In a school setting, a child is "forced" to grow up and conform to the image of others, in order to fit into his social circle, be accepted and well-liked. Well, this is the norm of every human being, apart from walking in the identity of sonship ----- acceptance.
It's extremely challenging especially among the new generation in the nation of Singapore. I won't dare to say that it's simple as believers.
But my wife and I knew this and we chose a different path for our child.
Last night, my son (going through puberty) came to hug me from the back as I was doing some work. He rested his face on my shoulder. I paused from what I was doing, and kissed him. This made me reflect and thus, wrote this post.
I love it whenever he hugs me. And I love to hug him too. I do not know how long this would last. But I would love it to be as long as possible.
I know it would be different if he were to go to school. The school culture, though unspoken, equates puberty with a tad of shame and embarrassment. Hugging and kissing by parents are generally a No-No and fret upon by these growing teens.
But my wife and I have the privilege to journey with him through the puberty process without any shame or embarrassment. We believe that it will be different from cultural, social and worldly norms because we homeschool him.
He's a lovely boy who holds my hand and stays close to me when we are out in the streets. Most boys in puberty will try to avoid that. But I personally don't believe that this is not possible between a father and a son. We are called into intimacy just as God the Father and us are.
Of course, he does the same to my wife, who is the opposite gender.
This is one benefit of homeschooling that I would not trade for anything else. No amount of material wealth can replace this rich treasure.
If you are exploring homeschooling, this post is for you. You will never regret extending your parenting through this process.
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