There I was, two years after my youngest had graduated from high school, walking through the annual NCHE book fair. This was the third NCHE conference that I\u2019d attended with no one to buy for and nowhere to apply my new knowledge from all the wonderful workshops. What torture!<\/p>\n
Walking through the book fair, wishing that this and that had been available years ago, I painfully remembered all the materials that I had sold at used book fairs\u2014unused. Most of them, I didn\u2019t consciously choose not to use, we just never got around to them.<\/p>\n
This past spring, at her college awards ceremony, my daughter received the award for best public speaker. When she called to tell me about the award, I remembered an incident she had recounted to me a year earlier, the first time her speech teacher heard her deliver a speech. \u201cYou obviously have spoken in public before,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was homeschooled,\u201d my daughter replied. \u201cMy mother made me do\u00a0everything<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Thinking that my daughter was communicating to her teacher how pleased she was that her mother had ensured she received such a well-rounded education, my peacock feathers began to unfold. \u201cI take that as a compliment,\u201d I told her.<\/p>\n \u201cForestry, Mom? Why did we do\u00a0forestry<\/em>?\u201d My feathers were now unfolded, and I became conscious of the fact that I was only a monochrome peahen.<\/p>\n This is the same child who, when a co-worker realized she had been homeschooled, was drilled on every imaginable subject. She impressed him with her knowledge until he asked her to name the three branches of government. Her response was, \u201cWill you give me multiple-choice?\u201d I began to feel less like a peahen and more like a dodo. How can someone who can pace to determine accurately that she is sixty-six feet from a tree, hold a Biltmore Stick at arm\u2019s length and calculate the number of board feet of that tree not know the three branches of government?<\/p>\n Gaps? Oh yes, we have gaps. Huge ones.<\/p>\n Occasionally someone will ask what I wish I had done differently during my homeschooling years and what I\u2019m glad I did. Incidents like the above make me seriously reflect on that question, and careful reflection has caused me to believe that I have misunderstood the question! I\u2019ve been adding words to the question that aren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n I thought the question was actually, \u201cWhat different choices would you make concerning curriculum and activities?\u201d If that is the question, then I have to carefully consider the truth that every choice to do something is a choice not to do something else. I can\u2019t think of anything that we did that I would leave out (except maybe forestry).<\/p>\n I also have to consider the truth that our kids did great in college because there weren\u2019t important gaps (considering the three branches aspect, I\u2019m probably losing credibility with you right now), and they were able to fill in any gaps that needed to be filled (she now knows the three branches). Therefore, I still can\u2019t think of anything that I would change.<\/p>\n When pondering our homeschool experience I am continually amazed at what God has done with my children in spite of me. I\u2019m amazed at the \u201cwrong\u201d decisions that I have made concerning curriculum and activities that God has caused to work together for good. I\u2019m amazed at His sovereignty in the \u201chappenstances\u201d of their childhood and adolescent days that I had never considered, much less planned, that have been integral parts of the development of their characters and their callings. Obviously, God had something bigger planned than I could see. So, if I was originally correct and the question is actually, \u201cWhat different choices would you make concerning curriculum and activities?\u201d I\u2019d have to answer, \u201cProbably none.\u201d<\/p>\n If, however, I can take the question \u201cWhat would you do differently?\u201d at face value, then my answer would be, \u201cI\u2019d examine my motives for each choice more carefully.\u201d I would ask myself, \u201cAm I doing this out of selfish ambition or foolish pride?\u201d That can translate into \u201cAm I doing this because\u00a0everyone<\/em>\u00a0assumes that this is something\u00a0everyone<\/em>\u00a0needs? Am I doing this to be like all those \u201cperfect homeschoolers\u201d that I hear about each year at conference? Am I doing this because I don\u2019t want to disappoint so-and-so? Am I doing this based on what my friends will think of me?\u201d<\/p>\n I would also frequently ask myself the same question to evaluate continuing in an activity or program. I have learned that most of the time, it is harder to make the decision to stop something than to decide to start it.<\/p>\n If I had asked myself all of these questions when making decisions, maybe I would have made the exact same decisions, but my stress level would have decreased and my relationship with the Lord would have increased. Just think what a difference that would have made in my kids\u2019 lives! Still, I\u2019m convinced that God was right there directing my every decision for His glory and the good of my children despite my lack of introspection. I\u2019m just waiting to see how He\u2019ll use the Biltmore Stick.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Cindy Townsend wrote this article in 2004, a couple of years after her youngest graduated from homeschool. <\/em>She and her husband, Jeff, are former NCHE board members who homeschooled their two children through high school. The kids are now grown, happily married and well adjusted, having been providentially protected from her ignorance, misjudgments and regretted selfishness.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_sidebar area=”et_pb_widget_area_18″ admin_label=”GREENHOUSE Sidebar” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ global_module=”19006″]<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 13 de mayo de 2015 All\u00ed estaba yo, dos a\u00f1os despu\u00e9s de que mi hijo menor se graduara de la escuela secundaria, caminando por la feria anual del libro NCHE. Esta fue la tercera conferencia de NCHE a la que asist\u00ed sin nadie a quien comprarle y sin ning\u00fan lugar donde aplicar mis nuevos conocimientos de todos los maravillosos talleres. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 tortura! Caminando por la feria del libro, deseando que esto y aquello hubiera estado disponible hace a\u00f1os, record\u00e9 con dolor todos los materiales que hab\u00eda vendido en ferias de libros usados, sin usar. La mayor\u00eda de ellos, no eleg\u00ed conscientemente no usarlos, simplemente nunca llegamos a utilizarlos. La primavera pasada, en la ceremonia de entrega de premios de su universidad, mi hija recibi\u00f3 el premio al mejor orador p\u00fablico. Cuando me llam\u00f3 para contarme sobre el premio, record\u00e9 un incidente que me hab\u00eda contado un a\u00f1o antes, la primera vez que su profesora de oratoria la escuch\u00f3 pronunciar un discurso. "Obviamente usted ha hablado en p\u00fablico antes", dijo. \u201cFui educada en casa\u201d, respondi\u00f3 mi hija. \u201cMi madre me obligaba a hacer de todo\u201d. Al pensar que mi hija le estaba comunicando a su maestra lo contenta que estaba de que su madre se hubiera asegurado de que recibiera una educaci\u00f3n tan completa, mis plumas de pavo real comenzaron a desplegarse. "Lo tomo como un cumplido", le dije. \u201c\u00bfSilvicultura, mam\u00e1? \u00bfPor qu\u00e9 nos dedicamos a la silvicultura? Mis plumas estaban ahora desplegadas y tom\u00e9 conciencia del hecho de que no era m\u00e1s que una pava monocrom\u00e1tica. Este es el mismo ni\u00f1o que, cuando un compa\u00f1ero de trabajo se dio cuenta de que hab\u00eda sido educado en casa, le instruyeron sobre todos los temas imaginables. Ella lo impresion\u00f3 con sus conocimientos hasta que \u00e9l le pidi\u00f3 que nombrara las tres ramas del gobierno. Su respuesta fue: "\u00bfMe dar\u00e1s opciones m\u00faltiples?" Empec\u00e9 a sentirme menos como una pava y m\u00e1s como un dodo. \u00bfC\u00f3mo puede alguien que puede caminar para determinar con precisi\u00f3n que est\u00e1 a sesenta y seis pies de un \u00e1rbol, sostener un palo Biltmore con el brazo extendido y calcular el n\u00famero de pies tablares de ese \u00e1rbol, no conocer las tres ramas del gobierno? \u00bfBrechas? Oh, s\u00ed, tenemos lagunas. Enormes. De vez en cuando alguien me preguntar\u00e1 qu\u00e9 me hubiera gustado haber hecho diferente durante mis a\u00f1os de educaci\u00f3n en el hogar y qu\u00e9 me alegro de haber hecho. Incidentes como el anterior me hacen reflexionar seriamente sobre esa pregunta, \u00a1y una reflexi\u00f3n cuidadosa me ha hecho creer que he entendido mal la pregunta! He estado agregando palabras a la pregunta que no est\u00e1n ah\u00ed. Pens\u00e9 que la pregunta en realidad era: "\u00bfQu\u00e9 opciones diferentes har\u00eda usted con respecto al plan de estudios y las actividades?" Si esa es la pregunta, entonces tengo que considerar cuidadosamente la verdad de que cada elecci\u00f3n de hacer algo es una elecci\u00f3n de no hacer otra cosa. No se me ocurre nada de lo que hicimos que dejar\u00eda de lado (excepto tal vez la silvicultura). Tambi\u00e9n tengo que considerar la verdad que a nuestros hijos les fue muy bien en la universidad porque no hab\u00eda brechas importantes (teniendo en cuenta el aspecto de las tres ramas, probablemente estoy perdiendo credibilidad ante ustedes en este momento), y fueron capaces de llenar cualquier brecha que necesitaba ser llenado (ahora conoce las tres ramas). Por lo tanto, todav\u00eda no se me ocurre nada que cambiar\u00eda. Al reflexionar sobre nuestra experiencia de educaci\u00f3n en el hogar, continuamente me asombro de lo que Dios ha hecho con mis hijos a pesar de m\u00ed. Estoy sorprendido por las decisiones \u201cequivocadas\u201d que he tomado con respecto al plan de estudios y las actividades que Dios ha hecho que trabajen juntas para bien. Me asombra Su soberan\u00eda en los \u201cacontecimientos\u201d de su ni\u00f1ez y adolescencia que nunca hab\u00eda considerado, y mucho menos planeado, que han sido parte integral del desarrollo de sus personajes y sus llamados. Obviamente, Dios ten\u00eda planeado algo m\u00e1s grande de lo que pod\u00eda ver. Entonces, si originalmente estaba en lo correcto y la pregunta en realidad es: "\u00bfQu\u00e9 opciones diferentes har\u00eda usted con respecto al plan de estudios y las actividades?" Tendr\u00eda que responder: "Probablemente ninguna". Sin embargo, si puedo responder a la pregunta "\u00bfQu\u00e9 har\u00edas diferente?" Al pie de la letra, entonces mi respuesta ser\u00eda: "Examinar\u00eda m\u00e1s cuidadosamente mis motivos para cada elecci\u00f3n". Me preguntaba: "\u00bfEstoy haciendo esto por ambici\u00f3n ego\u00edsta o por orgullo tonto?" Eso puede traducirse en \u201c\u00bfEstoy haciendo esto porque todos asumen que es algo que todos necesitan? \u00bfEstoy haciendo esto para ser como todos esos \u201cperfectos educadores en el hogar\u201d de los que escucho cada a\u00f1o en la conferencia? \u00bfEstoy haciendo esto porque no quiero decepcionar a fulano de tal? \u00bfEstoy haciendo esto bas\u00e1ndome en lo que mis amigos pensar\u00e1n de m\u00ed? Tambi\u00e9n me har\u00eda frecuentemente la misma pregunta para evaluar continuar en una actividad o programa. He aprendido que la mayor\u00eda de las veces es m\u00e1s dif\u00edcil tomar la decisi\u00f3n de detener algo que decidir iniciarlo. Si me hubiera hecho todas estas preguntas al tomar decisiones, tal vez habr\u00eda tomado exactamente las mismas decisiones, pero mi nivel de estr\u00e9s habr\u00eda disminuido y mi relaci\u00f3n con el Se\u00f1or habr\u00eda aumentado. \u00a1Piense en la diferencia que eso habr\u00eda marcado en la vida de mis hijos! A\u00fan as\u00ed, estoy convencido de que Dios estaba ah\u00ed dirigiendo cada una de mis decisiones para Su gloria y el bien de mis hijos a pesar de mi falta de introspecci\u00f3n. S\u00f3lo estoy esperando ver c\u00f3mo usar\u00e1 el Biltmore Stick. Cindy Townsend escribi\u00f3 este art\u00edculo en 2004, un par de a\u00f1os despu\u00e9s de que su hijo menor se graduara de la educaci\u00f3n en casa. Ella y su esposo, Jeff, son ex miembros de la junta directiva de NCHE y educaron en casa a sus dos hijos hasta la escuela secundaria. Los ni\u00f1os ya son mayores, est\u00e1n felizmente casados y bien adaptados, y han sido providencialmente protegidos de su ignorancia, sus errores de juicio y su lamentable ego\u00edsmo.\u00a0 <\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":18714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_crdt_document":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[178,14],"tags":[30,192],"class_list":["post-18710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-graduate-2015","category-greenhouse","tag-graduation","tag-empty-nest"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nche.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/image-for-cindys-article-1000.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgvs5H-4RM","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18710"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20720,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18710\/revisions\/20720"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nche.com\/es_pr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nche.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cindy-townsend-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n