When I first contemplated homeschooling my kids, it’s mainly because I was dazzled by all the fancy homeschool bloggers who have creative Revolutionary War battles with their kids, make lunch to represent the layers of the earth and then have an exegetical Bible study and conjugate Latin verbs before lunch.

I wanted to be that homeschooler. I’m not.

In fact, my kids are only part-time homeschoolers. They attend a school two days a week and three days we are at home. And there is no Latin.

But one thing I have learned from homeschoolers is how purposeful they are. There’s major parent forethought that I admire.

And since Latin and war re-enactments aren’t my thing, I’ve learned to take some of that purposefulness and forethought and lead it to the area that I am passionate about–impressing God’s Word on my kids’ heart.

It’s not anything revolutionary. It’s all about integrating God into every area of your life. It’s that whole walk along the road thing. The more you can add God’s Word into the normal parts of your day, the more your kids will see and know and turn to God in the normal parts of their day.

Want some examples? Good, because I’ve got some.

1. Do a devotional book with your kids. Gah! I know what you’re thinking. WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT? Well, no one has time to do the 365-daily-devos the Christian bookstores put out. But there are some great 40 day or 10 week devotionals you can do simply by placing the book on your dinner table. The first person done eating can read the chapter aloud and you can talk about it while you’re eating or cleaning up. And if it takes you 6 months to complete because you’re eating PBJ in the car on the way to soccer practice, that’s ok! When you are home, you are focusing on the Bread of Life around your table.

2. Use your phone with your kids! There are all kinds of great Bible-based, devotional apps (I’m kinda partial to Yancy’s Roots for the Journey) or online videos (Minno 5 minute devotions is my fave!) that you can do together ANYWHERE. Find yourself sitting on the sidelines with Kid #1 while Kid #2 is doing ballet? Grab your  phone and instead of Angry Birds (or whatever the kids are playing these days), read the devotion, do the activity or just talk about it. Easy peasy.

3. Listen to a CD with your kids! A CD? Yikes. How old school! Many kids Bible storybooks have audio versions that come with the book. Keep those CDs in your car and while you’re doing your taxi-mom thing, listen to one track. When it’s done, talk about what you just heard or let the kids get back to their conversation about vacation and homework, it’s ok!

Did you notice something about this list? Each item ends “with your kids” because really that’s the important part. You can give your kids the whole What’s in the Bible? series and buy every book at the Christian bookstore but if you’re not interacting with it with your kids, it’s not going to do much.

Walking around talking about the Lord with your kids will place little seeds in their heart. It will place anchors in their life. It will cause them to see with Scripture-colored glasses. Not because you schooled them on God but because you showed them how God is before all things, and how in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).

So, while you’re going back to school, homeschool or otherwise, pack your own little backpack with something that will help you lead your kids to Jesus!

Amanda White

ohAmanda.com