She's Growing Up

Laura Maria

My sweet daughter Laura, 16, will finish her Junior Year of High School this week.
She is a very self-motivated learner and a driven-student.
For quite some time, she has worked at accomplishing 2 weeks' worth of lessons in one week's time; using evenings and weekends to help her reach her goals.

This week, she will end her 11th grade year.

It hardly seems possible.

Rather than take time off to relax and kick-back, Laura wants to proceed straight into her Senior Year. So, this week, I am going through syllabi and curriculum to arrange her new schedule for 12th grade.

It's such a JOY to teach kids like Laura. She loves to learn. And, when the subject at-hand is not her "cuppa' tea" (i.e. MATH) she just forges ahead and gets the job done, anyway, rather than whine or complain.

Laura has expressed an interest in staying here at home with us after graduation from high school. She says that the only reason she'd attend a 4 year college, at this point, is to fit the world's mold and assumption that that is what 18 year olds are supposed to do. (Of course, in her case, she will be 17, not 18, when she graduates).

I admire Laura's honesty. Her plans are to work on getting her driver's license, to gain employment (She has already been offered a paid position as a Mother's Helper for a woman who homeschools her children but works outside the home, as well), and pursue her interests and talents in art and writing, both in a leisurely way, and also, through taking some online classes or classes at a community college.

I think this is a WONDERFUL plan, and we are so proud of our darling daughter.

My husband and I do not "require" that our children attend college. In fact, we only want them there if they feel truly CALLED, by God, to go there for a specific reason/purpose. We know many many many more kids who "lose their souls" and end up in a very "messy" state-of-life, than we know those who go away from their families and excel in their studies, then find a career according to the degree they earned. Rather, most of them come out working at "every-day" jobs and having tons and tons and tons of DEBT to pay-off in the meantime.

I am not "anti" higher-education. However, I DO think that MANY kids are pushed into going to college, or attend, as Laura said, because they feel like they are SUPPOSED to go...and, in the end, this does nothing to nourish them as a whole person; body, mind, and soul.

So...we are happy for our daughter...because we know that she put a lot of prayer and thought and discernment into her decision.

And now, she will be able to be surrounded by those who love her most as she tests the waters of the world...and finds the path that God wishes her to take. I know we will all be reading books written by Laura, some day; and viewing her artwork in wonderful places! (In fact, she works as an artist for Homeschool Faith and Family Life and you can order her Color Me E-books by donation, HERE! They are WONDERFUL...each set contains 8-12 different sheets according to the theme and you can see samples of each at that link! If you order some for your kids, you will be helping Laura develop her entrepreneurial skills!) But, what I'm most happy about...is that she "dares to be different" and goes where she feels God wants her...not where she thinks she's "supposed" to go according to the ways of the secular world.

One of my favorite bloggers is Mia, from Aspiring Womanhood. She too, chose to stay-on with her family after graduating high school; and spend her time discerning her calling and learning all that she can learn about homemaking, homesteading, and other ways for a young, single woman to make a living FROM HOME.
She also helps her mother in educating her younger siblings, who are still at home, each day.

Today, I will happily call Laura's consultant from Mother of Divine Grace High School (the school in California in which she is enrolled for a diploma) and discuss "the plan" for 12th grade! It's exciting!
It's challenging!

And, like Laura, herself...it is WONDERFUL!