by Nan Keltie

Created on: June 02, 2009   Last Updated: June 03, 2009

If spending quality time together strengthens a relationship - and it does - then families who home school have quite an advantage. When the following C's are in place, they help bring the family closer together:

Common interests ~

One of the privileges of having common interests is scheming and dreaming together. Side by side, parents and children make daily discoveries - in the back yard, at the beach, in the forest or on the farm. Each child may have different learning styles, but they all take away something from the experience.

Take, for example, the family camping trip: You pack your bags, head to a state park and spend the weekend in the great outdoors. Not everyone has to do the same thing at the same time. Some of you may go fishing while others go rock climbing.

Around the campfire that evening, you share your experiences and learn from one another. Because wherever you go, you grow - in knowledge, experience and skills. It is your common interest, being outdoors, that brings you closer together.

Communication ~

Communication is a natural response to spending copious amounts of time together. Home school families have the privileges and responsibilities that go with being together day in and day out. It is in the living and learning process that our communication skills develop and improve.

Sharing ideas, disappointments and dreams, our hearts are open and exposed to those who know us best. We laugh and cry together, work and play together and always maintain loyalty and integrity within the family unit. Though we are growing closer together, we also communicate with others. We reach out to new neighbors, senior citizens and serve in our churches and communities.

Commitment ~

Life happens, or so the saying goes. But in life, all the experiences we face make us a closer family unit. A grandparent's death means we huddle together for comfort. The birth of a new sibling brings joy and laughter. The loss of a job and moving to another home can be a trying experience, but it is shared. In the ups and downs of life, we are still a family.

Commitment means sticking with it - and with each other. Through the adjustments, celebrations, illnesses, and vacations, we are connected and committed to our family. Memories are made together and bring us closer together in the process.

Home schooling gives families plenty of time and opportunity to build relationships. It allows us to draw closer through everyday experiences. It means we must think outside ourselves and consider the family unit first. With common goals, communication and commitment in place, home education is like a worthy investment. The more we put into it, the more valuable it becomes.

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