Sage Advice

Do you know what I am talking about if I say that sometimes domestic peace is palpable? I mean, sometimes when I walk into a house that is particularly peaceful and orderly there is a feeling I get. It makes my shoulders relax. It makes me want to stop talking so loud and just soak it in. More often than not, these are Christ-centered homes - families who are striving in holiness. All I can say is that it is working.

Today, in our house, amid the crush of homework Ben discovered that he had left a critical piece of work at school - and fell apart upon the discovery. I wish I could say that my initial reaction was one of rationality and peace, but since disoganization is one of Ben's signatures - I was terrifically irritated. So after going back and forth with him, I finally got ahold of another parent of a child in Ben's class and she agreed to photocopy the work in question so Ben could get it done. We ran across town - grabbed the paper - ran home to wolf down dinner - and finally began homework much too late. He finished it because I baled him out.

So, later this evening I had to run to a neighbor's house. Immediately upon entering, I got that feeling. Her house was so quiet, it smelled like warm and wholesome food, and her many children were sitting at the kitchen table finishing up a board game. My neighbor is a veteran homeschooler as well. When I finally adjusted my harried voice to the pitch of her home, I explained my evening to her. "That kid is never going to learn," I said. "He is a bright kid but organization is what is going to stand between him and success." Quietly, my neighbor said to me, "You know, in my experience, I have never had to reteach something that my kids have had to learn on their own. Sometimes natural consequences have the biggest impact."

I let the silence and the weight of her statement hit me for a minute. Natural consequences.

She's right.

God bless her.