Teachable Moments
Homeschoolers
occasionally have a crisis or major life change
that takes time away from daily school work. Illness,
physical injury, sick relatives, or even
death in the family. Its possible that Mom is
in no emotional or physical state to teach for
a while. Don't fret, life is a schoolroom! Turn
tragedy into an opportunity.
The
first thing you must do is "Be thankful in
all things" Realize in any problems you are
facing that God does work things to the good (Rom
8:28). He is still in charge and will never forsake
us. When you receive peace about the situation
you have an excellent opportunity to teach your
children some wonderful lessons. The lessons you
teach during times like this will last a lifetime.
Children will react to stressful situations the
way they see their parents react. Do you fall
apart under stress or fall to your knees in prayer?
Try
and remember the following three goals to teach
in such situations:
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Character
Development
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Academic
Lesson
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Spiritual
Development
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If mom does break
her leg. Use this moment to teach character by
showing patience. Teach an academic lesson (when
you feel up to it) about the bones in our body
and how God heals. Most importantly teach spiritual
values by showing thankfulness in all situations-
even pain and believe the Lord can turn something
bad into good.
If Dad looses
his job, its time to learn economics. Teach character
and academic lessons. Spiritually the family can
rejoice and show a true trust in the Lord to provide
all your needs. A car accident and being unjustly
accused can teach our children its not what you
are responding to, but how you respond to it.
It all comes down
to seizing the teachable moment. The moment does
not have to be a crisis. It could be a life change
like having a new baby in the house. Life is God's
classroom. During my last pregnancy, my other
5 children accompanied me to the doctors visits
to hear the baby's heartbeat and view videos of
labor and birth. They were prepared to be in the
labor room and see their new little brother. We
prayed for this baby before conception and all
through the pregnancy. The girls helped me make
curtains, smock bonnets and decorate the baby's
room. My son put together the crib. I believe
we all had a character lesson in patience during
the long ninth moth awaiting the arrival. I did
miss a few weeks of "classroom" type
teaching but the children learned to bathe, dress
and care for a newborn. Something no school will
teach them. Even though I wasn't up to our regular
schedule we did read aloud together with everyone
gathered around mom in bed with the new baby.
So don't panic
when all your well planed out schedules get lost
in daily life. Learn to go with the flow, and
seize the teachable moment.
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