Encouragement

I have great friend, Jean, who lives and Home Educates in Houston. For a while she lived here in the UK and I was blessed to spend time with her and her wonderful children. I miss her encouragement, wisdom and gentle, child-centered perspective. One motto, which she taught me, is frequently whispered in my mind when I have locked horns with one of my children:
Honour who they are.

Recently we were exhanging e-mails and what she said to me encouraged and uplifted me. I want to share it with any other Home Educating mums out there who sometimes wonder: am I achieving anything?

I have a friend who’s 12 yo son is giving her problems with surrepticiously
acquiring inappropriate video games and just spends way too much time
video gaming in general. The mother is asking friends for advice and I
can’t help but feel that the time and energy you are investing now is
inoculating you against that sort of problem in years to come. You are
investing in great personal and positive relationships with your children,
exposing them to all the interesting things life has to offer, and allowing them
to develop rich imaginations and passions that will fill them for life and leave
less room for empty pastimes. It may not always feel like it, but
take it from someone who is beginning to see my children’s peer group and the
potential problems that are out there: you are already avoiding future problems
by just doing what you do every day.

Thanks, Jean, I needed to hear that!