Homeschool Hazard Signs

Like the road signs that warn us of impending danger, there are also warning signs for parents on the road of homeschooling. We can either take heed to the dangers that they clearly indicate lay ahead, or we can choose to disobey these common hazard signs and end up in a homeschooling wreck.

When you see the "Slippery When Wet" sign of tears in your discouraged child's face, chances are you're leaving out the loving encouragement needed when teaching academics. Pay attention to the "High Wind Warning" sign and give your child the godly correction and discipline he needs when you hear the floors pounding and the windows rattling from his rebellion. Don't ignore your child exceeding the posted "Speed Limit" sign. When you see him hurrying through schoolwork or skipping devotions to run to another extracurricular activity, you will need to take your child to parental court to reevaluate what's important in his life. Rest assured, disregarding these hazards and setting your homeschool on cruise will cause an accident.

God tells us to watch for warning signs in our spiritual lives, too. When we start to see the evidences of "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like" (Galatians 5:19b-21a), we are headed down the dangerous road of living life in the flesh. Before you are pulled over by the Holy Spirit, take the next exit and pray. Turn your heart back to the Lord and heed His warnings to keep your life headed in the right direction.

Lord, help me to recognize the danger signs of evil in my life and turn back to You. Teach me to stay close to You and Your Word, so I stay on the path that leads to righteousness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Comments(12 comments)

12/11/2008 08:20:33

This was a very good devotional for today. Our Bible study at church last night was on the same scripture. We've been wrestling with returning to home schooling rather than having our 10-year-old at public school. We enrolled her and she went to the public school for a few days but has told me that she just doesn't belong there. I agree, but my husband isn't quite in agreement with us. Last night's Bible study scripture that became confirmed today from this homeschooling source only makes me more sure that homeschooling is the right choice. We're setting up her work station and getting started this morning. Thanks for the great inspirations I get each day in my email.

JILL S 12/10/2010 07:34:46

Thanks for the eye opener. This is a great lesson! Thanks for your encouraging words. We need to remember that God is always in control! Sometimes our children tend to react toward us in the same manner that they see us reacting to God and His teachings. And we wonder what makes them misbehave. CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE!!! PARENTS BE CAREFUL, THEY SEE ALL WE DO AND SAY!!!

Marisol D 12/10/2010 07:47:08

This devotion so shows what a child cannot get in a school environment, the love and nourishment from a parent; t is priceless. I so love these devotions. I am so grateful for them. They are so encourageing, especially being the first time home scooling this year. God is so good. I pray the blessing to be multiplied back to Alpha and Omega, for being so supportive to such a godly ministry for Christian families; and that in all this can be a witness to those homeschool families that are not christians.

KATY S 12/10/2010 08:23:42

This devotional came in perfect timing for me, as usual! I don't always read the devotionals every day, but the ones I do usually are directed right at me! I am so thankful for the encouragement they bring & Praise God for those that write them.

We have "warning signs" every day in our homeschooling. Tears over writing assignments or math, unkind words/actions (both the children & myself), explosiveness that is not put under control right away (again, both children & myself). This morning, before reading this devotional, we had some "warning signs". After giving myself & the children a "time-out" and reading this, also after prayer, I feel calmer & one of the children came down from his room to apologize for challenging me in a very disrespectful way. Our day will forward in a much more pleasant way. Thank you!

DAWN C 12/10/2010 14:17:05

And I too needed this. I am in the "and such like" category. I have a SN learner and I struggle from time to time with giving of myself. She needs so much more of me than the other kids as she is no an independant learner and sometimes I find I give into my laziness and wish her to be different so I could, uh, sit behind the computer instead of sitting with her.

TARA F 12/12/2010 10:12:59

Thank you for sharing. I know the wisdom in this message must come from personal experience - and it is encouraging for me as so often I feel 'alone' in this journey I am on.

I think my/our 'warning signs' are a direct result of not prioritizing God's word to be first in our day in our home. When we do put Him first, our days usually go much more smoothly - not without crisis - but with His strength to face the challenges.

I too struggle with loosing my temper with one child in particular and I need His grace and peace in my life to remember that I need an eternal perspective for that child's sake. Ultimately, her salvation is of the utmost importance and I need to demonstrate God's love and forgiveness.

"God, help me to love each of my children as You do, and to put their needs before my own!"

JOYCE O 12/10/2011 08:58:46

I needed to see this because I'm struggling with homeschooling. This is my 1st year and my 11 year old gets upset on how things(math) can be so hard then I get mad and have to regroup. There are times we have had to just stop and pray because we both have gotten upset. I feel like I'm stuck in the public school mentality still. I know I need to get away from that and let God lead the way. I want to learn from the mistakes I'm making. I want to be able to see the warning signs instead of ignoring them.

AUDRA K 12/10/2011 09:35:19

Thank you for another great devotional. They always bless and convict me. Thank you for this ministry to homeschoolers.

DARLA S 12/10/2012 09:47:34

Thank You for your words of encouragement. The last couple of days have been a trainwreck, and your words were much needed right now. Maybe next time I can heed the signs to avoid everybodys\' frustrations.

Ann Sanders 12/10/2013 12:27:15

Thank you so much for the reminder to put the Lord first in our homeschool day. Sometimes it is so easy to forget when you're just trying to "get things done" and I forget the real reason we are homeschooling. "Lord, help me to remember that it's You who has first place in our home and not me and all the things I need to get accomplished. You have given us our children to raise for your honor and glory and help me to remember that when I see road signs of warning during our homeschool day. Help me to love them even when it's hard".

Tina Enns 12/10/2013 13:14:08

i can not be Thankful enough for these Devotional's! i am homeschooling our Daughter now the second Year, and so often have felt like, just giving up, sending her to school. i just started realizing it that this was a daily homeschool Devotional,:) And I'm so so so encouraged by ALL of them! Hearing the ups and downs, and knowing it's not just here. That just helps me to keep on going, and trusting Jesus the Author and Finisher! THANKS AGAIN!

Tina E

Jody Friedrich 12/12/2013 14:59:24

Thank you so much for this devotion today. Life gets so busy for us all and I know I tend to pass up these road signs as we go through our busy day. Thank you for reminding us all what a responsibility we have towards the young ones that God has entrusted us with.


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