Finally, a little bit of time....

The PD I was at the last two days was jam packed full of information. So much so that I have an aversion for sitting too long (6 hours a day of sitting is a LONG time!) and I need to empty my brain and sort out my thoughts. Our Head of Primary wants us (Mr Busy's teacher and I) to prepare something to share with the rest of the staff. Trouble is, it took us two days to get through all this....how much do you pass on and what do you leave out? LOL.

Anyway. Enough of that for a moment!

In my last post I mentioned a couple of posts that had me thinking hard, or had touched me. Let me start with the thinking hard one.

I followed a link, as you do, from someone else's blog to another and came across So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter. I rarely click my way around the net anymore, but the blog post title piqued my curiousity. 'The Public School Apologist' title had me wondering...how does a Christian advocate for public schooling? Not 'how could they do that'....but 'how does one go about presenting arguments that make sense'? Well, Suzannah makes a number of very good points about being the light in a dark world and education not being a one-size-fits-all proposition. Do Christian families use a Christian school as a cop-out for educating their children about faith?

My 2c on the subject? I'm pretty sure my own school experience has a lot to do with my opinion. I went from a 30-student missionary kid school to an 800-student public school when I was in Year 10. That was such an overwhelming and traumatic thing. If I had my time over I'd have continued doing distance ed. at home. But I was a kid and didn't know there could be other options, even if I'd told my parents I hated school. Because of my own experience, I was never going to send my kids to a public high school.

However, I'm also into my 9th year as a parent with children at school and I would do things differently if I had my time over! We began our children in local public primary schools and had good experiences in both the schools we had our girls enrolled in. Looking back, I think I was pretty naive. We didn't really even check the schools out!!! They were just the closest thing and the decision seemed obvious and predetermined. We didn't even discuss the possibility of an alternative! Now, with hindsight on my side, my advice to young parents would be to pray. Pray hard about what God wants for your child/ren. Let Him guide you and then follow the path that is set before you, whatever that may be.

The fact is, we should not take all the Christians out of public schools. Public schools need to have God's light of salvation shone in those dark places. I can't imagine that He wouldn't choose families to follow that option. Some children need to be homeschooled. And some need to be educated in a Christian school.

I wish I'd thought to pray about what God wanted for my children. As it happened, He picked them up and put them in the Christian school they're in now....and I am ever so grateful that God made that decision for us. My kids are in the very best place, for them. And as it turns out, the journey has been about me too. If not for our school, I would possibly have remained a stalwart SAHM with no intention of exploring the idea that maybe God would have me venture down another path as well as being a mother.

Christians should never presume or assume that one style of education is the only one a 'good Christian' should consider. I love our school. If I had my way, everyone I know would have their kids there. But the truth is, that is not going to be God's plan, is it? Thankfully God knows where He wants each of our children to be!

The other post I came across the other day touched me deeply. It probably won't mean a thing anyone else, because Kate at Our Red House posted here about a little stitchery I sent her a couple of years ago and what it has meant to her. I must confess to shedding another teardrop or two as I read her post.

And that really must do for now. I've still a million and one things to sort through from the last two days. So much I think we should do and so much that needs to be passed on..... I'm off to sort through and unload my brain. Let's home there's something left at the end!