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Homeschool Hopes and Dreams

Are You Including Your Children in the Conversation?

Start the conversation with your children.
Homeschool Hopes and Dreams: Start the Conversation

Homeschool parents have hopes and dreams for their children. How did you come up with your hopes and dreams for your children? Do you listen to their hopes and dreams?

When they are babies and toddlers, it’s not possible to get much input. You have to observe their actions and behavior. For example, it’s my guess that when Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, and Ferdinand Magellan were toddlers their mothers had a hard time keeping up with them. Did they keep running off because they liked exploring new things? Did their mothers think about teaching them map skills or survival skills?

Are You Listening?

Older children, on the other hand, can communicate their likes and dislikes. Are you listening and observing? There’s the child who gravitates towards anything musical or the little techie who somehow knows how to fix your computer or to work your cell phone.

My father’s sister laughed when she told me their dining table was always full of my dad’s projects when they were growing up. My grandmother found old appliances and gadgets for him to take apart. That’s how he learned to fix just about any machine. (I grew up thinking every dad knew how to fix anything mechanical–a hard act to follow for my potential suitors.)

The next logical step was inventing things–like the wooden gun that shot multiple rubber bands because the ones they had shot one at a time. Are you surprised that he grew up to become an engineer and “invent” things at work? My grandmother risked a messy parts-strewn dining table to allow my father to develop his talent and pursue his dreams.

Homeschool Hopes and Dreams Conversation Starters

  • Observe: Identify hidden or growing talents.
  • Observe: What do they do in their spare time?
  • Observe: What homeschool subjects do they prefer?
  • Ask: If you had any choice, what would you do for the rest of your life?
  • Ask: What do you do that makes you the happiest?
  • Ask: What’s your favorite subject?

Doing the dishes isn’t likely to be a first choice, but my friend’s mother loved doing the dishes after our church fellowships. It may not have been the most glamorous job, but it gave her joy.

It’s never too late to start the conversation. Listen and revise your hopes and dreams for each beautifully unique child in your care.

I’d love to hear how your conversation is coming along?

Have a wonderful homeschool day.

Harriet

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