Conclusion
The fundamental factor to bear in mind as you consider the education of your child is what is best for the child in light of the Biblical mandate God gives us as parents. Formal schooling is not the best option for all kids but may be the best option for some. The point of this series is that there are advantages with homeschooling that public schooling inhibits, and likewise there are certain drawbacks with homeschooling that parents should consider in light of what is possible for families. As parents we need to consider the personality, temperament and capabilities of our children and decide what is the best option for the child.
With this process some families elect a mix of educational options, sending one or more children to a public school, utilizing the resources of a private Christian school for another and perhaps homeschooling some or all of their children through some part of their education. This approach provides flexibility and prevents the parent being restricted to one particular educational style that may have positive or negative repercussions later on. The goal for the parent must always be to raise their children in a way that seeks to instruct and nurture the relationship between the child and the Lord, so that one day they can leave home and live a mature and godly lifestyle without anxiety or your daily interaction.
In other words our task as parents is to bring up our children in the fear and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). This is different to the worlds goals for education which is to prepare kids for college. Most young adults (early to late 20’s seems to count as young adult these days) love themselves and the world they can now take advantage of. This is not the Christian goal – the Christian goal should be to prepare our children to live in the world of adults as informed, mature adults whose primary love is for God.
Regardless of the education framework we decide upon for our children, we are responsible for their education and will be held to account by the Lord. He will want to know what we have done with the young lives entrusted to us. As parents, and particularly as fathers, our passion for, and involvement with our children’s education and well being should be aligned with the Lord’s desire and direction.
