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Just wanted to share a great reminder for all of us today that I read this morning:

"Train up a child in the way he should go." The emphasis in this passage is upon the way the child should go, not the way in which the parent would have the child go. The Jewish (Hebraic) understanding of this instruction is that it is incumbent upon parents to discern what gift, vision, and ambition a child has and then to work at providing instruction that will help the child to excel in fulfilling that goal. Children will not necessarily have the same preferences and skills as their parents. Each child is different, and each one's individuality must be respected and encouraged.

If God wanted children to be perfect replicas of their parents, he would have instituted cloning rather than childbirth. Parents who are wise, therefore, will not demand that their children live out parental fantasies but rather will encourage and equip them to pursue their own aspirations. --"Family Sanctuary," John Garr

I thought this was so good! I needed to hear this admonition this morning. And I do believe HOD is a vehicle that can allow us as parents to see the leanings and strengths of our children if we will allow it to. Even though it is a "set" curriculum, it seems to draw out different aspects of my children, parts they particularly enjoy more than others or are better at than others; subjects or topics that they have a special interest in. It's just...AWESOME!

Thanks, Tina!!

Thank you for this! I think I needed to hear that this morning.

That is a great reminder and you are so right that even with a set curriculum, our dc's individual strengths shine through. I love that HOD uses so many different modes of teaching and includes such a large variety of learning activities that each of my dc find something in their day that really suits them and also something that tends to stretch them and grow their weak areas. It really helps me to see where they excel naturally and where they need to work harder. I love that even areas that aren't their strengths are still included too as that helps them to grow. Without that variety, I don't think I would have encouraged my dc to pursue what doesn't come naturally to them and surprisingly sometimes they have found an area that after they have worked at it a bit became a delight for them. Thank you for sharing. It's a wonderful reminder to continue to look for the best in our dc and help them strive for God's best for them.