A Family Affair
"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."Prov. 17:17
Son #2 was over helping Son #1. Son #1 had a broken clutch master cylinder and was homebound with no transportation. Fortunately, these brothers only live minutes apart and are able to help each other out when necessary. With both being recently married and living in the same town, they have more in common than family.
When my older sons were young and homeschooled, they spent much time together. Since they shared a "common classroom" day in and day out, the two-year gap was not exaggerated by the tug of peers. Most academics were individualized but some, like Bible, History, and Science, I often combined to give them a commonness - and to make life easier for me.
When assignment sheets were completed, many times my sons would work on projects together, like wood crafting, bike trailing, creek fishing, pond digging, turtle hunting, frog catching, basketball dunking, and soccer kicking. Of course, they had their squabbles and even some fist-flying arguments. But when the storm clouds cleared, they were buddies again.
In looking back I firmly believe that homeschooling played a major role in the bond that my two oldest sons now share. Keeping them home not only helped them to excel in academics, but also gave them freedom to pursue individual interests, often time together.
The importance of family became firmly rooted by the sheer fact of my staying home, and my husband and I taking on the role of primary teachers. It was an active example of putting God first, family second, and friends third.
God's purpose for homeschooling is to draw the hearts of the children back home and to reestablish the family as foundational. Bonds and relationships are formed and then carried throughout life. Loyalties are made, and a support system is grounded. A sense of love and belonging are felt as children grow into adulthood with a confidence of who they are and where they came from. And if these roots are from a Christian home, what better vessels they will be in the Lord's service.
Yes, homeschooling definitely played a role in the closeness of my children.
Prayer: Father, thank you for the blessing of bonding that my children share. What a joy it is to me, their mother, when I see this closeness carried into adulthood! I pray that they will always be an encouragement to each other in their Christian walk.
