Judging

Today was a day with our homeschooling and not so much homeschooling friends.

Six or so years ago we all started so much in the same place and yet, when I look at the group, we have all taken such divergent paths. Two families have chosen private school, one is a 'school at home' everyday mom, we have two 'new' members, one who has a genuinely gifted child and one that I can't quite get a handle on yet. So many styles of parenting and teaching/learning. One is all for letting 'children be children', another seems afraid that they won't be friends if she's 'mean', one is 'all is perfect and we are perfect Christians'. I get so frustrated by the slack discipline, and then the too strict discipline, the big hurrahs for memorized Bible verses, the unwillingness to go outside more than once a week because someone has a head cold. Go outside, live the bible/God's words and intentions...how horrible am I? These women are my friends.

I was just talking to another mom last night and she was commenting on how judgemental mothers/women are of one another. I think it is about how we are all doing the best we can with what we have/know/understand, but because there doesn't seem to be a right way, when we see something different than what we are doing, the only option is to embrace and change, or condemn in order to justify your own choices. I feel like I am just starting to get to a point where I feel really comfortable with our choice to home school. The girls are confident, happy girls, polite, smart and nice to be around.

I have to work on that, though...I think MY way is the BEST way...come, follow me! But then I read another book/talk to someone else and think THIS way is the best way. I really have to become more accepting of the way other people choose to 'do' this parenting/schooling thing. My way (at least for this moment) is the is best way for US, right now, doesn't mean that won't change by tonight.

Mind you, last night when I saw a work full time (completely by choice- don't flame me on this, I KNOW that many do not have a choice and I am indeed blessed) mother looking like she was hating spending time with her children and "had work to get done at home" at a small group event meant to relax all the moms and dads there as their children played happily in a big, safe, yard, I just knew this path we have chosen is the right one.

Thank you, God for guiding my footsteps to bring us to this place.