Children are a blessing…but in this day and age of the *me culture* our children need to learn that they are not the centre of the universe. Society, the world, tells that we are worth it, we are all that matters, we are special. In fact, some of this is true but only in the light of God’s word, not the self centred way that society is preaching it. I see so many young people growing up, believing that in some way, the world owes them something…that they have a ‘right’ just because they were born!

When I first started the home-schooling journey I wanted to provide the absolute best for my children. I wanted them to be smarter than me, richer than me, etc. I thought that home-based-learning could and would achieve all this. I’ll go back a little and explain: In many respects, I wasted my youth – I didn’t apply myself to study or instilling good habits. Actually, I tended to be very bored at school. I couldn’t see the relevance of the knowledge being presented to me…but that’s another story. I got dead-end jobs before entering Nurses Training School and this was where my education began – true education and knowledge. Suffice to say that I wanted so much more for my children. However, I’ve come to see that there was a lot wrong with line of thought. It is reactive, not proactive…despite what I may have thought. I came to see that this line of reasoning actually revolves around me! It doesn’t centre on God’s word at all. Oh, it might have sounded all noble but really, the root of it was pride.

A student doesn’t get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn’t make more money than his boss.
The Message

Allow me to digress a little in order to come back to my point…

A few years ago, I used to have a treat that was just *mine*. Okay okay I’ll divulge my little secret. Tim Tams! Hmmmmm, I love them! My children knew that these were no ordinary bikkies- they were ‘Mum’s’ biscuits. Not to be touched by children! I received a few comments from friends along the lines of, “Do you think you are displaying selfishness to your children?”  or “But there’s nothing wrong with kids having treats” and other such comments. If that were my attitude in all things, if it were something I did without grace then I’d have to agree! It would be selfish. But I don’t believe it is a bad thing to have our children learn that they don’t automatically receive everything…that some things are reserved for adults or parents. Of course, as with all of life, grace must be lived and shown though.

There’s a fine line between teaching children that they have to work hard yet also recognise that despite all their efforts, it is God who will set them in their place! Desiring good things for my children, I’ve learned that I must model and teach them contentment, the sovereignty of God and respect more solidly than academic knowledge.

How about you? Has God shown you anything about the state of your own heart, throughout this journey of home-based-learning?

A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.
Matthew 10:24b NIV