"Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching."
Proverbs 1:8
When I was Mommy to many little tiny children in my home, thoughts of high school swirled way off far in the distance so much so that I hadn't given much thought to what we would do then, assuming that of course we would...homeschool...just as we always had. As the growing up years came upon us, my natural inclinations grew more so just that...natural. It has felt natural to keep our older ones as close as possible to Mom and Dad while they've become young adults under our tutelage. We want to be their biggest fans. We want to be their most influential friends. We want to be their mentors who help shape and guide their ambitions, pursuits, and goals according to the Word of God. We want to spend time with them, Quantity Time, throughout all the years of their education and even beyond should the Lord allow. We want to homeschool through high school.
"Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."
Titus 2:2-8
For whatever the reason, high school homeschool conjures up intimidating visions for many parents who loved it all before, so much so, that even those who might want to homeschool through high school hang up the towel and send the kids out into the "real world". Might as well, most figure, as they'll have to get out there at some point, right? We train up our children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it. And anyway, isn't preparing our children for college and/or the next adult stage something a "qualified" professional ought to do?
Well, that all depends on perspective.
From our vantage point and decidedly biblical worldview, we can't think of a better place for a high schooler to continue their education or for a young adult to navigate "real world" issues than under the care and instruction of intentional, loving, God-fearing parents at home. Spiritually speaking, there is no better place for them to be. Academically, there are ample resources online to bolster areas in need of assistance and the scholastic requirements per state are readily available and hardly enough material to occupy a full homeschool load for 4 whole years at that. (Consequently, and as a side note, this allows for extra time to hone in on specific areas of interest and even graduate early which has
become our plan for our high schoolers.) Finally, at the tender age of 13, our children are not yet grown to maturity in the way we think of in Proverbs 22:6. For that matter, it seems the most intensive season of mentorship takes place during these malleable years where teens are working out their identity and forming their worldview as well. It's during these special high school years that we believe we can have the
most influence upon our children before they reach adulthood and it's a precious opportunity to capitalize on these years and win their hearts.
"My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
Proverbs 23:26
These things in mind, we're convinced that it's no more intimidating to homeschool through high school than taking that maiden voyage to homeschool a firstborn kindergartener. Sure, it might feel scary at first, but then once we stick our trembling toe into safe shallow waters, we realize quickly that homeschool is nowhere near the depths of terrifying, storm blown seas we'd irrationally envisioned in prelude to actuality and as we wade deeper and gain our bearings we find that it's rather quite peaceful, stable, and...satisfying. Likewise, the same is true of homeschooling for high school.
If we can just get our minds around the fact that our older children become self sufficient with maturity and independently capable of handling their own curriculum for the most part with what they ought to be learning more of anyway...responsibility...we can see that the real reason to homeschool through high school lies in our access to their hearts. Yes, academics aside, the most vital reason to homeschool our young adults through the high school years is to continue to shepherd their hearts, guard their purity, and mentor them in a Titus 2 sort of way that prepares boys to be men and girls to be women.
This is really why we homeschool.
Our children's hearts matter more than any academic achievement ever could in our book and furthermore, as our daughters long for motherhood, we ask,
Why would we send them off for 4 years with a goal to send them off to prepare yet another 4 years all for a career they won't have? Why wouldn't we, instead, savor and spend wisely that extra opportune time to train them to be godly wives and mothers under the guidance of the one who wants to see them succeed to that end more than any arbitrary instructor ever could...that is, me, their own mother? Aida puts it this way: She sees in Scripture the call to leave your father and mother and cleave to your spouse. She refers to it like a tunnel where one chapter seamlessly streams into the next without unprotected detours between. We couldn't agree more with our wise-beyond-years daughter and it's wonderful to see her grow and prepare for her future as she finishes up high school on a
fast track...younger siblings just behind her.
"He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man
shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’."
Matthew 19:4-5
One thing we realize fully as we prepare our growing up children for adulthood, boys and girls alike, is that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He is faithful to lead and guide us on our journey toward Him. He paves the way, fills our hearts with desires that align with His will, and opens up doors of opportunity in His time. Why would we fear the future when we live under the guidance and sovereignty of the One who created us for His glory and rules over all? Is He not able to lead us faithfully through the homeschooling years of high school and all the way into adulthood? Hasn't He proven His trustworthiness and steadfast love repeatedly? How could we not trust Him with this?
And so, as I gather a few of my meandering thoughts for this little journal of a spot, I rest in the wisdom of the God who has entrusted our children to us. I look to my husband for leadership and he clearly heads this whole homeschooling thing up with determination to hold on tight to our children's and young adults' hearts. I'm so thankful he feels that way. It meshes perfectly with my mother's intuition in just the sort of blend that clarifies this is for certain God's will for these high school years.
"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."
Proverbs 13:20
We love and live for a God who can be trusted. He will pave the way for our older children through their high school years and I believe His will is more easily discernible when we slow down, hold on tight, and listen for His voice, when we look not to the ways of the world and what "everyone else is doing" but rather to that which He values most...His relationship with us, with our children, and the sanctification of our dedicated-to-Him hearts as we live for Him. I have no doubt in my mind that He will take us confidently through the high school years with Himself as our Guide, one step, one year at a time and eventually into adulthood for these little disciples of ours/His. He will do that. He already has. Our high school homeschool journey is full of the "real riches". It's challenging and rewarding and exciting and beautiful. I love, cherish, and guard thoughtfully these years I have to rear and relate with my young adults before they set out on their own...and even then, we'll still be their mentors! This parenting gig is lifelong and well worth investment as we make eternal deposits of legacy and multigenerational faithfulness.
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"
Psalm 127:3-5
"So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."
Psalm 71:18
"Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation."
Joel 1:3
Oh, what a gift to have this time with our older children still right here at home with us. What a privilege to walk alongside them as they learn to be followers of Christ, wives and husbands, mothers and fathers. We get to watch them learn to love the Lord more through His Word and to value the disciplines of knowing Him such as spending devoted time in the Bible and prayer. We love to see them learn to value relationships with others of all ages and focus on eternal things as we point them to the truths and commands of the Scriptures. By God's grace, may He bless these efforts we pour forth day and night, 24/7, 365 days per year for His glory. May our children and their children and the generation after that love the Lord their God faithfully as a benefit of the time and energy we invest here and now. Oh Lord, may it be so...and thank you for this beautiful gift of time with our loved ones as we homeschool through high school.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
