally speaking. I flip flop in my mind almost daily, and it goes something like, "I think it would be best for our kids to attend____________(fill in the blank) because _____________________ (fill in the blank)." Oh, and throw in the occasional urge to home school in the mix too. Plus, I'm trying to plan out K-12 for all my kids, and the Lord may return before we even get to that stage:)
My point, although I know the school we choose is important, I know it's more important to seek what the Lord has for our family and let him lead the way step by step. Maybe we won't know where Oliver will go to kindergarten until it's almost game time. For a planner like me, it's difficult, but I think that's what I'm being asked to do. A day at a time, step by step. Um, I see a pattern evolving in my life.
Man oh man, do I ever hear ya. We decided to take it a baby step at a time. I'm doing Jimmy's first year of pre-school at home, and it's going well. If we still feel like it's going well next summer, I'll do the second year at home too. Then, we'll evaluate what we want to do for Kindergarten. It seems silly that it should feel SO...much, doesn't it? We just want to make every right decision and take every perfect step, and that kind of pressure can become intolerable and oppressive, taking away the joy. The thing that helps me is to remember that most decisions can be un-decided. Home schoolers can go to school, school kids can switch to home-school, classrooms can be switched, etc...we just have to feel it out and do what we can with the situation and facts in front of us, and if it's not working, to change it! I love you - you're a great mom with precious children, and you're doing a phenomenal job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with G, of course, and would add that you must make the decision based on what you know is best for your kids...regardless what others may think. We were criticized for sending our older 2 to Christian school and then criticized again for sending them to public Jr. High. #3 did great in the public venue, but in retrospect I should have homeschooled #4. I was roundly criticized for homeschooling Tassi and questioned again, 5 years later, when I sent her to public school. Did I make some mistakes...probably, but I did my best for each child~just as you are~ and that's all that really matters.
ReplyDeleteYes, we have had our fair share of these conversations, huh? It will be fun to see how God directs you, praying for clarity and wisdom for you! We're blessed to have so many choices, but it can sure be overwhelming.
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