School Prep....

We're getting ready for school and I have had a few people emailing me about curriculum choices. We've sort of "been there, done that" with a wide variety and my answer is always that dreaded one - - "It depends". New homeschooling Moms don't want that answer, they want THE answer and are always a little disgusted or at least disappointed when those of us who've been there, done that don't say "Oh, the perfect curriculum for you is ______". Sorry. But after 12 years I still don't have the perfect one for us, and wouldn't dare to presume to know the perfect one for you. It seems that the longer I homeschool the less sure I am about curriculum, but it's not why you think. It's because the longer I do this, the more I realize how very little curriculum choice plays into the overall results of homeschooling. I realize that there are just a few years to train children (yes, I meant to say train and not teach because that's the difference between parents and teachers). Teachers teach (or try to), parents train (or try to!). As homeschoolers we try to do both. Character isn't found in a curriculum. It can be reinforced with good literature, especially the Bible of course, and good biographies or even good fiction, but it has to be trained. That's why I don't focus on curriculum as much as I used to do. I know I have too much to learn about being a trainer to waste too much time on textbooks. Yeah, they're important. But my role as parent is even more important and my role as a learning, sinning, forgiven, loved child of God is the most important. Sometimes as task-oriented as I am, that's too easy to forget. I'm glad that conversations with new homeschooling Moms recently have reminded me of the real reason we homeschool. My personal goal for this school year: try to remember the most important role and everything else will fall into place. (I know it will take a lot longer than a school year, though!)