Re: Re: Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 09/17/07 02:37:29 PM |
Age 37, VA |
A 10-year-old girl in our church just in the matter of the last couple of weeks won three of her friends to Christ. Likewise, I've had several youth who, as a result of their public-school friendships, have had several friends step foot in the church for the first time ever as a result of their friend's witness and invitation. Some of them have received Christ and some are still being prayed for. On the other side, there are Christian school children who are exposed to much of the same tripe in classes and/or by classmates that cannot defend it as a result of their Christian school education as well. And I know a few homeschool children who have no lost friends that they can identify (nor their parents of their own peers). I have known biblically illiterate and rebellious children and youth from all three education systems. There is no set standard that "every child would be better off (this way)."
On a similar note, not every public school system teaches the same that every other system does. Is religion being pushed out? Absolutely! Are schools becoming more liberal? Without a doubt! Should parents and adults push for change? Of course we should! Do I know what is going on in the local public school? Yes. Better than most. My wife is a teacher there. She and many other administrators and faculty encourage and even (gasp!) pray for and with each other. There is nothing the school can do to prevent children from witnessing to children or teachers from witnessing to teachers or parents from witnessing to parents. Is it a mission field? Yes. On several fronts.
I understand your viewpoint and I can appreciate your stance, but I assure you, as a God-called, doctrinally conservative, evangelistic, praying minister and father, that the decision to enroll my child in the public school for this year was not a decision taken lightly. Later on we may do something different, as God leads, but for now, we are confident in our decision.
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Re: Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 09/08/07 01:55:11 PM |
Age 48, VA |
I think it should be the adults working to help change the public school system, not subjecting our children, who are not yet ready, to their propaganda. How can we expect the children to be light in a needy world, when they are still feeding on milk themselves? Proverbs tells us to not keep company with fools, and that's exactly what is happening in our schools. Yes, there are some wonderful Christians within the system, but they will not be there every year for your child, and they are subject to the educational beurocracy themselves. There are many issues that their hands are tied on. But as believers, we have to work to make it better for all the children because these are the adults our kids will have to work with and try to evangelize once they are adults, no matter what educational system we choose. These schools are preparing the next generation. Heaven help us all.
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Re: Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 09/08/07 01:07:41 PM |
Age 47, MN |
Whoever said the public schools are a federally-funded mission field was dead-wrong if he meant that our children would be the missionaries. Our children are not mature enough to counter the ideas there, nor are they in a position to do so...there is an authority structure in place, and they aren't at the top of the heap! And let's be serious...how many nine or ten-year-olds do you know who can articulate their faith to the point of defending it in a hostile environment?! If you clicked over to the videos of the children being indoctrinated, take a look at the second one. They had the children break up in groups and discuss the issue of gay marriage. Do you hear ANY wisdom coming out of the hearts of these children? It is a classic example of God's exhortation that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child...and yet it is being used to mold and shape these children's worldview. Would you know any children who could have countered this...especially without warning?
Now if an adult wishes to go teach and consider it a mission field, that's another story, although I don't know how long a serious Christian could keep from getting fired in most school districts!
In the next few days, I intend to write an article at my HomeDisciplingDad blog (see my profile for the link) on the arguments I most frequently hear/read about why people don't homeschool (and the antithesis...why they DO send their children to Baal in the government schools). I am sure at least one of my conclusions will surprise you! So come on by and see what you think....
Charley
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Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 09/06/07 06:26:03 PM |
Age 37, VA |
I appreciate the article and the viewpoint of the author. Likewise I appreciate the previous respondents. I must state, however, that many of us who are parents spent years praying and discussing with each other and have come to the conclusion that the Lord's desire for our family was that our child attend the public school. Our daughter just started Kindergarten and the Lord has opened the door for her to attend a public school with solid conservative Christians from the principal and asst. principal to much of the faculty. It is not unusual before and after school to hear worship music washing down the halls from the cd's of several teachers. Someone (I can't recall who) of the conservative vein, like myself, said that we believers ought to consider the public school a federally-funded mission field. Our goal and desire is to train our child not just to take a stand for Christ on her campus, but also to one-by-one win souls for Christ. A challenge? Yes, but if we don't do it, who will?
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Re: Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 08/31/07 02:08:51 PM |
Age 42, VA |
Socialization never seemed to be a problem for our family. I don't even like the word... it's too close to socialism for my taste.
Our kids are sometimes shy, but they are not reclusive. Their interaction with others came mostly from church, sunday school, vbs, mission trips, community service etc. They have always been comfortable with small children all the way up to senior adults. Even though some of their friends families had different views on education, they were still able to build relationships.
They have had to learn responsibility in their christian walk. They have to make choices reflecting God's character in their lives. I cannot do that for them. I can just teach them God's way.
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Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 08/31/07 02:00:43 PM |
Age 42, VA |
I agree with the author. Why would be send our children, who are so precious to us, into a world that doesn't care about their eternal welfare? I want to do all that I can to be sure my kids are going to be in heaven when it's all over. We have no guarrantee.. God gives us directions on how to raise our kids, we just need to follow them and pray.
Like the author wrote; Deut.6, Ex. 6, Proverbs...
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Re: Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 08/30/07 09:40:13 PM |
Age 28, TX |
25 in WA,
I graduated homeschooling and my speech would have made you proud. I don't remember what I said, but I had LOTS of comments from those present afterwards!
I am homeschooling my girls. We go to a family integrated church, meaning the children stay with us during the service so we know exactly what is being taught. I don't think they are being isolated at all, and there is plenty of opportunity when they are older to learn of other ways 'in the world.' For right now, though, their place is with us. Will they be 'weird?' Maybe, but I'd rather be weird like my classmates in college who were also homeschooled then 'cool' like the OTHER kids.
Sarah in TX, mom to four girls
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Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 08/30/07 11:08:23 AM |
Age 25, WA |
Amen! I recently got to hear two graduating student's speeches at their reception, Christian graduates at that. I was appalled. "yeah, my mom and dad are great because they taught me about God and stuff, and now I am going to (insert secular state college name) to study (fashion/beauty/sports) and make good money. That was it. When my kids "graduate" homeschool I want them to have a testimony about what Christ has done in their lives, and how they are going to serve Him. Not how cool God is.
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Re: What Kind of Young Adult Do You Want at the End of Your Parenting Years?
| Posted On: 08/30/07 09:22:25 AM |
Age 61, MO |
Sixteen years ago, my wife and I had our eyes opened to what you call the "post modern" thinking in the public schools. We committed to home school our daughter from the beginning. Socialization was an issue that we were confronted with by family and friends. Our reply was that socialization with the wrong people would be detrimental to her welfare, and that we could find socialization elsewhere. We soon found that most of the church houses we visited purveyed that same post modernism. Those that didn't were confusing us with stretched doctrines such as Sabbath keeping, baptism, tithing, ad nauseum. No absolutes here either. Not much about the pre eminence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our need to have a personal relationship with HIM. Ergo, socialization was equally detrimental in these places, if not more so. Home school groups proved themselves to be quite worldly, and at best, pseudo religious. So, after 16 years, our daughter was becoming a social recluse. We decided to enroll her in our local public school. I decided it would be easier to monitor and deal with the post modern ideas than to deal with the conflicting hodgepodge of traditional theological doctrines; and certainly easier to deal with problems resulting from isolationism. George Cancilla
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