In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. –Genesis 1:1
The title is every carpenter’s old adage; When in doubt, take the extra moment and recheck your measurement before cutting the board. We can’t be like the man who regretted, “I cut this board three times and it is still too short!”
Many parents are now choosing homeschooling due to the complications with eLearning and the increasing mandates regarding masks. The downside of public schooling are simply being outweighed by the positives of homeschooling, especially during the Covid outbreak. Less confusion. Control of schedule. Control of curriculum. Safe environment. No bullying. Less stress for all … eventually. For the moment, parents are struggling with how to homeschool and can make choices based out of a reactionary posture rather than thinking proactively. Everyone needs to draw a breath and pull out their educative tape measure for a second look.
When carpenters get in a hurry is when they make mistakes, wasting time and boards. And that is exactly where some homeschooling parents are at this moment. They have sent in their Letter of Withdrawal, and now feel they have to start immediately because the public school has already started. First of all, as homeschoolers you start when you believe your family is ready to start. Again, you set your schedule, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. You don’t have to start until September, if you want. That should give you plenty of time to measure your school year.
We must remember that haste makes waste; therefore, take some time to talk as spouses, perhaps inviting over a veteran homeschooler to bounce off your thoughts. Start by asking yourself, “When our child graduates, what kind of man or woman do we want him/her to be?” In other words, what are you highest values to which you subscribe? As Christians, I hope that answer would include some variance of becoming the person who God created him/her to be. What type of character traits do you want them to exhibit? Honesty? Integrity? Respect? A good work ethic? Submission to authorities?
Your goals will then flow out of these goals. Some parents break down their goals in areas such as 1) physical goals, 2) spiritual goals, 3) emotional goals, and 4) mental goals. This does not need to be extensive. For instance, a physical goal might be to exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. You could then involve your child by asking him/her how he/she would like to accomplish that goal. Lifting? Bike Riding? Walking nature trails? Dancing? These may sound simple and small, but small things done well over a long time accomplish great things.
Spiritual goals could be reading a chapter from the Bible daily or reading through a prescribed book list. Relational goals could be as subjective as encouraging one another or spending a specified time with a younger sibling on a specific school subject. Mental work would be accomplished through schooling and any extra reading time. Write these goals down. Visit them weekly or monthly. You will be surprised how many of them will be fulfilled to one degree or another just by doing daily life.
When God created the heavens and the earth, He did so by purpose, plan, and design. He took His eternal time in planning the story of redemption to the fall in Eden to the salvation at Calvary. The New Testament was not a reactionary Plan B but reflected God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ. While we may not have eternity, we do have plenty of time to take the tape measure back out in order to make sure we only have to cut once.
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