I pretty much knew when we started having kids that I would want them to go to a private Christian school. The political correctness and walking on egg shells as not to offend anyone of public schools bothers me. Also, I wanted to send my kids to a school that put character above academics and where they would learn about living a Godly life. A school that was teaching my kids the same thing that I am instilling in them at home. Please note that I don't look down on anyone that chooses public school for their kids. I also don't look down on those that home school, in fact, I say God bless you on that endeavor. This is just my story (and opinion) and I know that we all have a different one to share.
We found a wonderful private school in our old town that I just loved. Josh attended preschool and kindergarten there and Hannah just preschool, before we moved. Shad and I were both impressed with the character building, bible teaching and academic education they were receiving. So when we were preparing to move here, my first goal was to find a new private school. I found two that I liked, but only one had a kindergarten and first grade opening. Naturally I thought "this must be where God wants them to go".
While we toured the school I noticed a few, very tiny, things that I just thought were OK. But, I knew this was the school for my kids, so I pushed them aside. We were meeting with out "landlords" (Rick and Gina) that same day. Gina worked at the school in our district, so she really wanted to take us on a tour and introduce us the the staff there. We really only went along to be nice (sorry, Gina, if you are reading this). While we were walking through the halls and meeting the principal and some of the teachers, I realized I liked the place. But I knew I wasn't going to send Josh and Hannah to public school, so I pushed it aside. Side note: Josh decided right away that he wanted to go the public school because they had the best play ground and he wouldn't have to go to chapel and sing.
Shortly after our tour, I registered the kids at the private school.
A month, or so, later I was reading my Bible. It fell open to the very beginning of the book of Jonah. The story starts with God telling Jonah to go to Ninevah, but Jonah doesn't want to go there, so he disobeys and goes in the opposite direction. He ends up in the middle of a great storm and he tells the men on the boat to throw him over board. The storm stops and then Jonah gets swallowed by a giant fish. I'm sure you know the story. Anyway, I felt like God was trying to tell me that I was doing something different than what He was telling me to do. So I asked Him to tell me what. School. That was all He had to say. I knew it all along, I just didn't want to admit it. God was telling me it was going to be OK if I sent the kids to public school. Ugh.
That night I brought it up to Shad. I told him that I would be OK if we sent the kids to public school. I thought he would be happy because he was kind of on the fence and watching that tuition check clear once a year was painful to him. What he said was, "Where in the heck is this coming from?" So I explained and he was still a little dumbfounded. But he also agreed that the kids would be OK at public school and he reminded me that he has told me that before. I was so apprehensive, but we decided that we would do it.
And we have done it. So far I haven't had many complaints except that Hannah is in a class of 28, where Josh's kindergarten class at the school back home was 8. They both have wonderful teachers and seem to be doing well at making new friends. Josh does have a new found love for the Power Rangers, but that could have happened at any school.
I'm still nervous. I guess I am mostly afraid that they will get lost in the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" mentality in such big classes, but, also, that they will slip away into the mainstream. I don't want them to get caught up in political correctness and saving the environment. Also, I am afraid that I will not be enough to teach them about God and having a relationship with Him. It was like a crutch for me to have them learning about a life with God and Godly character at school too. I know what I have to do. Pray. A lot. Learn scripture. Rely on God to guide Shad and I as we parent our kids. Am I good enough for this? No, I'm not. God give me wisdom and courage to teach my kids to be different and to stand by their beliefs. I don't just want them to be OK in public school, I want them to thrive.
1 comment:
Becky--I applaud your public decision. I went to public school k-12th and I give it so much credit for giving me the opportunity to decide my faith was my own, not just something I had because of my parents. And while there is the fear of your children going too mainstream, I have also seen so many private school kids rebel from their faith, or be lost when they reached the "real world" outside of college that they doubted what was taught for so many years was real. You and Shad are great parents, and God has perfectly equipped you to parent your kids. It's good to have a healthy/fear respect for the responsibility you have before you.
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