On being over-protective

I keep ending up in this same conversation with several of my friends when the topic inevitably rolls around to my homeschooling my kids. "Well, don't you think you're being over-protective. They need to be exposed to other kids, their different language, values, beliefs, etc. You must not believe that you've actually INSTILLED those values you talk so much about, if you're not even willing to let them PROVE to you that they can stick to them." Okay, that's not the direct conversation, but a large portion of it is true, and the rest is exactly what she was thinking. I know, I'm a professional mind reader- just ask my kids.

I've been thinking a lot about it, and this is the best scenario that I've come up with. I'm still working on it, so maybe it won't pan out as well written, as it sounded in my head:

When we're pregnant, we have this wonderful life growing inside of us. We do everything we can to protect that life: eat right, excercise, avoid harmful substances- ANYTHING we can do to ensure that this little being knows that we are doing our very best to give him/her the best life they deserve. While some people may get tired of being pregnant around month 6 or 7 they stick with it. Why? Well, mostly because it's not an option, but let me give you a "what if". What if it was an option? We know that there is this wonderful modern world of medicine that gives this baby upward of 80-90% chance of turning out just fine. We've done our part, put our time in, and when things looked like they could hold their own well enough, we quit hoping that all we did was good enough for a good outcome. Do we do that? Not if we're in our right mind we don't!

That's kind of how I feel about the whole "over-protective" subject. Yes, I could have let my kids continue to go to public school and be exposed to the things that are being forced into their faces, jammed into their ears, and imprinted on their minds. Hey! I would LOVE to have the daytime all to myself! But, I want to give them EVERY MOMENT I CAN to surround them with the love, values, beliefs, virtues and all things Godly that I can. Every day, every hour that baby is in the womb helps it grow a little bit stronger. Is there a time when you can't keep them like that any longer? Absolutely, just like birth. And when that time comes, I will know that I did everything possible within my being to arm them with a sense of who they are and what they stand for. There is a reason these kids were saved for the last days. They are being raised to become kings and queens and to fight with all their might. I doubt there has ever been a king who thought they were taught too much about how to prepare for battle and lead a nation. I venture to say there were many who wish their Mother's had taught them even one day more.

:::Off my soapbox now:::

Disclaimer: Do I believe everyone should homeschool? Not even a little bit. It's right for our family, though. Don't question my intentions or you'll see Mother Bear.