Like you just don't fit in with the crowd?
When we hear comments that challenge or ridicule our home education efforts, we can feel especially different. It can make us question if this is really a good idea. Then we start comparing. That's our downfall.
Remember that comparing what we are doing with what someone else is doing, or what the school is doing is a fatal exercise. Invariably we are comparing the externally visible strengths of someone else to our own weaknesses. We can't help but come up short.
This played out for me in an experience some years ago. One day each week we met with another family and did "team teaching", their mom taught all the kids certain subjects and I taught all the kids other subjects. The first day was nearly a disaster.
She started with English, asking the children to name the 8 parts of speech. Her kids named them off easily, quickly. My kids looked confused and said, "What?"
Then came geography... Down to her 5 yr old could list off the major oceans and seas. My kids said, "Um, what?" (I was having cold sweats in the corner.)
The capper was when asked, down to their 5 yr old could name the Roman emperors, in order!
Feeling completely defeated, I was ready to crawl under a rock, send my kids to school where they'd actually learn something! I nearly packed up the kids and left, but my brain was so addled I just couldn't come up with a quick excuse to go.
Then it was my turn to teach Biology, a favorite subject for me. We went over the differences between bacteria and viruses. To my utter shock... the tables were turned. Down to my 3 yr old knew the differences and could explain them, up to her older teen didn't know for sure.
That gave me much to think about. Not to say one area of knowledge is more important than another, we all prioritize according to what we think is more important. But more that if I had actually managed an excuse and left, I would never have known that I was comparing her strengths to my own weaknesses (or just areas that we hadn't covered yet). If I had left, I would have stayed defeated.
As hard as it is, don't compare. Instead, enjoy being unique!
Amen! Great post Cathy and I totall agree. I frequently have to remind my self of this Bible verse: 2 Corinthians 10:12 --Young's Literal Translation
ReplyDelete... but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,
May we be wise enough to be ourselves and not try to be anyone else. And something I try to remind parents, "No one knows everything-so there is no way we can teach our kids everything. If we can teach them to love to learn, we have done our job." Thanks for the reminder, Cathy.