So here is the summary of Part 1: Jesus purposefully and strategically did not and does not extract his followers from a sinful world, but leaves us here to influence the world for good, for God and to invite sinners to accept and follow Jesus. I proposed that this applies to our children, and that their "world" in which they can influence for good is their public school.
The popular objection to this argument often sounds something like this: Our kids are too young and impressionable to be subjected to such huge responsibilities. They need to be protected and nurtured in a safer environment. Later, when they are strong and mature, they will be able to influece the world.
That objection sounds reasonable until we re-read the Bible chapters I referenced earlier (John 14-17). Jesus speaks to his followers in a peculiar tone: he speaks constant re-assurance, acknowledging their fear of living without him by their side. In chapter 17 he prays three times for their protection! He does not treat his followers like strong, capable men. On the contraary, he acknowledges that in their faith they are young, weak, immature and in need of protection! By way of analogy, Jesus does not ask his children to hide away in safety, waiting to interact and influence the world until they are mature. Plus, he simply trusts that his Father will protect them as they mature. I wonder if our fear of public schools is really an indicator of our lack of trust in God's protective power?
There is also a practical response to this objection. At what point in my child's life will he/she really be ready to face to realities of the mean, cruel world? Let's face it; we can't shelter our kids forever. Eventually they will grow up, move away from the safety of the commune we call home and be faced with the darkness of our world. And last I checked, neither a high school diploma nor the arrival of an 18th birthday include a magic potion labeled, maturity, wisdom and perseverance. It seems to me that the structured environment of a six-hour school day followed by eighteen hours at home is a great combination of environments in which our kids can graually learn how to resist evil and influence the world for good.
Psychiatrist John Bowlby proposed a great theory to help parents. In his theory, healthy parents create a secure base at home, in which their kids are loved, nurtured, fed, disciplined, etc. When those children know they have a secure base waiting for them at home, they can have the confidence to face difficulties, try new activities, take risks, etc. Applied to school, children can endure temptation and even thrive in a difficult place because the safety of home is coming soon.
So here is my proposal: Send your kids to public schools. Create a warm, safe, loving home for them to return to. Stay in constant communication regarding their experiences at school, both good and bad. Talk through their difficulties. Help them process their conflict and coach them on how to respond. Encourage them to take risks and try new things! Be there to cheer them on and be the first to pick them up when they fall!
Or, I suppose you could also just sit on the couch every night and complain about how the schools aren't doing a good job raising your children for you.
Next, in Part 3: ACT's, IQ, and why C students rule the world.
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