Imagine this scenario with me:

As you start today, you don’t have any pressing demands. What utter luxury! You might even have time to finish reading that mystery you started a few nights ago (you had had to stop right at the cliff-hanger!). Ah. . .what an amazing feeling to have some space to enjoy reading.

But wait! What’s this? Oh, NO! You forgot that you had to bake 5 dozen cookies for a friend’s daughter’s birthday party. Oh, and, what about the bills you have to pay TODAY! And, now your kids announce that there’s been a change to the schedule—you’ve got to drive them to a soccer game in one hour, which means, of course, that you have to make breakfast, get your kids presentable to go out the door, and quickly wave a brush at your hair. . .

All the luxurious space for reading just evaporated into thin air—and, like Nemo’s dad says in Finding Nemo, “Good feeling gone.”

We’ve all had days like this, right? You know what it feels like to have pressure crash down on you as your to-do list grows right before your eyes.

But here’s what I want you to consider today:

When it comes to your children’s homeschooling, is that what you want for them?

Homeschooling: A List

As we face the daunting challenge of preparing our children academically for their next step, it is normal and understandable to find the lists of everything they are supposed to know in each grade, every subject and every experiment they are supposed to do, even what time they are supposed to start and how long each “class” should last each day.

It feels comforting to us to have this list:

We can direct our children’s work, we can check it off the list as accomplished, and we can feel secure knowing that we have done everything needed to ensure their success.

There is a fly in the ointment, however.

Kids don’t necessarily learn on a schedule, they don’t all learn in the same way, they may not be interested in what they’re “supposed” to learn (which is like leading a horse to water. . .you can’t MAKE them drink). They feel the pressure, but they don’t have the motivation.

Homeschooling: An Invitation

Rather than a to-do list, a very different way for students to approach their education is as an invitation to the adventure of learning. That sounds different already, doesn’t it? It communicates a sense of welcome, of something special, of new experiences, of enjoyment.

It is education that’s relational, it’s an open door to amazing stories, incredible discoveries, fascinating technology, and astonishing information.

So far, so good. But what does that actually look like for us as homeschool parents? 

That’s a great question! And, it’s one we are going to explore over the next several posts. For now, though, I encourage you to ponder the difference between an invitation and a to-do list. You will probably discover some amazing insights for you and your kids!

Remember, stay relational.