Lifeschooling | Love in Homeschooling

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Love in homeschooling, a special Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network episode from Life as a LifeschoolerOn this very special episode of Life as a Lifeschooler, I talk about Love in Homeschooling. 

What an honor it is to recognize the work of Felice Gerwitz and 10 years in homeschool podcasting on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network!

➡️Episode Sponsored by the 10th Birthday Celebration Sponsors, CTC Math & More on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network ✔️ out the $350 giveaway, too!

Love in Homeschooling – Exploring how love plays a central role in homeschooling

Over time, love has become a central focus of my Christian walk, as I’ve realized how impactful this one concept of loving others can be. Jesus says that all the law and the prophets are summed up in “love God, love your neighbor as yourself.” If one thing can cover so much ground, it must be essential that we understand it!

In a very basic sense, when we homeschool our children, we are loving our neighbor as ourselves. We remember what school was like for us and we want better for them. We are sacrificing our own opportunities for income, self-fulfillment, and achievement in order to see our children successful and fulfilled.

But there are times we forget this motivation. Or the motivation becomes cloudy, tainted by the pressures, fears, and worldly ambitions we allow to enter our hearts.

So it’s good to be reminded of what love really is. If we want to truly love, we must know what exactly love is. And to know exactly what love is, we must turn to the Bible’s definition in 1 Corinthians 13, the “love chapter.”

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Moms, you can have the perfect homeschool curriculum and teach with eloquence and simplicity, but if you don’t have love, you will fail your kids.

You can even do it in the power of the Holy Spirit, according to this chapter, and still fail your kids! That’s how important love is to everything you do in life. In fact, love was so important to God that He sent Jesus to die for us. Love is at the very core of the Gospel!  So we need to have a full understanding of it.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Now, let’s look at what love is…

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Patient

Are you patient in teaching your children about 56 times in a day that 7×8 is 56? Are you patient in teaching them how to do their chores quickly and diligently? Or is your goal to check off the boxes and be done?

Kindness

Do your children see you as an example of kindness? When they talk back and disrespect you, do you respond “in kind” or with kindness (and discipline, of course)?

Does Not Envy or Boast

Pride is the opposite of love. Pride is all about self, not God and others.

If you are busy making yourself feel accomplished from the shiny, perfect children you have raised, then your homeschooling is not about love. It is about boastfulness in your own achievements. If you look at others whose kids graduated high school at age 13 and think, “That’s not so great. We could have done that if we had wanted to,” then you may have an envious heart that has no room for love.

Not Arrogant or Rude

This again comes back to a prideful heart that is not focused on others. If you think you don’t need the advice or opinions of others in your homeschooling journey, then first of all, why are you here? 😉 And secondly, you may be arrogant.

Arrogance often leads to rudeness. When someone gently and lovingly corrects your parenting or offers a kind word of advice, do you respond rudely? When your children respectfully correct your teaching, pointing out an error in something you say, do respond graciously, thanking them for the information, or do you speak to them rudely? Is your instant reaction, “You’re being disrespectful!”?

Does Not Insist on its Own Way

Do you insist on doing school in a way that works for you as the teacher? Or do you submit your own comfort to the needs and desires of your children in their learning?

Not Irritable or Resentful

Do you have to have your cup of coffee before you can be nice? Do you resent your children for keeping you from pursing your own career or hobbies? Or do you consider it a joy to sacrifice your own desires for the sake of their callings (and your highest calling)?

Does Not Rejoice at Wrongdoing, but Rejoices with the Truth

Are you more focused on the wrongdoing of your children than what is good and true? Are you almost happy when you finally catch them doing something you had suspected of them so you can finally dole out the punishment they deserve? Or do you focus on their good behavior and rejoice when they choose to do right and follow truth?

Bears All Things

Do you bear all the frustrated tears? The arguments? The lack of confidence? Do you encourage your children and give them a break when they are tired and burned out on school work?

Believes All Things

Do you believe the best when your children fail? Do you try to see their hearts and give grace, even thought discipline may still be required?

Hopes All Things

Do you tend to focus on the positive or the negative? Do you rest in the hope we have in Christ, that He is our strength and our “very present help in time of trouble”? Or do you allow fear to cripple you in your homeschooling and cause you to believe the enemy’s lies about your children’s future? Perfect love casts out fear! 1 John 4:18

Endures All Things

Are you in it for the long haul or are you swayed by your feelings and doubts? If you are homeschooling out of love, you will endure the hardest days because you know spending each day with your child is the best way to get to his heart. If your decision to homeschool was made because of love, you will continue to homeschool because of love and nothing will move you.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

“Knowledge will pass away.” It is only a tool for advancing God’s Kingdom on this earth in the short time we have. Love is what really matters and what will transcend anything we can possibly teach.

“More is caught than taught.” We’ve all heard that phrase and it’s certainly true here. No matter how biblical your teaching; no matter how diligent you are with discipline; no matter how much information you manage to fill their brains with, if you are not doing it all in love, they will “catch” that and learn the lessons you are not meaning to teach. Children know whether they are being loved or controlled.

If you want to have a successful homeschool, with children who grow up to love and serve the Lord with their gifts, let Holy Spirit-empowered love be the central, guiding force in your homeschooling!

 

And that’s Life as a Lifeschooler! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Hope you’ll join us next time!


 

 

6 Random Tips for the Organizationally Challenged

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The Organizing Challenge

Organized Homeschool mom plans her day with a plannerI don’t know whether some kind of momentum builds from taking down the Christmas tree and decorations, or if we’re eager to start a new year on the right foot, or if we just start getting antsy being cooped up inside, or a combination of all three catalysts, but January seems to be the time of the year when we all start thinking about organizing, scheduling, and just generally getting our lives in order!

If you’re like me, you’ve been binge cleaning (whether or not you see much in the way of tangible evidence) and looking around your house for ways you can stash the clutter a little better…a desk here, an Ikea cube unit there, a shelf or two over here.

In my little tribe on Facebook, many moms share a similar struggle to me: getting organized and following through on plans. I can’t say I have all the answers or have conquered this struggle yet, but I have learned to manage my “disability” over the years and have discovered some tricks and ideas that have worked for me. So I want to share those with you!

  1. Ask God First
  2. Install (and use!) the ToDoist App
  3. Find a Homeschooling Planner That Fits Your Style
  4. Get Rid of the Broken Shoelaces
  5. Handle Mail and e-mail Immediately
  6. Keep a Gift Bin

Ask God First

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:9: “A man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.” It’s a reminder that, while planning is good, it’s really God who directs each day. So, doesn’t it make sense to just go ahead and consult Him first?

I usually try to pray through my to-do list every day while I’m still in bed. I also pay attention to what God puts on my heart first thing in the morning. Often, even before I’m fully awake, I will hear the Lord speak to me about things I need to do that day.

Install and Use the ToDoist App

Once upon a time, I tried a daily to-do list. I would write it out in the morning, get to about half the items that day, then keep it for the next day and add more. It ended up a big, long, never-ending scribbly mess! Then I tried transferring to a new paper each day. Do you know what it’s like to write out every single item that I didn’t complete on a new sheet? Depressing, that’s what! I didn’t need to slowly and painfully write out my failures each day.

But, the alternative was not good. With no list, I forgot about so many important things I needed to do! (It’s not cool when you forget to pay bills, for example.) Then I finally found the ToDoist app on my phone – there is a desktop version that syncs with the phone app too so we can stay organized everywhere! I love it because I can move things around from day to day instead of looking at scribbles and feeling frustrated by all I didn’t get to. Somehow the neatness of it is helpful to me…and the ease of moving things. Try it and see if it works for you!

Find a Homeschooling Planner that Fits Your Style

In case it’s not horribly obvious, I am a Type B person. I hate planners and planning in general, and I’ve never found one that I was in love with. So, naturally, I just created my own! The Lifeschooling Vision Planner is designed for extremely flexible people like me…but it’s also adaptable to those who require a little more structure. I love it! During the month of January, it’s included in a full kit of lifeschooling resources for an amazing introductory price!

Another great planner is the Beyond Blessed Planner by Ana Willis. This planner has it all! If you want to organize your entire life on paper, this one is for you. Includes sections for homeschool mission, annual goals, monthly goals, monthly spending tracker, meal planner, pantry inventory, food journal, water intake, and so much more! It truly is all-encompassing. And the best part is it’s filled with Scripture from cover to cover.

If you just need a basic, down-to-earth daily planner for the budget-conscious, check out the Best Homeschool Life Planner by Christine Zell. It will give you just enough guidance to not become yet another burden to keep up with. It includes an attendance record, monthly and weekly page spreads that include reading and field trip logs, and customizable bullet pages.

Whatever your style and personality, do some research and find what works for you. If it doesn’t work, don’t force it! Move on until you find the right fit. It’s important to find something to help direct you through each homeschool day.

Get Rid of the Broken Shoelaces

I am the classic, “But I might be able to use that someday” girl! Over the years, I have learned that it is burdensome to hang onto everything because it’s a reminder of all the projects and ideas that I can never find time to get to. If you’ve owned it for a few years, it’s time to get real with yourself. You probably won’t ever use it. Plus, maybe you can pass it on and bless someone who can!

My friend Barbara is great at this! My youngest son even picked up on it and talks about how Mrs. M. is always getting rid of stuff! Once when she came over to help us organize and purge, I “reasoned” with her that I could use some of these things and that I didn’t want to waste them and end up needing them someday. “Well,” she said, “I love to bless others with things I’m not currently using. I just always pray that God will bring that type of item back to me later if I end up needing it, and so often He has done that.” Her response really helped change my thinking in this area! Sometimes hanging on to things is a lack of trust for God to provide in His timing.

Handle Mail and e-mail Immediately

Okay, confession time. I don’t do this…at least, not with my e-mail. But I think it might be time! I currently have over 50,000 e-mails sitting in my inbox. (Ridiculous!!) I was very inspired the other day when my mother-in-law told me that the high executive she used to work for at a large national bank (I believe he was #3) left at the end of each day with an empty inbox. How freeing! He went through e-mails right away, handled them, and then deleted them. Sounds like a New Year’s goal for me!

I am much better with my paper mail, however. It comes in and I immediately put it all where it belongs. I’ve stopped trying to read every catalog and sales ad. If I don’t have time and it doesn’t pertain to my life right now, it goes right in the garbage. Gone are my early married days of piles of mail all over the house!

Keep a Gift Bin

I stole this idea from my mom who always kept a stash of children’s birthday gifts at the top of her closet when we were young. If we got invited to a birthday, we just “shopped” that bin and never had to worry about rushing at the last minute.

I do this now and it’s very helpful to me since I am so disorganized by nature! Not only does it save me at the last minute when I realize Sunday morning after breakfast that there’s a church baby shower, but it also saves me money since I can pick up items on sale at any time. (Or even re-gift unwanted birthday or Christmas gifts…shhhhhhh!)

Start Somewhere – Even if it’s Not Perfect

Even if you feel you have so far to go with scheduling and organizing your life, I think the important thing is just to start somewhere and find a rhythm. Once you get one little area consistent, you can move on to bigger goals.

I often think of the verse, “Despise not the day of small things.” Sometimes we have to just start somewhere, even if it’s not perfect. I’ve spent years trying to get my act together, so if you struggle as I do, I feel your pain! 😆 Celebrate the little successes and don’t beat yourself up for being imperfect.

Remember, God made you who you are for a reason. Just because organizing isn’t your strength doesn’t mean you can’t still be a successful homemaker and homeschooling mom. God sees your efforts and He does not reward us based on performance. He sees your heart and He meets you where you are and fills in the gaps. Aren’t you glad? I sure am!

 

About the Author: Danielle Papageorgiou has been homeschooling, or “lifeschooling,” for 18 years (she counts birth as day 1!) and runs a blog, LifeAsALifeschooler.com. She has a passion for helping other homeschoolers learn how to homeschool in a way that does not compete with family life, but actually enhances it…homeschooling done in a spirit of freedom, not legalism. She believes that each family is unique and God has placed in each child special gifts and desires that He wants to use. The verse that guides the Papageorgious in their pursuit of lifeschooling is Matthew 6:33, “But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and ALL these things will be added to you.” (Emphasis mine). Danielle has been married to her amazing husband, Jon, for 20 years and they have three talented and fun children, Konur (18), Elleina (15), and Korban (8).

Best of Life as a Lifeschooler: Self-Sacrifice in Lifeschooling – Dr. Jill Butryn

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Self-Sacrifice in Lifeschooling - Dr. Jill ButrynEnjoy one of my favorite interviews on this rerun of “Self-Sacrifice in Lifeschooling – Dr. Jill Butryn.”

How much self-sacrifice would you be willing to practice? Would you give up a six-figure career in medicine to be “just a mom”? My friend Dr. Jill Butryn did just that. She went from a practicing MD to a present mom. Listen to one of our most popular episodes, this inspiring interview about how the Butryn family made it work and how lifeschooling and “staying out of the way” played a key part in “letting their boys be wiggly boys.”

Passionate about living and loving, Jill Butryn, MD, left a thriving medical practice to rededicate herself to faith, marriage, and family. When her verbally precocious eldest child made it very clear in no uncertain terms that being away from home all day to attend kindergarten was completely unacceptable, Jill and her reluctant husband began homeschooling and never looked back.

Bucking convention by not using a curriculum, Jill has home educated two wiggly and willful boys on a steady diet of Legos, literature, and labor, with a dash of mentoring. Committed to “staying out of the way” and allowing each child to develop at his own pace in his own way, the Butryns stress spiritual and relational development over academic achievement, where all that boy energy is channeled into meaningful activities and work projects instead of pointless busywork.

Jill believes parents ultimate responsibility is to turn out healthy adults who love and serve others, and this can only be achieved by modeling and facilitating personal growth through relationship and experience. It is an imperfect process carried out by imperfect people. Thankfully, there is grace.

Here is what I asked Jill during this episode’s interview:

  • So, you were a family doctor before you had children. Tell us what led to such self-sacrifice: the decision to leave your practice and start homeschooling?
  • What was the most difficult part about leaving your practice and did you ever doubt that decision?
  • To remind our listeners, the definition of lifeschooling is “the individualized process of discovering your child’s God-given gifts and talents through real life experiences that happen within the context of your family’s unique situations and missions.” Is there a part of that definition that particularly speaks to you?
  • What are some of the gifts that you saw early on in your children and how did you tailor their education around development of those gifts?
  • Tell us about a typical day in your homeschool?
  • Now that you’ve graduated and married off one child and can look back on the entire journey, what would you say you did right, and is there anything you wish you would have done differently? Was the self-sacrifice of giving up your career worth it?
  • I feel like many of us, as adults, are just now learning what our passions truly are and what we were meant to do. I think lifeschooling is such a wonderful way to allow our children to find out who they really are and what gifts God has put into them when they are young. You recently started an online business that provides life coaching in several aspects. I know that came about as a result of some self-discovery of your own, so tell us a little bit about what led you to start that.
  • You can find out more about Dr. Jill and her services by visiting her website, www.jillbutryn.com.

And that’s Life as a Lifeschooler! Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. Hope you’ll join us next time!


Thank you to our Sponsor – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Movie!

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5 Lifeschooling Tips to Freedom in Your Homeschool!

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

5 Lifeschooling TipsI often say that lifeschooling is about freedom. But how do you achieve that freedom in homeschooling? Here are five tips that will help you find freedom to homeschool in a way that fits with everyday life and brings peace. These tips will help you find the heart of lifeschooling and what that can look like in your home!

 

LIFESCHOOLING TIP #1: Encourage reading by letting your children read books they love after bedtime.

Reading is one of the foundational skills to learning. (Before you moms with late readers freak out, let me assure you that reading late is really no problem. Most late readers catch up to the reading level of their peers in very little time, and in the meantime there are many other ways to learn.)

Once a child learns to read, they can learn independently. Allowing them to read after bedtime makes them feel privileged and can be a great way to encourage this important skill! I’ll always cherish the picture of the time I found my son asleep on his Narnia book.

 

LIFESCHOOLING TIP #2: Let the early years be focused on play!

It is scientifically proven that children learn a LOT through simple play that we adults think looks pointless. Being given time to play allows your children to learn independently of adult direction and input. It builds problem-solving and creativity!

Our youngest is 7 and is not yet ready to sit for more than about an hour or two (max). That’s okay! He’s learned so much on his own! Even hobbies and crafts are a form of playing that is considered okay for adults to do. 😉

If you need more encouragement that play really is okay, one of my favorite resources is Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, a book about how children really learn, written by two scientists. It will give you confidence to just let your children play!

 

LIFESCHOOLING TIP #3: Give them plenty of free time!

Free time is one of the best gifts your can give your children. When they are adults, they will no longer have so much time to explore, create, and learn about their world to discover who they really are. They may also surprise you with what they do with their time.

I have found my children working on Algebra; learning about genetics; and researching facts about Wales simply because they were interested. The constantly surprise me with what they know!

 

LIFESCHOOLING TIP #4: Invest in your children.

We often don’t have any problem forking out money for expensive curriculum, but when it comes to our children’s gifts and passions, do we provide them with the necessary resources and materials?

Fund your children’s projects. They may only stick with them a short time, but they are learning valuable lessons about who they are…and who they aren’t. That is worth the investment!

You can teach them about perseverance and a hard work ethic through other areas, such as chores and service to others. But give them freedom to learn who they are. When they find their passion and what God put into them to do, they WILL stick with it! In the meantime, think of these changing interests as courses…and feel free to record them as such!

 

LIFESCHOOLING TIP #5: Do one subject or project a day.

One of the difficulties with traditional school is that they are constantly changing subjects. A child may be fully engrossed in a project, but when the bell rings, it’s time to move on!

Lifeschooling allows children the freedom to fully engage with whatever projects or academics they are working on. You can maximize the benefit by focusing on one project/subject area per day!

For several years, we tried this and enjoyed it. One day it was English (lots of time for a writing project!), the next day science (plenty of time for experiments!), the next day history (history notebooks were not rushed!), etc. The difficulty was with intense subjects like math, which we ended up doing in half days, along with English.

 

I hope these tips give you some good ideas that will help you turn your homeschooling into lifeschooling! Do you have other tips you’d like to share that have helped you “merge life with homeschooling”? I’d love to hear them!

 

Missions, Movies, and Lifeschooling (Part 2) – David Cook

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Missions, Movies, Lifeschooling - David Cook part 2

On this episode of Life as a Lifeschooler, Danielle wraps up her interview with David Cook, a former MK who was homeschooled and now works in the Christian film industry.

David grew up on the mission field in Spain. A homeschool graduate, in 2001 he started working in media, both radio and television in Spain. In 2009 God placed it on his heart to get involved with feature filmmaking. Moving back to the United States, David started working with Advent Film Group to start the learning process and get hands on experience on film sets. Since that point, David has worked on 18 feature films in various capacities, including The Screenwriters, Polycarp, Princess Cut, Beyond the Mask, Badge of Faith, War Room, Like Arrows, and most recently the upcoming films Overcomer and Once Upon a Time in Mongolia.  David also helps with the annual Christian Worldview Film Festival in Franklin, TN, where he enjoys sharing with others what he has learned and encouraging them to follow what God has placed on their hearts to do.

Here are some of the questions I asked David on this second part of the interview:

Tell us about your journey into the Christian film industry.

When did you start to develop an interest in Christian film and did your parents tailor the education around the development of your gifts and interest in film?

What has been the most exciting thing about being in film? What has been the biggest challenge?

What was your favorite film set to work on?

I know you do a lot of traveling with your work. How many countries have you traveled to while working in film?

For those who may have children interested in getting into film, what would you suggest?

If you want to find out more about the Christian Worldview Film Festival, you can visit their site here.

And that’s Life as a Lifeschooler! Subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode. Hope you’ll join us next time!

 

How to Raise Children Who Love God

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

How to Raise Children Who Love GodIt’s easy to slip into the thinking that if we just homeschool, all will turn out fine. Our children will grow up to love God; they will be well-educated and spiritually mature, always following the Lord and living godly lives.

Wrong.

A quick search of the internet will prove this is simply not the case. I loved the blog post Israel Wayne posted not too long ago addressing the current trend of homeschoolers who are rejecting their parents’ faith and basically dishonoring them.

(Can I just say that I literally laughed out loud when I read this line: “I just want to say to everyone who wishes that I was writing blogs about how badly my life sucks lollipops…I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you by having a happy and satisfied life.”).

And then, of course, there’s the story of Josh Harris, who grew up a zealot of homeschooling, courtship, and so many good things, only to recently divorce his wife and leave his faith, rejecting all he supposedly once held important. What a sad time for his parents.

Oh, dear homeschoolers. Once again, we have to be reminded that life is not about a checklist. We so easily forget, don’t we? There are no secret formulas, no magic bullets. You can’t manufacture a genuine relationship. There is no amount of work you can invest that will guarantee your children will turn out fine.

Homeschooling is great. I personally think it’s the obvious best option for educating and investing time into one’s children to build strong relationships. But it’s not the secret formula and relying on that alone will only bring frustration and disappointment.

But fret not. God doesn’t want us to just throw up our hands and sing Que Sera, Sera. We can look to Scripture and look to godly examples around us to learn some ideas for helping our children grow into spiritually mature adults who love God. We cannot force them to love the Lord, but we can entice them towards a deep relationship by showing them how precious it is!

Here are some ideas:

 

1. Make your relationship with the Lord your top priority.

How can you expect your children to love God if you don’t love Him with all of your heart? The very best thing you can do is lead by example. Spend time with Him daily and share what He is teaching you. When your children see that God is a priority and when they hear you speak about Him, they will be drawn towards Him.

I could probably end this entire blog post with this first point because it is just that important and impactful! But I won’t… 😉

 

2. Start early encouraging your children to spend time with the Lord daily.

We have always made daily devotions a part of our children’s required “daily chores.” That might sound terrible, but the Bible does talk about “disciplining ourselves unto godliness.” Part of the Christian walk is self-discipline and if we want them to truly love God, then we must teach our children to be self-disciplined early. They need to learn how to “own” their faith.

When they were young, they read this Learn to Read Bible, among other Bible story books. They also enjoyed these inductive Bible studies by Kay Arthur. Korban also really loves these books. They are short and address specific sins through the eyes of a child, with Scripture references to go along with them.

Something else we did was to encourage them to pray for wisdom like Solomon did. I remember specifically having this conversation with our oldest son, Konur, and seeing the impact it made on him to think that he could have as much wisdom as he wanted simply by asking in faith!

We watched him grow spiritually even as a young child and we didn’t even have to ask how it happened. We knew he was praying for wisdom. Today, that boy spends hours in prayer and Bible reading daily and has a close walk with the Lord.

 

3. Have daily devotions time as a family.

Fathers are called to be the “priests of their homes,” but many households do not have regular family devotions. It is not always easy and grace is sometimes needed for difficult schedules, but it’s important to make a commitment to do something! Martin Luther is famously quoted as saying, “Work, work from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

There is always time! Even if it just starts with just one song, reading a couple verses, and praying through a prayer list, if it’s a daily time together as a family, God will honor the effort and increase the desire. It is very impactful for your children to see their father leading spiritually and worshiping the God he loves.

I think it’s so important to focus on reading the Bible, but stories can also be helpful, especially for younger children. These books are a current favorite of my seven-year-old’s.

 

4. Make the Lord a part of everyday life, not a separate subject.

Talk about Him as you go through your day. Remember all the things He has done for you and your family and recount them to your children. (Hmmm… this sounds strangely similar to Deuteronomy 6:4-9, doesn’t it? 😉 )

In our family, we often talk about how good God has been to us by providing our homestead to us for $40,000. It’s an incredible story! We also recount other specific answers to prayer, like the time I cried out in desperation for my husband to get a different job and that very day he was let go. It might not sound like an answer, but we knew it was! And God provided a better job a short time later.

Encourage them to pray specifically and point out the times when God has answered their requests, too. God is a good Father and loves to give good gifts to His children. Once, Korban prayed for 6 inches of snow. God answered that prayer and actually gave him an inch more! We made sure to tell him what a special answer to prayer that was and how much God loves him, and he continues to bring that story up. God didn’t have to answer the request, but He delighted to do so!

 

5. Get to their hearts with Scripture.

When you train them, God’s Word should always be what you use to exhort and encourage. So often we focus on changing their behavior so that we can be more comfortable or so that we don’t look like bad parents. But if we want our children to love God, our focus should always be on Christ. How does their behavior make Him look?

We need to get to their hearts and focus on their motivations for doing right. What does the Bible say about their behavior? Do they truly love God and want to please Him? Do they remember all the Jesus did to pay for those sins they are committing? Do they know how much He loves them and longs to have a relationship with them?

We must always bring it back to the Gospel.

One of our favorite resources for doing this was a book called Parenting with Scripture. It’s a topical book that helps us address different kinds of behavior issues using Scripture and activities to go along with it. We also tried to have clear expectations and swift consequences for disobedience. Allowing things to slide leads to anger and nothing will harden a child quicker than parents disciplining in anger.

 

6. Be open and real about your faith.

Kids are perceptive. They know when you are not being real with them and teens, especially, can smell hypocrisy a mile away. When they are young, they may let it slide because you are still their hero. But when they get older, they have no qualms about calling you out on all the inconsistencies they have seen for years.

You have two choices: You can respond in humility or you can respond in pride. Pride says, “I am the parent and I am in charge. I have my reasons. Do as I say, not as I do.” Trust me, you won’t get very far with that approach and it will not draw your teens closer to Christ.

Humility, on the other hand, says, “You are right. I didn’t see that, but I need to change and I will work on it. (And, by the way, I love you, but you need to work on how you confront authority.)” That last part may or may not be necessary. 😉 But the point is, don’t let their own spiritual immaturity and hypocrisy blind you from the sin they are pointing out.

When you are humble enough to admit wrongs and share your heart about how God is teaching you, they will let down their own defenses and share their own struggles. This brings us right back around to the first point. Again, it’s about modeling what you want to see and leading by example.

 

Of course, when it gets right down to it, prayer is the number one, most powerful tool we have to ensure that our children grow up to love God and serve Him!

All of these practical ideas are just empty works without the power of the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts. We must always be seeking Him and asking Him to reveal to us the specific ways that we can encourage our children’s relationship with the Lord.

I hope this encourages you and gives you some practical help in raising up children who love God with all of their hearts, souls, and minds! We can’t control their hearts, but we can make a big impact if we follow the Lord’s leading and humbly walk along side them.

Also, if you’d like to actually be able to see me while you listen to this episode, be sure to watch it on my new YouTube channel!

Lifeschooling and Books – Konur Papageorgiou

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Konur - lifeschooling and booksI always love sitting down and having a good chat with my son, Konur. I feel blessed that we connect so easily on so many topics and this boy is wise beyond his years! On this episode, I wanted to talk with him about his lifeschooling journey in general, and then specifically talk about what books he feels have been most beneficial in his learning.

Part of my goal was to encourage moms of high schoolers to consider all that can be done through a lifeschooling approach, and that even kids who are headed toward college don’t necessarily need to have their high school years look “traditional.” I promised to put a link to this book, College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College, in these show notes, so there you go! (Disclaimer: I am still reading this one, but so far I think it’s brilliant!)

One of the ironies about this interview is that even though our topic of discussion was books, we forgot to even mention that he and his friend, Emma Grace, are actually in the process of writing a book together! I guess that means we’ll just have to set up another interview when it finally comes out! 😉 Anyway, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Here are some of the questions we discussed:

  • What are some of your favorite kinds of books to read? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
  • I know you’re a history buff, so tell me what books have been most enlightening on that topic?
  • So, you are heading into a career in IT doing contract work, God-willing. Tell me what books have been most helpful from a business/entrepreneurial standpoint.
  • Lifeschooling is not the same as unschooling, but there are a lot of similarities. The definition of lifeschooling is “the individualized process of discovering your child’s God-given gifts and talents primarily through real life experiences that happen within the context of your family’s unique situations and missions.” We definitely fall on the “unschooling” side of the spectrum, partially because of our particular family situations. What has been your favorite part of lifeschooling?
  • The most important book of all is, of course, the Bible. Tell us a bit about your Bible studies and how just being in the Word so much daily has helped you in everyday life.

 

Blessing the Next Generation – Pat Fenner

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Pat FennerHave you ever wondered why we don’t take the Bible more seriously when it comes to the topic of blessing our children and what it might look like on a practical level? What a fun talk I had about this topic with Pat Fenner, author of Blessing the Next Generation, on this week’s episode! 

Pat Fenner loves talking and writing about the topics closest to her heart: parenting and homeschooling. Her books, Blessing the Next Generation and Celebrating the Feast: A Christian Guide to Passover —evolved from family traditions she and her husband Paul have enjoyed in their 30+ years of marriage. Another e-book: Homeschooling Outside the Box, originally published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, describes some of the real-life activities she incorporated over the years in their own homeschool. She writes regularly at her blog breakthroughhomeschooling.com, where she shares parenting and homeschooling encouragement and tools and is a regular contributor to various other faith, parenting and homeschool blogs.

Here are some of the questions that we chatted about:

  • I love the concept of blessing our children and I’ve always wanted to study this more. The Bible talks so much about this, particularly with regard to fathers and their sons. Tell us what first inspired the idea for this book.
  • Tell us, in practical terms, what this blessing event looks like and how you carried it out in your own family?
  • I love at the beginning of chapter 4 where you tell mothers to start studying their children, and how God seemed to highlight certain Scriptures for you related to each child. I believe it is so helpful in the process of lifeschooling, also, to be students of our children in order to guide them with their callings! Did you find that this event helped in finding their calling and life’s purpose?
  • One of your other books, Homeschooling Outside the Box, intrigues me because you talk about the real life experiences you incorporated in your homeschooling. I’d love to hear more about that!
  • How did homeschooling strengthen your relationships with your children?
  • What are some of the gifts that you saw in your children and how did you tailor their education around the development of those gifts?

If you want to learn more from Pat and purchase any of her books, be sure to visit her at patfenner.me. You can also visit her author page on Amazon.

Special Needs and Lifeschooling – Julie Polanco

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

For this episode, I enjoyed talking with Julie Polanco about lifeschooling and how beautifully it has fit with her unique family situation of dealing not only with multiple food allergies, but also special needs!

Julie Polanco loves Jesus and leads worship for the women’s ministry at her local church. But, her job is a 16+-year veteran homeschooling mom of four children, all of whom have food allergies and special needs, including ADHD, Asperger’s, gifted, sensory/regulation issues, and anxiety disorder.

Over the years, she has served on her support group’s board and founded and led a new support group for relaxed homeschoolers. She also teaches middle school science workshops for a homeschool co-op. She has graduated two from homeschool and recently became a grandma. Julie is also a trained Master Herbalist in western herbal practice and is completing formal training in aromatherapy. She has managed her family’s health, food and environmental allergies, and her own chronic illness for more than twenty years using a natural and integrative approach. She loves fermenting food, urban gardening, finding ways to practice better stewardship, and all things that align with God’s gifts to us through nature.

Here are some of the questions we discussed on the show:

  • Julie, you and I met online not too long ago, actually. And when you sent me a copy of your book, God-schooling, I knew I needed to connect with you, which led to you becoming speaker for our 2019 Lifeschooling Conference!
  • Tell us more about your book and why you wrote it.
  • Many homeschoolers bring the school model home because we all tend to just do what we know. I imagine the food allergies and health issues really helped shape your more relaxed educational philosophy?
  • The definition of lifeschooling is “the individualized process of discovering your child’s God-given gifts and talents primarily through real life experiences that happen within the context of your family’s unique situations and missions.” Is there a part of that definition that particularly speaks to you and share with us a bit more about how your family lifeschools?
  • How has homeschooling strengthened your relationships with your children?
  • How do you fit homeschooling with your family’s unique situation and responsibilities?
  • Has your family ever been tempted to quit homeschooling and how did you navigate through that time?
  • What are some of the gifts that you have seen early on in your children and how have you tailored their education around the development of those gifts?

If you would like to order a copy of Julie’s book, God-Schooling, you can find it on Amazon. Be sure to visit Julie’s site at JulieNaturally.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out one of our most popular episodes, The Joy of Relationship Homeschooling with Karen Campbell.


Special Thanks to Our Network Sponsor -Overcomer Movie

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Opening nationwide on August 23, OVERCOMER dares to leave you filled with hope, inspired to dream, and asks the question: what do you allow to define you?

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Character as Core Curriculum – Kathie Morrissey

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
Kathie Morrissey

Kathie Morrissey

On this episode, I talked to pioneer homeschooler Kathie Morrissey of The Character Corner. Kathie’s heart is that character be the “core curriculum.” I’ve been following her blog for a year or so and I’ve really loved learning from the wisdom she shares. Kathie is a true Titus 2 woman! One of my favorite resources of hers is the Little Lads and Ladies of Virtue curriculum, which we discuss in the show.

Kathie is wife to Alan, mother of eight children, and a homeschooling mom of 31 years. She and her husband have been married for 40 years, and their kids are grown up, with the youngest being 21. They also have 13 precious grandchildren.

Though her homeschooling days are behind her now that all eight of the kids have graduated,  She still stays busy running The Character Corner, traveling to conferences, speaking, and sharing encouragement on her blog.

Her goal in ministry is to help and encourage parents to be purposeful as they try to raise their kids to have Godly character, and a heart for God, while providing practical advice, tips, and encouragement from the things she has learned over 36 years of parenting, and 31 years of homeschooling.

When she’s not working, you may find Kathie playing the piano, reading a good book, or eating chocolate.  And twice a week, she takes care of her sweet four-year old granddaughter, Tori.

Here are some of the things Kathie and I talked about:

  • Tell us more about your homeschooling journey back in the early days of the movement. How did you start? What was it like to be on the forefront?
  • Many homeschoolers bring the school model home because we all tend to just do what we know. I know you put a lot of emphasis on relationships and character in homeschooling. Is there anything in particular that helped shape your perspective and educational philosophy?
  • What are some of the gifts that you saw early on in your children and how were you able to tailor their education around the development of those gifts?
  • You focus a lot on building strong character. As I mentioned before, we love your Little Lads and Ladies curriculum. No matter what our homeschool day looks like, this is one resource that I almost never neglect to do with my youngest who’s seven. It really just makes us more conscious throughout the day of his character and how to train him in it. Did you do this or something similar with your own children? What were some practical ways that you focused on character and what were the results?
  • I also love your focus on building strong relationships because that is really the heart of any character training we do. I read a really helpful article of yours recently called “How to Really Know Your Children Well. Share with us some of those tips.
  • As a “pioneer,” what do you see as one of the biggest problems in the homeschooling movement today?

You can find out more about Kathie and purchase her resources at www.TheCharacterCorner.com.