Not all homeschooling families are religious, but many are, and have chosen to incorporate their values into their homeschool curriculums. This is true of me and my family. We are Latter-day Saints, and we choose to make our religion an integral part of our lives. This overflows into everything from our interactions with each other to the way we approach certain subjects—creationism rather than evolution, for instance.
The other night, I had an experience that made me sit back and look at my daughter in a new light. She has been taught from infancy what we believe, and I know there many come a time when she decides to believe differently. Our love for her, and for any of our children, will not vary, no matter what religious choices they make. But as I watched her do something that clearly demonstrated her belief in how to be a good person and to be respectful, responsible, and upright, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pride. Not only does she remember the things she’s been taught, she is choosing to live that way, and that gives me an added measure of comfort in knowing I don’t have to worry about her in certain areas of her life.
I think it’s true of all families, regardless of our religious inclination. We want to see our children grow up to be respectful, hard-working, and diligent—these are attributes that are needed and valuable in every sphere. For me, there is the added layer that my daughter believes the same things I do and has chosen a life that adheres to the moral standards we have taught her. This is something we have the freedom to do in a homeschool setting—we can teach morals, rather than leaving it at good work ethics. We can bring God into our conversations. We can discuss how we feel He wants us to live our lives. We don’t have to put the kibosh on religious discussions.
I’m so glad that as homeschoolers, we have this freedom. I want my children’s education to come with a religious lens. I’m not saying they will only be taught what I think is appropriate—their education will be well-rounded and they will be taught about the world around them in all its aspects—but I love being able to incorporate religion in there as well. I feel that’s how my family should be taught, and I appreciate having the freedom to do it.
Related Blogs:
The Sometimes Frustrating Game of Raising Teens
Reasons I am Glad We Homeschool: Moral Decisions
Are We Apathetic about Student Ethics?