More Decisions – Why? Choices (Part 9)
Categories: Choices, Léo’s Insights 2022-2023
I met my wife a half century ago. That day changed my life forever. What did I see? What caught my attention? What was it that made me say this is the girl for me? We were both swept off our feet and for good reason. It did not take long before we started planning our future lives together. The rest, they say, is history.
I have been the most blessed and happy husband possible, yet I would not be telling the truth if I told you our lengthy relationship was without challenges. I do not know where or why I discovered this, but I had a way of helping my wife and myself come back to reality and move on amicably to our next venture or adventure whenever we had a marital hiccup.
I believe my technique was founded in a bit of naivety. I am sure you will understand and believe me when I tell you that when I first met my wife, she was PERFECT! Of course, it was likely because I was wearing pink sunglasses, but really, I saw no imperfections. I discovered later that she had developed a few, but I thought that was because she had contracted them from me. Of course, that is also not true. We both originally came with imperfections, which we have been helping each other to fix, ever since. So, my trick was very simple. I simply asked her what she saw in me, as I ask myself what I saw in her, when we first met. As we discussed this precious time, we realized we were still the same individuals and that we loved each other as much, if not more than at that time.
You may be asking how this romantic story is related to home education? Actually, apart from the fact that it led to the children we ended up educating at home, I have continued to employ this technique while encouraging parents to stay the course with home education. Whether in a private or group setting, I ask parents to go back to the time when they were first contemplating home education and write down three reasons they had for home educating at that time. Once done, I do not ask them to see their reasons for having chosen home education for the children. I simply ask what has changed.
As discovered many times with my marital beginnings, the home educating parents discover that nothing has changed. The reasons they had for choosing home education have not changed and if those reasons resonated in the beginning, they should still be resonating today.
Why are you home educating? Ask yourself why you thought it was a good idea in the first place and then remind yourself every time you have one of those days or start doubting yourself.
The original “why” is still why you home educate. Don’t lose that.
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