Remember when

A couple of days ago I received a fantastic reminder of how far I have traveled in my quest to home educate my children. I love reminders like this,the type that if you weren't alert and ready for it would pass you right by.

We had a piano tuner come to our home, a very nice older gentlemen. He was excited to hear that we homeschool and explained that his wife homeschools their grandchildren. This was very exciting for me and right away I wanted to meet her. A part of my twenty year vision is to help and support my children with the education of my grandchildren. He then began to talk about how he wanted to take his grandson on as an apprentice to his piano tuning business. Fantastic, what great ideals, I could picture my husband teaching his grandchildren how to build with wood.

After a few minutes of discussion he asked me what I did when my kids complained about school. He said leaving his house this morning was difficult because of the groans and moans of his grandchildren, "Why do we have to do school?" "I don't want to do school!" "I hate school, can't we just play?" These were the words coming from a 7 year old and 5 year old. He said he was so tired of it he told them, "This isn't your life!" He then went on to tell me how he yelled at them until they quietly got to their studies and began working.

MEMORIES IN THE CORNER OF MY MIND.....
Oh, how I remember these days of requiring. Constant battles and endless complaining. Guess what, now school is fun, the kids look forward to the day. They are always telling their friends how much fun school is. One boy asked Spencer, "Do you have Spring Break?" Spencer replied, "No, but everyday is fun in our school." What a huge achievement for me!

Since we have been doing TJED the kids have taken over the responsibility of their own educations and are self driven. Mom is no longer the driving force, no more tears, whines, complaining and all of that other jazz. It is a wonderful thing!

I explained this method of Leadership Education to the piano tuner and he was very skeptical. He nodded, gave a lot of what abouts and went on with his work. He left my home 1 1/2 hours later and was astonished with the goings on of our home. He said that he thought I might be on to something. I couldn't take credit and guided him to a place that he could learn everything he needed to know to bring our spirit of learning into his home. I wish the same for you! Take this journey with me, find out how to guide your children in learning to self educate and become leaders in training.

TJED ONLINE

Becoming Scholars?

What an extremely profound word, become. I have never looked at it quite like I do now, with desire, nobility, intelligence and gratitude. I look back at my life and I can see the things that I have become, some good and others not so good. I can also look back in my life and see my many achievements, some self degrading while others have had a hand in molding my good character.

I am on a quest to raise scholars and become a scholar. Isn't it interesting how important it is to understand what something isn't to truly understand what it is. A scholar isn't someone who lives their life with the desire to achieve; good grades, degrees, diplomas, certificates of achievement, promotions, money and the list goes on. A scholar is someone that lives their life to "become" a person of value and virtue during their journey of achievement. Do you see what I mean about how profound the word become is?

I spent my weekend at an amazing seminar that taught me wonderful truths and how to apply them to change my character and become those truths. That is what a scholar is. A person that has desires to achieve and through proper learning, discussion, application and desire to change becomes a better person. Notice that I didn't say anything about becoming rich, well known, top of the class, the boss, a faster runner, thinner or well read. Achieving is not what a scholar is.

Knowing what a scholar is doesn't only guide me in my future quest but has helped me see how far I have already come. I don't have a college degree, I stay at home with my children so I am not making money or getting promoted, I am not attending a college of any type right now and I am not and have never been an intellectual giant. However, I am a good person, I have good values, I read good books, I study daily and I have made many positive changes in my life based on truths that I have encountered along the way.

Here is an example of the difference between achieving and becoming.

Do you have a book list? A list of books that you want to read? How good does it feel to check that book off your list? To finally finish a book feels so good! You have achieved!

Are the books you're reading teaching truths? Are you discussing your books or writing down the truths that you have learned? Are you taking these truths, learning how to apply them and using them to change your character?

When we read books to just check them off of a list or for pure entertainment we are achieving. When we read books to learn truths, apply truths and change our character we are becoming.

I am not a book prude, there are truths and lessons to be learned in every book that you read. That is why we have book clubs and book discussions.

Example: The Hunger Games, this book is so filled full of truths and lessons and it was one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. Only when I sat down with my son to discuss them did I truly grasp the meaning and lessons of each truth. My favorite truth was that of family, the love that Katniss had for her mother and sister, she would give her life for them. Families find strength in adversity. Now take this truth figure out the application of the truth and choose to change your character.

This is just one LONG example of the difference between achieving and becoming. I hope it helps you to get the idea. Writing it out has helped me to better understand the truth of becoming and the application, now I need to change my character and do all I can to "become" as I take my everyday strolls and constant struggles to achieve.

Seminar given by: Aneladee Milne