Chapter 8: Leadership

“We carefully cultivate our children’s potential for a reason. When they leave our homes, we want them to be equipped to make a difference in this world.” pg. 175

It really all boils down to this: Love God. Love your neighbor. We want our children to be well equipped to do these things when they leave home.

I love the way that Zan takes us through the qualities and practices of Daniel. I highly recommend that you go back over that section in this chapter. How do your children and your parenting compare? What’s missing? What are you doing well. What do you need to focus on to raise “Daniels” in your home?

Jump into the discussion in the comments and/or link up a post of your own on chapter 8.

Chapter 7: Academics

“‘Homeschoolers are reinventing both American teaching and American learning,’ he says, ‘and the children excel. By grade eight, these children are, on average, almost four years ahead of their public and private school counterparts.’” pg. 152

“Homeschooling redeems a lot of time that would be lost in your child’s day if he were in school. The efficiency of homeschooling is a great benefit for your children. They can finish their schoolwork more quickly, they are not saddle with hours of homework, and therefore they have the time to devote to service at church or in the community and to pursue particular interests and passions in life without disappearing from the landscape of family life.” pg 158

Everything that we’ve talked about thus far in our study has built a solid foundation to make it possible to step into stimulating academics. Academics is not our first priority, but it comes naturally when you know your kids.

Homeschooling gives your kids the opportunity to discover their strengths and interests far earlier than the average student. This is one of my favorite things about homeschooling. I want my boys to find their God given gifts and have the time to pursue those things.

How are you providing stimulating academics your kids and helping them find their stengths? Jump into the discussion in the comments and/or link up a post of your own on chapter 7.

Chapter 6: Discipleship

“This is the heart of discipleship – helping our children reach the point in their lives where they are concerned first and foremost with what their heavenly Father thinks, and as a result are trying to please Him in all that they think, say, and do.” pg. 126-127

I love how Zan points out the Greek word for discipleship: one who engages in learning through instruction from another. Discipleship is really living together with our kids and constantly engaging them in truth. Discipleship doesn’t have to be this strange, complicated, mystical thing. It’s just intentionally living life with our kids and pointing them to God.

How are you discipling your kids? Jump into the discussion in the comments and/or link up a post of your own on chapter 6.

Chapter 5: Worldview

“Worldview gives both focus and direction to our children’s lives.” pg. 104

Zan talks about three obstacles in this chapter that keep us from developing a Biblical worldview:

1. The separation of sacred and secular
2. The separation of church and society
3. The separation of Christianity and the mind

These things need not be separated! We need to show our kids how to integrate their faith into all areas of their lives.

Apologia has an amazing resources that Zan references in this chapter: The What We Believe Series. We’ve been slowly working our way through Who is God? which is the first volume. There’s an illustration near the beginning of this book that likens worldview to glasses – if your glasses are not clear and in focus, your view of the world will be skewed. We need to teach our kids how to find and use the proper glasses at an early age!

How are you helping your kids integrate their faith into their lives? Jump into the discussion in the comments and/or link up a post of your own on chapter 5.

Chapter 4: Purpose

“In a sense, our children are like those maps: We must fold them the way they’re bent.” pg. 68

I love the visual that Zan shares in this chapter about trying to fold a map. Josh gets so frustrated with me when I just go folding away on a map with out folding it back the way it should be. In the same way, our kids need to be folded a certain way – and I’ve gone folding away at them without paying attention to their bent plenty of times too!

This is a great reminder:

“We must be willing to love and affirm our children as God created them, not as we wish He had created them.” pg. 79

Wow. Are you willing to love your kids not matter who they are or chose to do? Jump into the discussion in the comments and/or link up a post of your own on chapter 4.