The stories we tell ourselves become our ‘first creations’ and play an integral role in our family’s educational journey.
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This year didn’t start out with a so-called bang for me. I didn’t feel like goal setting or visualizing as I have other years. So much happened last year that I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to ‘accomplish‘ this year. I felt a bit intimidated by what I’d created. Instead of creating more I ‘just‘ wanted to manage what I have going on.
But instead of hiding from it (well, I hid from life for the first week of the year) I started to reflect on what I’d created. Or, more accurately, I looked at what I had created and what I had let others create for me.
First Creations
“It’s a principle that all things are created twice, but not all first creations are by conscious design. In our personal lives if we don’t develop our own self awareness and become responsible for first creations, we empower other people and circumstances…to shape much of our lives by default.” ~ Stephen R. Covey
It’s so much easier to let things happen to us. What’s hard is taking responsibility for our actions, thoughts, and lives. How often do we blame others instead of taking responsibility for ourselves?
“My parents didn’t raise me right.”
“I’d be better at school if my teachers were better and liked me.”
“I’d be successful in life if the education system hadn’t failed me.”
“My boss has me too busy and stressed out to take care of anything else.”
This blame does not come from a place of ownership. It comes from our dependencies, our search for love and acceptance.
We don’t have control over 100% of our lives, but we do have control over how we respond and react. How we choose to respond shapes our world. It applies in relationships, health, learning, education, and our very being.
I’m not perfect. I do it too. My fears and insecurities cause me to doubt myself and blame others in anger. That causes turmoil in my mind, which then reflects in my life. I end up living those thoughts out.
How does this relate to education?
Because my family home educates does not make me a better or worse parent than one who sends their kids to school. Every parent (and person) must develop our own self-awareness, principles, and values.
From there we can build a creation of our own design. This affects our whole life, including the creation of our family’s educational life. Maybe traditional school works. Or an alternative program. Or homeschooling.
A few questions to guide you:
Am I living the life that fulfills me? What about your children? Are you practicing the values that reflect the life you want to live and model for them?
“If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster.” ~ Stephen Covey
This is where imagination comes in
Imagination is the ability to see or envision in your mind what you cannot see with your eyes. Imagination leads to your mental first creation.
What is the ideal learning environment that you imagine? Are your children creating and living in that environment? What do you see for yourself, as a parent?
I’ve taken this time to re-imagine. To start my blueprint. To chart a course from my principals, my uniqueness, and my values.
I ask myself: Is this learning journey still taking us on the right path? Are we empowering ourselves to shape our own life of learning?
I’ll let you know what adjustments I may need to make.
I would love to know where you are in this journey? Are you living the life that you have created?
Books and Journals I Enjoy
Self-reflection and self-education play major roles in my home education practice. When I look back at the last five years of our family’s journey, I’m always amazed at how far we’ve come. Whenever I have doubts or fears along the journey, I reach for either new knowledge or a quiet moment to consider values and our progress along them.
So, I wanted to share a couple of books that have informed me and journals I use to reflect. Of course, there are many more books, and a good old fashioned plain journal comes in handy.
But the books and journals below are some that can be immediately helpful to you. I hope you’ll use them as required.
Books
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children by Dr. Shefali Tsabary
Family Board Meetings by Jim Sheils
How Children Learn by John Holt
