This evening, and tomorrow, Sarita will be speaking at a homeschool convention in Ohio. I've had the opportunity to hear her encouraging messages before. Homeschooling--not to mention life--can be draining so it's nice to be reminded that the work we do is valuable. But as I walk convention halls, it's interesting to listen to what people say. Often, I agree with what they share. Homeschooling is an excellent educational option. Literature is a great way to learn. We should take advantage of the opportunity to prepare our kids to impact the world for Christ. And the like.
But there are some messages I reject. One example: "We should not tell our children about false gods because that can confuse them as to who the true God is." Disagree. There are all kinds of false gods, with such names as fame, fortune, and fashion, that we must identify as luring many away from producing Godly fruit. Equally important, we need to know what other people believe so we can communicate the Gospel to them in a culturally relevant way. I didn't personally know any Hindus until I went to India, but I've talked with many people from various cults and a few Wiccans in my daily life. Sticking my head in the sand would not help me share the love and grace of Christ with them.
As we listen to people--even (especially?) experts--we need to keep our ears open. Does that match Scripture? Is that true? Do I agree with that? Does that push me to follow Christ and share Him with others?
It can be hard to weigh all this when walking the convention hall or browsing the web. So, please, take time to prayerfully consider your options. Take a look at the educational philosophy and see if there is anything that would indicate that you should not buy that curriculum.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
P.S. If you can't make it to a convention to hear Sarita speak, you can watch an interview with her at the Mom Mastery Summit. I don't know who else is going to be at that online event, but I'm guessing I wouldn't agree with everything. And that's one of the beauties of homeschooling: We can discuss ideas with our children... both the ones we agree with and those we do not.
