Philippians 1:8

God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 1:8~

The beginning of this verse, “God knows...”, reminds us how He knows everything about all of us. He knows how much we love others...especially our families. God knows our hearts and what we really desire for our children. Sometimes we can't even put into words or actions just how much we love them. We need to get to know our children and teens, so we know how best to help them in every area of their lives. Homeschooling moms are in just the right position to learn everything about their kids. That can make it easier to choose how best to proceed with their middle and high school years. In our homeschool, I have them do a semester's worth of career studies around 8th grade especially if they're unsure of what their career path is. Once they knew what they wanted to be, we could then determine whether they need a college-preparatory, vocational, or general diploma. From there, we discussed and planned how the next four years will look in high school. During this time, I had to make sure the goal is really theirs...and not what I wanted for them.

If those goals are not theirs, they will just get more and more frustrated...and so will you. If the frustration is lasting and/or grows worse, it is up to you to sit down and re-evaluate what the source is. Do they still have the same goal? Are the resources we're using just not right for their learning style or goal? This is where we need to show the compassion of Christ. Part of the definition of compassion is “a strong desire to alleviate the suffering”. After re-evaluating, we need to get them motivated again to stay on their path. If this is truly their goal, it won't take much to do that...even during the middle of diagramming sentences or an algebra lesson.



Dear Heavenly Father~
Sometimes I feel such a weight on my shoulders in teaching my children. I want so much to do what's right by my children. I love them SO much and only want the best for them. Please help me to turn over whatever dreams I may have for their future, so their dreams can be realized. Help us also to make sure those same dreams are aligned with what You want them to be, so they can help further Your Kingdom.
In Your Hands~ Amen