As a mother of three, I have discovered the joy of raising three distinctly different children. I truly do see the beauty in each of them. When my children set off into the world of school, my heart joined them on their adventure. They would spend an entire day away from home. How would I best serve them in my role as their mother, I wondered. After all, I was their first teacher.

When my husband and I decided to arrange it so I could stay at home for our children, I knew I would be able to offer them more than just my presence. My mother’s intuition, my heart and soul believed that there was more to come.

As it turns out, those years transformed me and the way I parent. Choosing to honor the call of my children, I eventually had one child enrolled in public school, one in private school, and one child at home…all at the same time! It is a season of my life I will always cherish.

“Pooh, how do you spell love?’ ‘You don’t spell love Piglet, you feel it”

Winnie the Poo

At first, I felt the overwhelm of three different schedules, and homeschooling my oldest child changed everything about my routine as a stay-at-home mom. When I decidedly made room both in our home and in my heart for this change, I embraced the opportunity. It was during this time that my son and I sat down for lunch together and had our many talks about life. Most of which showed me that I was the one who had been given the gift of homeschooling. I learned more about myself during those few years, and I thank my son for his willingness to be my teacher. My eyes were more open and my heart was expanded.

I learned that having three different spring breaks was a chance to be with each of my children, one-on-one, for days. It was time to spend with them more deliberately, more intimately, and more intentionally.

My calendar was full of activities and school functions and due dates. I became better at organizing! And I became even wiser about letting things go.

Homeschooling allowed my son to graduate half a year early, with honors. He worked, started driving, and bought his own car. His ability to self-manage grew, and it serves him well today.

Life Lessons

When my father became ill and needed more close attention, he came to stay with my family. My sons embraced his presence by offering up their shared bedroom, and they moved into our basement. Now among the three different school schedules, I added many weekly doctor appointments for my father. However, one of my fondest memories of this time was how my son would make not one but two cups of coffee, one for him and one for his grandfather. They would sit and chat during the quiet of the afternoon. Homeschool brought yet another gift. My son got to choose to spend time with grandpa.

It wasn’t long before my father wasn’t here any longer. As I look back and remember the tenderness of that time, I know it was divinely designed for us all. Homeschool was more than school done at home. It was more than a way for my son to successfully complete his high school experience. Most of all, I will remember it fondly as a time when our home became a kind of school, one where we learned the lessons of life and living with more love.

with love and greatest appreciation,