The new quote is one I'm adopting for this year's homeschool year, and probably forever.
"The great objective of all our work is to build character and increase faith in the lives of those whom we serve."
(emphasis added) Elder Spencer W. Kimball, 1948
I am one of those people who, in the pursuit of perfection, tend to put a little emphasis on everything, trying to get everything right, when I should be focusing on what is most important and not stressing out about everything else. I love Thomas Jefferson Education and how it's principles help me to remember to stay focused on basics. For our family, the two things President (then Elder) Kimball mentioned are the most important for our homeschool focus.
Build Character:
In relation to our homeschool, with our kids being the ages they are, this means helping our kids build who they are. I hope and expect my kids to be people of high character. We're trying to focus specifically on family responsibilities right now. The dreaded chore! If I only had a nickel for every time Trevor has told me, "Mommy! I don't like chores! When I grow up I'm going to buy my own house and live my myself and not do any chores and no one will tell me what to do." I ignore the drama and try to make the jobs as cheerful as possible. I also try to make sure chore time is as sociable as possible. There's no reason chores should absolutely have to be done alone. Unless we're trying to teach personal responsibility. Right now we're just trying to get our base solidified, though, so my focus is elsewhere. Family responsibilities aren't the only route to good character, but that is the bigger specific goal we're working on for this year. I want our kids to learn to be accountable to their family members. To get them thinking outside themselves, to their duty to others.
Increase Faith:
Scriptures! Prayer! Church! It's so important right now. Our kids are 5, 3, and 9 months. What better time, when their little brains are developing so quickly, to teach them to rely on their Savior and spend quality time on their relationships with Him? I want our kids to instinctively go to the Lord when they have difficulties in life or in gratitude for their joys. There are only so many hours in the day for our kids to learn from us and the world around them. Instead of trying to shove all sorts of learning down their throats to meet the quotas of public school standards (which wouldn't really be too hard anyway since they're so low!), I hope to to give them a good base for real life, not just for the small bubble of academic life.
If I don't get to math or handwriting lessons for the day, but I have done scripture study and family responsibilities with the kids, I'll still count it a successful day. Because when it comes right down to what's most important in this life, it's not the individual subjects in their respective boxes, it's who we are and how we handle life's challenges that will make or break us as people.
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