The Three Most Important Things

Having worked in the mortgage industry for nearly twelve years, I know that any real estate agent will tell you that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location.

Having homeschooled for twenty-five years, I know that the three most important things in homeschooling are commitment, commitment, commitment.

The first commitment is commitment to Jesus Christ. While it is true that some homeschoolers do not choose to homeschool for religious reasons, it is also true that the vast majority do. As Christian homeschooling parents we want the best possible educations for our children, but nearly always we are first attracted to homeschooling because it enables us to keep our children away from corrupting influences and classroom indoctrination that are in direct conflict with our Christian principles. Most of us agree that if our children fail to emerge from our homeschools with a firm Christian foundation that lasts a lifetime, we have failed.

The second commitment is commitment to our children. When we make the decision to homeschool, we are taking on the responsibility of ensuring that our children will be scholastically equipped to meet the challenges of the world in which they will live and work. It is a huge undertaking, and we have only one chance to get it right. Whether we homeschool  from the first grade through Master’s Degrees as I did, or only through high school, as most homeschooling parents do, we are taking on the task of educating our children so that their scholastic performance is equal to or better than their traditionally schooled counterparts. Our commitment to them includes not only preparing them to compete for admittance to colleges and universities, but to compete in an increasingly technological job market.

The third commitment is commitment to community. I am not referring to the next door neighbor, although, as Christians, we certainly have a responsibility to share Jesus Christ with those in our physical community. I am referring to the homeschooling community.  As homeschooling parents we need to encourage each other and build each other up as much as possible. Paul asks, “Is there any such thing as Christians cheering each other up?” (Philippians 2:1, Living Bible)As Christians we do need to cheer each other up, and as homeschooling Christian parents, we often need cheering up more than the average Christian parent.

My youngest child received his Master’s Degree in May of 2000. At that time I happily closed my homeschool and went to work full-time in the family business. Recently, however, I have been advised that even with all of the resources available to homeschooling parents, there is a continuing need for “cheering each other up.” That is why I have chosen to write this blog. In future blogs I will discuss my methods for conquering the little things that are often responsible for causing homeschooling parents to throw up their hands and say, “I just can’t do this anymore!”

You will like some of the suggestions and not like others. Think of this blog as a smorgasbord—take from it what you like and leave the rest. If you have questions you would like answered, post them in the comments section, and I will address them in future blogs. I look forward to sharing this journey with you.