We switched schools this year. My oldest daughter did her first year of school at a charter school in town last year. I chose that school because it is a great school. This school year my husband said he would really rather our kids (now 1st grade and kindergarten) go to our local public school.
I've turned over in my head the idea of homeschooling but my husband said no to that. I'd love to send my kid's to private school if we could afford it but we can't, so that eliminated that. The next best thing, besides homeschooling, for me would be a charter school. They tend to be smaller schools with higher academic achievements and without a lot of the liberal agenda (yup, I said it!) that public schools have.
It was REALLY hard, I mean REALLY REALLY hard to submit to my husband in the area of school for our children. Probably harder than any other situation. These are my kids we are talking about. I want the best for them. I got on my high horse and stated that, obviously, I knew better seeing as I'm with them all day. I felt that he was just being stingy with money and trying to save a buck at the cost of our children's future. Are you laughing at me yet? It's OK, I'm laughing as I write it. But I really felt that way at that time. I brought up the subject often with my husband to try and get him to see my side. His stand was that lots of kids go to public school and turn out fine. To me that just wasn't a good enough argument. Lots of kids grow up in poverty struck homes or abusive homes and turn out fine. Again, feel free to laugh at how emotional and ridiculous I was being.
So the next thing I did was to pray that God would change my husband to see my side. Go ahead, keep laughing at me. Do you think God changed HIS mind? If you know me personally, you'd know that my kids were enrolled in the local public school, so no, God didn't change my husband's mind. Instead, God changed my mind and heart.
My conversation with God went something like this:
God- Whose kids are these anyway? Didn't you dedicate them to me?
Me- Gee, God, when you put it that way.... the kids belong to you. But don't you want the best for them too, like me?
God- What if this is the best for you kids? Did you stop to think that maybe I know what I'm doing? That I have a great plan in all of this?
Me- Not really, no. How can public school be the best for my kids? I want them to grow up to be Godly people. To do good things like serve other, tell other's about you, be a light to the world when they grow up.
God- Why do they have to wait until they grow up to do those things?
Me- OK true. They can be a light to the world now. Probably even in their school. But what about all the ugly stuff they will see? More kids means more influences on them. I feel like I'm going to have to spend what little time I have with them each day counteracting all the negative they got at school.
God- Just a small part will be negative. Which they will face at some point in their life anyway. It's better for them to deal with those things now when they have your influence and guidance instead of when they are grown and need to make those choices on their own. They will be better prepared for being a teen and adult.
Me- sure. But, it's such a big change. I feel lost in the shuffle. Out of control really. Can you help me have peace about this?
God- Of course. I'm going to make sure you have great families around you who also send their kids to that school. Did you happen to notice how awesome those kids are?
Me- I DO think all those kids are awesome. And they have been in public school for years. Even the kids that are now in Jr. High and went to that public school are on fire for you and are great kids! Thank you Lord for helping me see that my kids are exactly where YOU want them to be. Thank you Lord for settling my heart about all this. I should probably go apologize to my husband huh?
God- Ya think?
Since that conversation with God I have been abundantly blessed with other moms who have sent their kids to the same school coming along side me and answering all of my questions.
I've been praying that God would use my kids in that school to show the other students God's love. The second day of school my daughter told her 1st grade class that God loves them, that He is everywhere and that they should come to our church. God really has a plan. It REALLY is great than our own. Trust in God's plan for your life. You will not regret it.
************Please do not leave me comments about why homeschooling or private school or whatever kind of school is better. There is good and bad about all schools. I would encourage each set of parents to pray about the decision and make sure that is what God wants for you kids. I know many of my friend that have done that and none of them are all in private or all home schooled or all public. Each situation and each child is different because God has a unique plan for each child's life. For us it's public school. And we really are loving it and seeing God's hand in it.
No comments:
Post a Comment