Well...we did it! Got both kids off to school this morning without any major meltdowns. Oh, I wasn't worried about the kids. I was more concerned about their mother!
Seriously - today was our oldest child's first day of middle school. She was excited...we were nervous. I remember the 1st day of school for both of our kids when they entered kindergarten. I remember being emotional. However, I handled things pretty good today. You see, I actually view this as a natural progression. I realize that my children will not be in elementary school forever. They should move on. If they don't there is something terribly wrong.
I tend to be more of an analytical person when it comes to these things. I rationalize the facts and figures and come to the proper conclusion. As I get older, so do my children. As my children get older they move up in the school system. The only problem with this scenario is that I have a hard time factoring in the government run school that they attend. Thus far we have been in agreement with their teachers handling of creation, etc. However, I understand that the older they get - the worse it gets. "God, is there any way that my child can have a Christian teacher every year?"
I can't factor in the government school system because...um, well...the government runs it. And from what I have seen over the years (with all of the standards of "learning") there has been a constant dumbing down of our children. I don't blame this on the teachers necessarily. Many of them are forced to teach certain things so that these children can pass a test. But the older I get and the more I learn about history, science, etc; I'm finding that there was much that I wasn't taught.
How many of our kids will understand that the Mayflower Compact states that the early settlers attempted to evangelize VA? How many of our kids will understand that the "Separation of Church and State" was established to keep government out of religion not religion out of government? How many of our kids will be encouraged to celebrate the good of America rather than being critical of our mistakes? How many of them will come to understand that the main issue of the civil war was not slavery (in the beginning) but state rights? The point I'm making is that our kids will either get a true education through government schools or they will get our current government's agenda. Does that scare you? I wonder how "Change we can believe in" is going to affect my child's classroom. If what is happening in Congress right now is any indication it's going to be a long 4 years!
The good news for my children is that I'm pro-active in their learning process. I'm sure there will come a time when one of them will say, "Geesh dad, I get it already!" But I'm going to keep on telling them the truth. Whenever my child walks in and spews out some liberal mantra you can be sure that I will let them know the difference.
Although I have chosen the route of government (public) schools instead of home-schooling, there isn't any reason that my children cannot have a Christian education. How is that? Simply put, it's because me and my wife are the main educators in their life. I will ensure that they have a God centered world view. They will understand that it is God who made us and not we ourselves. It wasn't some accident - we were created by God. Our kids will also understand the importance of God and the formation of this great country. They will hear of the speeches, the rhetoric, and the public exaltation of Providence that came from our founding fathers. They will hear it!
The Word of God teaches me (and all of us) that we are to raise up our children in the way that they should go. It's not the job of a government educator to teach my child. It's my job.
So parents, at the start of this new school year I want you to remember that YOU are the teacher that your child truly needs. They may not have gotten the teacher they wanted at school but when they get home they are in your classroom. So we must ensure that they get a proper education at home. It's time for us to stop thinking that it's the job of Sunday School to teach our children the Bible, government schools to teach our children the necessary things for life, and the church to raise our children in the fear and admonition of God. God gave us these children - they are our responsibility!
So may we let our light so shine before our children that they will always be able to see through the darkness. May they always be able to look to us for the answers. May we be the bearers of truth in their lives regardless of who their teacher is. And my they find in us the God of mercy and love.
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