Being Purposeful

Are you being purposeful in your homeschooling?  That is to say, are you thinking through everything you teach and do with your children? Have you decided what is most important in your homeschooling and in your daily life?  

One of the most wonderful benefits of homeschooling is our ability to create an atmosphere for our children that focuses on what is really important to us as a family.  We also have to be mindful of what is happening in our family and have our homeschool work in our home environment.

Every family’s needs and goals are different.  What works in your family may or may not work in your friend’s family.  That’s one thing I’ve stressed through the years of writing these articles. Never compare your family or homeschooling to anyone else’s because your family dynamics are going to be different than everyone else’s.

Things can change in our daily lives – Dad’s work schedule, health issues, or extended family concerns, just to name a few. Because of this, we need to know what our goals are for our children and be purposeful in trying to meet those goals.  For our family, our main concern was for our children’s walk with the Lord and so we tried to always make sure we started off our day with family devotions and Bible study. Then we would go with the next important thing, which was reading, then writing, then math.  Most days, we did a full schedule which also included history, foreign language, and creative writing. However, for those days that we needed to be more adaptable, knowing our goals for our children allowed us to be purposeful in choosing what was most important for them.

Having said all this, let’s not forget that our children are just that: children.  They need to have those times where they just have fun. Include parties for holidays into your life, days at the park, time with friends and the occasional day off!  We need to be purposeful in allowing our children to have fun and make memories with our family and friends. 

Also be purposeful in taking care of yourself. If you are worn out, you aren’t going to be able to take care of your homeschooling or your family in a way that’s beneficial to any of you. Being exhausted will make you snappish with your husband and children and this never creates a good atmosphere in our homes.  Don’t put so much pressure on yourself or create such a full schedule that you never have time to do the things you enjoy doing.  In other words, keep things balanced in your family so that each moment will be lived fully.

Don’t allow the concerns you are facing scare your children. When I had health concerns or money problems, I tried to present a calm demeanor to my children.  My faith in God greatly helped me in this area.  They were shown faith in action and it helped us to go about our lives in a calm manner.  Home and family need to be where our children feel protected so no matter what is happening in your family, try and remain calm and reassuring to your children. Be purposeful in your faith and live it out for your family to see.

Only you know what your family dynamics are so you need to set goals and be purposeful in making your homeschooling what it needs to be for your family.  Doing this will make your homeschooling successful and this will enhance your life greatly.

©2011  Julie Danielson