As we are preparing to begin high school with our first born, we are aiming at college–particularly a college degree. In fact, we are preparing to use Accelerated Distance Learning methods to help JC14 receive his Associates Degree by the time he graduates high school.
In all this preparation, though, I am reminded that we (Mom, Dad, son) need to keep our priorities in check. I came to this realization when JC14 was just in elementary (maybe even preschool), “Academic excellence is great. However, I would take an academically average child who loves the Lord and can defend his faith over an academically superior child that denounces his Creator any day.”
Now, I know some of my readers may be saying, “Why can’t we have both?” And the truth is, you possibly could. But the point is this–I am NOT homeschooling in an effort to prove academic superiority. I am homeschooling because I truly believe it is a command of the Lord’s to train my children in the way they should go. Therefore, I am reminding myself that I should spend at least as much time on character training as I do on academic study. And as high school is drawing near, I find it easy to get sidetracked with all the academic goals while letting character issues slide.
Scripture says “wisdom is supreme” and “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. My goal is to lead my children to wisdom, to teach my children the fear (reverence/respect) of the Lord. I do believe it is the greatest thing I can do with the short homeschooling years.