My most favorite Christian author is Sally Clarkson…I would HIGHLY recommend her books to any mommies out there wanting to learn from an amazing Christian woman about the joys of motherhood.
Her blog stuck a chord in my heart last night as I read it, and I wanted to journal about it.
I am becoming the nervous-nelly mother about sending my little girl to Kindergarten in August. I NEVER dreamed I’d be the mother who would get all emotional and worried, but I am! So many thoughts run through my head:
-Is she ready?
-Is public school the right choice for our family?
-Will she get overlooked in the classroom?
-Will she like school, or hate it like I used to?
-What kinds of inappropriate things will she be introduced to in school? And, will she have the wisdom to sort through those things Biblically?
The last worry is the one that troubles me most often. I don’t think I’m a over-protective mother, but there are certain things I do not want my child hearing, doing, ect. I often wonder if Jayda is strong enough to withstand some of the peer pressure that accompanies school…maybe not in Kindergarten, but there certainly are pressures within the school atmosphere.
Sally Clarkson both challenged me and put my heart as ease with her article last night. She talked about this exact thing I worry about. She said:
“In this world, at this time, the world will sing an alluring song. It is ours (parents) to figure out how to sing a more beautiful song.”
I want our home to sing a more beautiful song than any school, friend, or other outside influence. I desperately want my children to love being at home…to find solace and rest…to know that God’s love abounds in every nook and cranny of this house. I want them to desire nothing less than serving Him with their entire hearts, and seeing first-hand that mommy and daddy try so hard to do the same.
Now my challenge is figuring out how to make a home that looks like that, and I know I have a ways to go! I am challenged to love my girls more each day, and to show them in new and meaningful ways. Sometimes the pressures of life distract me from the joy of simply being a mommy to my precious girls, and I so badly want to stop succumbing to those pressures.
What new way can I show them my love today? Plan for the day…throw caution to the wind and skip nap time, get the girls a McDonald’s Happy Meal after we pick Jayda up from preschool, and take them on a fun mommy/daughter outing to the Animal Rescue League. That may not sound like a big deal, but my girls LOVE doing all three of those things and don’t get to do them very often. Will I regret it tonight when we have tired girls on a fast-food high who are begging us to go back and get the dog that I’m sure they’ll fall in love with this afternoon? Probably!! 🙂 But, at least they’ll know that their mommy loves spending time with them and doing the things that they enjoy!
The King's Daughter 
Are you getting a dog today?????
Nope…do dog! In fact, we came home with having to clean up an entire thrown-up Happy Meal off of Nadia! She threw up on the way home, and it was everywhere!
All the dogs at the ARL look sickly…most of them are from the puppy mill that closed, and they look terrible. 😦
Let me encourage about something regarding public schools. I was a public school girl all but 1 year of my school life – 6th grade. My parents instilled truth and reinforced what is “TRUTH” and “RIGHT” at home… so when the “bad” things did come…and they will… I had a foundation already. I wasn’t as sponge like. I’m sure Jayda will come home with questions – which, is awesome and an in for you to help her grow in her walk.
Get her ready now… scripture memorization about temptations, honoring you and Tanner, etc. It WILL be ok! And God will use her public education to grow her… like it did for me. 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Mandi. I went to public schools K-12, as well…never thought I’d even question whether or not to send my kids to public schools. But being a parent is a whole different thing when you’re the one making the decisions! We’re still feeling led to send her to Ankeny schools, but we are open if He changes our plans, too.
By the way, Mandi…Nadia threw up on the way home from our little outing today. I’m not sure if it was just a fluke or if she is really sick. I’ll keep you posted so you can decide whether you guys still want to come over tomorrow night for dessert. I’ll either call or email you tonight or tomorrow and give you an update.
I love Sally Clarkson too! The Mission of Motherhood is probably the book that has challenged me the MOST as a mother. I didn’t know she had a blog!
And this is such a good post! I want to sing a more beautiful song for my children too!
Sally Clarkson’s blog is: http://wholeheart.typepad.com/itakejoy/
Enjoy it!
Oh, and P.S. I was a public school kid from 5th grade on, and I agree with Mandi — the strong foundation in the home is what matters the most, regardless of the school — and it sounds like you’ve got a good start on that with your girls! I’ll be praying for you and for Jayda this fall though 🙂
Just keep laying that foundation of truth for her…..she will do fine! Kids pick up on our insecurities, so be confident that you have done a good job in instilling Godly truths……and……be involved, be involved, be involved!!!!! Volunteer where and when you can….build those “bridges” that are so important in your connections to school……..she will be just fine (and so will you, my dear!)
Love ya bunches!
MOM
I am a product of a private christian school from pre-k through 12th. Maybe public school is the way to go 🙂