A Poem of Love
For the Homeschooling Mother
If I have the ability to master the German, Latin and English Languages; as a matter of fact, if I could master every language, but don’t really love my children, I am only a bellowing woman creating an irritating noise.
If I have a gifted intellect and can fathom the depths of psychology and understand the mysteries of chemistry, and if I have such a powerful faith that I can cause school board officials and legislators to accept and admire home education, but don’t express tender love to my children, I am useless.
If I give all my time encouraging other mothers, and I am willing to go to jail for my convictions but I haven’t shown my children unconditional love, I am wasting my time.
Love is patient with slow readers. Love is kind when efforts end in failure. It does not envy a brighter neighbor child, it does not boast of superior methods, it is not proud of self-sacrifice. It is not rude to public school teachers, it does not seek recognition, it is not easily angered when non-home-schooling friends ignore our efforts, it holds no grudges against unfriendly newspaper reporters. Love does not delight when the public school system produces illiterate students, but rejoices when godliness is victorious.
Love never fails. But where there are formulas to calculate future events, they will come to an end. Languages, and the study of them, will disappear. Where there is knowledge … science projects, history reports, math lessons … they will all pass away.
Just as we were once children, our children are young and immature. They speak like children, think like children, act like children. Some day they will mature into adulthood, and all this will be behind us.
Yet, what is the greatest thing we can do for our children?
Love them. Hug them. Hold them. Discipline them. Teach them. The greatest of these is love.
Pam Radjeski (edited version)