He Is the Magnet Still in my Hand

One of the reasons I love homeschooling (and, as an added bonus, that Chris works from home) is that our children have access to us all day long. (This is also one of the challenges of homeschooling, but that is the subject of another post!)

It can be so fatiguing to be in the company and charge of children 14 hours per day, day in and day out . . . but last week God sent me a few glimmers of awareness of how blessed I am.

I get to be here to answer the children's questions and have deep discussions with them when the moment arises. I get to answer on behalf of my and my husband's worldview. Nobody else will be there to answer these questions during the children's tender years until they are older, and then only gradually over their childhoods.

Twice this week, Margaret (3-1/2) asked wonderful questions, probably because we've been doing more formal little girl catechism lately. One day she came to me somberly and asked, "Mama, who made God?" On two other occasions, she had great questions for me, one about hell, and these led to sweet, catechetical conversations just appropriate to her age.

A little three-year-old (or even a child several years older) is not going to remember her passing, but very important, question all the way till the end of the day when she gets to see Mama or Daddy again. How blessed I am to be there!

Best of all was a conversation with John (almost 8). He told me that he had a new idea for his future career . . . to be a Christian movie-maker. There was a recent film he wanted to watch but Daddy and I explained that it had a strongly pagan message to it, so our family wasn't going to watch it. John hatched the idea that there must be other kids who desire to see such films as he does, so he would grow up to be a Christian filmmaker in order to make movies with a Christian theme.

I chatted about those careers. I said that some movies are not outright inappropriate or evil for all ages, so can be watched when one is older and very strong and educated in one's faith, but that parents must guard children especially carefully because children believe basically everything they see and hear.

John: "I am like a magnet and the refrigerator is my faith."

Mama: "What?"

John: "The refrigerator is faith and you are a magnet sticking on it strongly. But I am a magnet still in your hand and you're placing me on the refrigerator. That's why I have to be more careful about movies."

I could have missed that ten-minute conversation! Amidst all the fatigue, the wish for more breaks, the desire to have coffee with a girlfriend more than twice per year, the yearning for accolades, recognition, and raises--amidst all of that--I get to be here for all these moments. Thank God! And thanks to my husband who supports me!


Bonus Reading on a related topic: Staying Home with Your Kids When You Can Barely Afford It