Modern Homeschool Today

I'll be honest. Screens including the TV, computer and gadgets have often been my babysitter and sanity saver. I could defend why I use them until the cow's come home but the truth is, at times, I'm just lazy. I've become dependent on screens to give me a break, provide distraction for the kids and keep them engaged while I complete important (or not so important) tasks. The problem? I've become increasingly uncomfortable with what my kids watch on TV and the addictive nature of gadgets like ipads. I've learnt to recognise that when I begin to feel uncomfortable or uneasy about something it is often the still, small voice of God trying to get my attention. So when I heard about the screen free week challenge it seemed the answer I was looking for. It would offer us a chance to disconnect from technology and give us time to re-connect with each other. I felt it would also be an opportunity to re-assess our use of screens and to seek God for help in what c...

Part of the reason we chose to homeschool after spending time in a local state school was because we wanted to teach our kids Christian values. We had the opportunity to experience education and socialisation in a secular environment which helped us realise how important it is that not only our home life be centered about the person of Jesus but also our children's education. I have mentioned numerous times about homeschooling being a socially unpopular choice. It is also a counter-cultural choice. But what many people don't realise is that we often face opposition from other Christians and Christian leaders. Homeschoolers really are going against the flow! Even in church communities we are taught that it's best to go with the flow - just follow the majority and we should be right. The problem? We end up using imperfect people to guide our decisions rather than look to the word of God. We stop following God and start following church culture and church leaders inste...