August has slipped away and September’s arrival had us all turning to pumpkin spice, bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils, and of course, back to school. Now it’s October and we have settled in, the second-guessing has started, and we wonder if we have made the right choices. The mommy wars are real and no battle is fiercer than the school battle.
As someone who straddles the line, one foot homeschooling and one foot brick and mortar schooling, I feel strongly able to fake my authority on this matter. And here it is: you’re doing just fine.
We are called, as parents, the be our children’s primary educators. First and foremost, it is in the home that the children learn. Whether it’s around the dinner table, in the car on the way to practice, or while going over the next history lesson, YOU are the one from whom they first learn.
You taught him to walk, you taught her to ride a bike, you potty trained and showed them how to tie their shoes. As they grow, you teach them their faith and to love and follow the Church.
We all have strengths and we all have weaknesses. Our talent are a gift from God, which we entrusted to use wisely and in the best interest of our families. Maybe you’re really fantastic at baking 25 gorgeous cupcakes, organizing the PTO, and leading story time at the school library. Or maybe the idea of those things makes you break out in hives. You’d a million times over rather be listening to a poetry recitation and shouting out math facts, all the while switching the next load of laundry.
The love of either scenario point to your talents, but the dislike of either is in no way a sign of your failure. And I’m just going to put this out there – choosing one over the other also doesn’t make you better.
We are all different. Our kids are all different. Even the kids from the same family are all different. We all have distinct and varying needs, which can and will be met in a variety of ways. But what happens in our homes, whenever that may be, that makes the biggest difference.
You are the single most important factor in your child’s education. The parents faith, life, and actions are where the children learn and internalize the most. If you’re doing your very best in that regard, then rest easy in your schooling choices. These mommy wars need a cease and desist.
