Why I Am Passionate About Christian Unschooling

My Story THEN Informs My Story NOW

I was a network marketing kid.

In my high school years, my mom was a rep for a global network marketing company and actually found success helping others with its products and services (she was able to quit her full-time job).

She would tote me along to meetings, conventions, and earned trips, and at a relatively young age, I was exposed to leadership, business, and success concepts taught by the likes of Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, Brian Tracy, John Maxwell, Ed Mylett, and so many more.

By the time I was 18 years old, I had accumulated notebooks full of practical wisdom and inspiration for how to own my own life while sitting at the feet of CEOs and other culture makers and changers who would come to speak at my mom’s company’s events.

Before I stepped foot in college, I had read books like How to Win Friends and Influence People, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, The Magic of Thinking Big, Think and Grow Rich, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling, The Art of War. Basically, reads all about personal growth and cultivating a strong mindset.

A Meaningful Education Outside Institutions

I’ll tell you what. I learned more about life, work, and relationships in those years than I ever learned in all my years of private school education (faith-based, to boot).

I mean, why do parents want their children to go to school so badly? Because we believe that an education provides opportunity for success. The problem is we’ve boxed a meaningful education into the walls of institutional education, or even within the parameters of a school-at-home environment. Instead of turning out vibrant minds, the system we consider necessary for success produces weary, unmotivated ones.

This is probably why I am NOT so big on trying to stuff information into my kids, but instead on: helping them understand the power of the mind, modeling for them how to live intentionally, cultivating a heart of purpose, training them up in Godly character … things you just can’t test or measure.

In school, I was primarily taught information. Information that, quite frankly, I only retained a fraction of. Unless it was something that really piqued my interest, I only learned long enough to pass exams and move onto the next grade level (though I did graduate both high school and university with honors). While I actually really loved school (I was a check-the-box kid, plus I loved the social aspects), I can’t say that it fully equipped me for life.

But gleaning wisdom from successful giants about learning how to learn, how to be resourceful, applying oneself, discipline, habits, work ethic, integrity, honesty, the power of the mind, etc.? That is what has stayed with me all these years, what has contributed to any form of success I’ve had in my different jobs/vocations/roles, and what I have endeavored to impart to my own children.

And then you couple all that with Jesus and the gospel? Probably THE BEST education any person can ever acquire, no matter how old you are.

Growth Mindset + Gospel Power

All that worldly life wisdom leveled up when I chose to submit my life to Jesus in my mid-twenties. What I learned from successful people in the world, isn’t necessarily incompatible with the call to live a life for God’s glory. In fact, I would argue that many of those principles I learned align with being able to steward the life God has given each of us well (as long as we are submitted to Jesus and are being led by the Holy Spirit).

Even when my hubs and I made the decision for me to stay home and homeschool our kids (a radical move to my family and to many of those who adhere to society’s standards for the modern-day woman), I simply applied what I had learned about living with vision, purpose, and intentionality to my new roles. But this time, instead of me leading my path, God was (and still is).

The term “education” actually means to “train up, bring out, lead forth”. Therefore, instead of focusing my efforts on making sure my kids “know all the things”, my vocation as a homeschool mom primarily looks like:

TRAINING THEM UP in the way of the Lord, helping them cultivate a gospel perspective and gospel fluency (Deuteronomy 5:6-9, Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4).

I train them up in having a big picture perspective about their life, as well as in having a mind for their life’s place and purpose in God’s big story.

BRINGING OUT (or drawing out) what God has already created in my kids, for them to do the good works He has prepared in advance for them to do (Psalm 139:13-14, Ephesians 2:10).

I embrace and honor the unique giftings and qualities God has placed in them, as well as the story He has given them so far, so that they can intentionally apply their time, energy, and effort towards pursuits that grow them as God intended.

LEADING FORTH as I set my own example of what surrendered, Spirit-led living looks like.

I lead them in what it looks like to have gospel-powered agency in our lives. I lead them in squashing the “my life” mentality and instead owning the “steward” mentality. I lead them as I, myself, continue to cultivate wonder and an appetite for learning about God’s world.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not so much a teacher, as I am mentor to my kids.

My Story Fuels My Passion

Because of my own story, I’ve become passionate about helping others embrace the same mindset for their homeschools.

I know everyone is made different, and that our call to disciple our children will look different as well.

Some families thrive on a school-system model, checklists, workbooks, schedules, and an adult-led education.

But there are families (like ours) who don’t fit into that box, and who feel that the current models aren’t working for them. These are the families who want encouragement, support and direction for how to break free from conventional educational thinking. These are families who have withered under stifling learning methods and who want to find freedom, peace, and joy in their home education journey.

If you’ve read this far, I’m betting that you are resonating everything I’ve written and are intrigued by how unschooling/lifeschooling/natural learning supports preparing your children for life, especially as a Christian family.

This is why I put together an e-book all about what that looks like and how to get started in this lifestyle (because it is a lifestyle).

It’s basically a compilation of a lot of what I share here on the blog and on social media, but in one spot that homeschooling parents can refer back to.

If you are interested in snagging your own copy, head here!