I have seen the (Son)light

I have to say, we are three months into our Sonlight curriculum and I LOVE it!!!  The kids are so fascinated by all of the literature that they are exposed to and they beg for more!!!!  It is so exciting to see the kids so actively learning and excited and interested.  We've been using Singapore math and my oldest daughter, who I've had the hardest time trying to teach math to since we pulled her out of public school, is eating it up.  And begging for more.  And since they go up through high school, well, why not?  Think I've found something that works, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Children are people, too!

I have been thinking a lot lately about how I treat my children, especially in regards to some ideas I've been pondering concerning violence, war vs. peace, and how to be loving, despite when someone else is not.  These ponderings have caused me to call into question much of my parenting techniques.  I think it is often easy to view children as property.  I know I don't mean to, but I think subconsciously I do.  This attitude allows me to disrespect my children in all sorts of ways.

I guess the question is, what is the balance between getting children to behave in a way that is considered appropriate by our culture, what I as a parent expect from my children, and how a child is naturally inclined?

There are lots of ideas that our culture has, that I have as a parent about how my child(ren) should behave.  Are they all appropriate?  What about the "proper" way to set, and sit at the table.  I have a friend who thinks it's silly that I expect my children to know that.  Is that important in our society anymore?

I wonder about the things that our society expected 10, 20, 30 years ago and much of it has changed.  Things that were expected in the 50's and 60's are now viewed as ridiculous.  For instance, the way we dress.  My father wears a suit and tie to work.  He's always worn one for as long as I can remember.  I've shown up to an interview in a blazer and jeans and gotten the job.

And these things relate to how I raise my kids and what expectations I should have of them.  Should I wash their mouths out with soap for swearing or being disrespectful?  Should I just allow the behavior to slide because, well, we all get angry and slip up and children should be able to express themselves?

I don't know what the right answers are, and everyone seems to have differing opinions on what is right.  For now, I'm just doing the best I can and praying that God will make them into what he wants them to be.  But, then somebody might just have something to say against that, too......