I began my homeschooling research today and found a really wonderful website devoted to encouraging and helping homeschooling parents. It’s wonderful!!! The link is: http://www.homehearts.com/index.html
A couple exerpts from the articles I’ve read:
Your children do not need to speak Russian and French, do sign language grammatically correct, understand trigonometry, be able to paint artistically and draw beautiful horses, possess skills in drafting and architectural design, write novels, be the best seamstress, gourmet cook, mechanic, finish carpenter; be a dynamic public speaker, worldview debater, journalist, editor, and computer programmer; play the harp, oboe, and piano; tutor in the community, help the congressman; be the gymnast, basketball star, distance runner; have the lead role in the drama club, be the winner of the spelling bee, and have perfect SAT scores. Does aspiring to all of these types of things sound like the will of God for a disciple of the Lord Jesus? Does the Lord really care about all of this nonsense? In and of themselves, some of these aren’t bad things. But if something like this constitutes the sum total of your bottom-line goal and desire for your children, they will feel the pressure to achieve it in order to please you and they will ultimately despise you for it.
Our children really do not want to be grand achievers and do all of that. It’s way too much pressure. What they innately desire most is to be loved and live a pretty simple life of purpose. Again, just like the activities we choose, seek the Lord about who your child is and is to become. The Bible is the best source to look for His standards of who we are and are to become. Teach your children to be loving, kind, gentle, sober-minded, full of faith, peacemakers, etc. Let this be their identity and let these things be what we seek most rather than the worldly ideal. (from http://kindlingpublications.com/articles/view/51/index.html)
And this great article for “new homeschooling moms” at http://homeschoolblogger.com/CindyRushton/12850/ – although it has so much wonderful advice for any homeschooling families!