A letter to my child from a homeschooling mom shares building a legacy by writing a letter on your child’s birthday every year with thoughts and joys!
I’m always on the lookout for good books. Last year, Kerri suggested Her Mother’s Hope, by Francine Rivers. It is an incredible story of a woman named Marta and the choices she made as a mother, and how those choices shaped her children and grandchildren.
I consumed the entire 512 pages in roughly a day and a half! Then I was left counting the days until she published the conclusion to the story, Her Daughter’s Dream. That one took a little longer, maybe a week, because I had a new baby to cuddle. If you have a mother, you should read these books!
What does a book have to do with my habits?
A Letter To My Child From A Homeschooling Mom
Throughout the story, Marta is writing to her childhood friend in Switzerland, and it is through these letters that you get to understand the true feelings behind her actions. I won’t say any more about the story, only that one of the things that really struck me was how important it is to communicate with my children and how much I would love to have something like that from my own mother, a diary or something to help me understand the feelings and events that shaped the way I was raised.
Dear Child: Writing a Letter and Leaving a Lasting Legacy
I decided then that I would begin writing letters to my children – a journal for each one of them where I can record all those thoughts that are hard to share with a toddler who won’t sit still for more than a minute, or with a ten-year old who wants nothing more than to play with Legos or ride his bike.
My plan is to write each of them a letter on their birthday every year and any other time I have thoughts I’d like to share. I’ll record special occasions, like learning to ride a bike and coming to know Christ. I’ll write to them about my own joys and struggles as a their mom, difficult decisions and special moments. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll give the books to them when they turn 18, leave for college, or when they get married, but I know I want them to have them before they have children of their own.
More Help for the Homeschool Mom
- Have a Back to Homeschool Planning Date with each of your children! (ideas here)
- Just Step Outside: A Break for the Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom
- Relaxing Art Activities for Busy Moms
- Homeschool Mom Helps
- How to Make a Schedule for Your Homeschool Day
- A Homeschool Mom’s Routine
- Part 2 – Imperfect Edition
- Part 3 – Getting Mom Ready
- Survivor Edition – A homeschool mom’s routine with a new baby
- Taking Care of You! The Homeschool Mom
- How to Start a Homeschool Routine
- Help for the Anxious Homeschool Mom
-by Kendra, Life Untethered, January 2011
I loved the books and I love this idea. I actually bought journals for each of the kids, to write in on their birthdays, but have not been close to being consistent.
Since it’s a new year and no one has had a birthday, you have inspired me to start anew!
This just made me cry…I loved those books and now reading this you have given me something else I can do for my kids. We do the birthday journals but I love this as well!
Michel’s has beautiful journals in their $1 section at the moment, I know where I’ll be heading!
BTW, another good author/series to read is Liz Curtis Higgs ‘Thorn in my Heart’ and ‘Leave a Candle Burning’
Beautiful! And I have heard so much about this book series. Must be next on my list!
I wish I had done that! I am not even done with their baby books!
Can I rewind 17 years? (Sounds like an idea for another post… =)
Love it, Love it, Love it!!