As a homeschooling father, I have come to accept that my days will be taken up with the bizarre.
Case in point: this evening, as I sat and watched one of my favorite movies – Frequency* with Jim Caviezel – alongside my two teenagers, my wife, and our Jack Russell Terrier snuggled next to me, I worked on a geometry test. Why, you ask, did I do such a thing? I am teaching my kids geometry, and I haven’t studied it in depth in 30 years. When I was a classroom teacher, I taught theology, which was much more in my wheelhouse. But I was not immune to the concept, common to all teachers, of simply staying at least one-half step ahead of your students. And so tonight, I, Teacher Daddy, prepped for tomorrow’s lessons, by seeing if I could pass the online test myself. Aced it.
As a sidenote, I do not like online courses, but this was the best option for me and the kids with this particular subject in this particular time. I have chosen to make the most of the situation simply by referencing the e-book, and doing what I do best, which is teaching. Fear not. My whiteboard and dry erase markers are certainly being put to good use.
And that brings me to the main point here. Although I could simply teach my kids the Catholic faith proper – doctrine, liturgy, prayers, spirituality, etc. – I recognize full well that all things point to the Creator. When my daughter asked me today when she would ever use the material we have been covering of late (all things geometric), I told her quite honestly, “The math is a reflection of the mind of God which He imprinted into our human nature. And the logical steps one must take in order to prove the proofs will help you in defending not only His existence but, in fact, EVERYTHING.”
So there you have it. To all my fellow homeschool parents out there, keep at it. It may seem pointless and arduous at times, but it is well worth it in the raising of your children as saints.
Also, my daughter then quipped that most people her age are actually brainless and that she’s already well ahead of the game. Smart girl.
By the way, I found X. Little bastard was hiding in the corner like a Bergoglian pansy cardinal. See figure below.
And speaking of raising children… I would like to take a moment to address fathers of adolescent boys specifically. I have recently come across a series of videos on YouTube by the Franciscan Friars Minor. If you have a teenage son, check out the short talk embedded below. The subject matter is a little delicate, but absolutely necessary for your son’s salvation. God gave him to you. And he gave you the task of making him a man. And all men at some point in their lives will struggle with impurity. Make sure you take this bull by the horns and don’t shy away because it’s awkward for you. Your son will learn by your example how to be a man of virtue. He will one day, if not immediately, respect you for tackling what is difficult. I think Fr.’s points might get lost in some of his examples (not sleeping on one’s stomach, for instance), but let’s be 100% honest here. We all know what he’s talking about. Men are built differently than women. And all men must guard themselves against impurity, and that starts by being trained properly, lovingly, and tactfully by the man they admire most naturally– their own dad.
*Frequency is a good movie. There are (and I hadn’t remembered this) a few instances of the blasphemous use of God’s name where I found myself and my kids bowing our heads and saying “Blessed be the name of God”. If you choose to watch this movie, I recommend highly that you use a scrubbing service like ClearPlay.
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 