| Perseverance - persistence, endurance, | | | | a vegetable patch; finding out the best |
| stick-to-itiveness, staying power, dogged, diligence. | | | | supermarket specials; playing a game until the |
| What a list of great nouns found in Roget's | | | | end, even if they are losing; or even, being in |
| Thesaurus. | | | | charge of pairing socks in the household. I am not |
| I chose to write about Perseverance not only as | | | | a fan of workbooks simply because I don't want |
| a goal that I can see I need to work at in my life, | | | | to waste their time - as though we need to fill up |
| but one which is so extremely important for us | | | | their day! |
| to pass on to our children. If I have difficultyin | | | | Thirdly, |
| persevering when I am feeling a bit down, | | | | I need to insist that they complete what they |
| overwhelmed, or tired and give in so easily, and I | | | | start. If they have signed up for a season with a |
| am an adult, this is obviously a life-long trait which | | | | soccer club, they need to show commitment and |
| needs to be built into our character from an early | | | | a team spirit, even if they are cold, tired or sick |
| age. Our culture does not encourage | | | | of losing. It takes perseverance for the parents |
| perseverance. As long as you are enjoying what | | | | too - we brought five children to soccer every |
| you are doing, you are encouraged to keep going, | | | | Saturday this year. If they begin a vegie patch, |
| but if you don't like the boss you can toss in the | | | | they need to water and weed it through the |
| job, drop out of a course, and avoid the | | | | season. Of course, there are some things that |
| difficulties you might be facing. | | | | are passing phases and it doesn't matter if they |
| Even in homeschooling, it is easy to give in to our | | | | tinker for a while with one idea and leave it for |
| children's whines: | | | | another. But, if responsibility comes with certain |
| "I don't want to play soccer anymore - it's too | | | | hobbies, it is important that our child learns to |
| cold!" | | | | commit through the good and the bad times. |
| "I hate music practice! I do not want to learn the | | | | Don't you love that colloquialism: |
| piano anymore." | | | | "stick-to-it-iveness." |
| "Why do I have to learn spelling? It's so boring!" | | | | Fourthly, |
| And then as parents, we become confused. We | | | | I need to stand by them, being their coach and |
| hear a persuasive voice telling us to back out of | | | | cheerleader. I need to urge them to face the |
| our children's lives and let them decide where | | | | difficulty and to encourage and reward them with |
| they are headed. Let them pursue their interests | | | | praise for their efforts. Wedon't want to set an |
| (as long or as short that may be), follow their | | | | impossible goal for them to reach, but we do |
| hearts, develop the skills that they deem | | | | want them to rise to challenges which are set |
| necessary to walk in their own way. The | | | | before them. This will develop strong qualities in |
| philosophy of today tells us that our children would | | | | them. |
| be far better off, if we just left them alone. | | | | Fifthly, |
| So, how do we face this all? Do we strap them | | | | I need to be an example to my children. I need to |
| to their seats in front of endless books and | | | | show that the battle to give in, is just as real in |
| meaningless worksheets, hoping to develop | | | | my life. Children love to hear stories from our |
| diligence? Of course not! At times, it is a difficult | | | | own experience, so weshould share difficulties we |
| line to work out. Yes, I want to develop | | | | have faced and how by God's grace, He has |
| perseverance in my child. No! I don't want them | | | | helped us, guided us and walked with us. We also |
| to sit purposelessly behind a desk hoping that | | | | need to show stick-to-it-iveness in our lives. |
| they will learn staying power. | | | | The danger of allowing our children to make all |
| So, how? | | | | their choices, based on their whims at all times, is |
| Firstly | | | | the same danger that you and I face. I would not |
| I need to recognize that not all their education will | | | | mind going out for coffee with friends when life is |
| be "fun." I am not about to apologize for that! | | | | messy and the house is in chaos; I may even |
| Struggling through a maths problem, and | | | | think of sending them to school at times and |
| conquering it, can give any child an enormous | | | | enjoying six or more hours of quiet and peace; I |
| sense of satisfaction. If our children never | | | | would hide away in my study and write a website |
| struggle, they will miss out on the unique sense of | | | | about homeschooling without doing "it"; I'd have |
| achievement and accomplishment which follows a | | | | more take-away meals and moan about not |
| difficulty. Have you ever felt the satisfaction of a | | | | having the money to employ someone to iron my |
| "good days work" after hard, physical labour? | | | | clothes; I wouldn't be quick to make a meal for a |
| Well, our children should have opportunities to | | | | friend or provide hospitality for the new visitors |
| experience this as well - not only physical labour | | | | at church. |
| (which is also crucial), but mental labour as well. | | | | Yes, if I could make all my own choices depending |
| Secondly, | | | | on how my day is, I would be indulging my selfish |
| I need to take care that the work they do has | | | | tendencies and living life exactly on my own |
| purpose. Nobody likes slaving away at a | | | | terms, avoiding all hardships. It may sound |
| meaningless task. Give your children real things to | | | | tempting - but it's not real and it isn't the way |
| do - writing letters or lists;making a family | | | | God wants us to live. He calls us to persevere. |
| newspaper; writing a website or web page; | | | | Perseverance is a godly trait, which helps us to |
| playing an instrument with other members in the | | | | improve ourselves and bring benefit to others. |
| family, in a band, in church or busking; maintaining | | | | |