The other day, I came across a reel on Instagram of Eva Mendez defending her choice to have children after 35 and stay home to raise them. The post had almost 90k views and sparked a fierce debate in the comments.
"I don't agree!!" One mom chimed in. "Old moms are a bigger challenge! Just wait til they're teenagers, and then you can talk about how it's going for you!"
Another mom shared, "We need to stop glorifying working moms—stay-at-home moms should also get the glory!"
Hear me out here:
The glory belongs to God.
It's time for us to stop justifying our parenting choices to the world and looking left and right for validation that our choices are good ones. We are on God's time. There is no right way to do motherhood. The public school system isn't all bad. Homeschoolers are not isolated. Moms are allowed to work and enjoy it. Moms are also allowed to stay home with their children guilt-free. Dads can be the stay-at-home parent. Working moms can homeschool. And everyone is entitled to help through it all.
Before becoming a teacher, I was a freelance writer and editorial assistant for several magazines. I also worked at Gotham Writer's Workshop in NYC. My work fulfilled me, and my daughter was always excited to come to work with me, see what I did, and meet my coworkers. She was proud of my work and talked so much about what she wanted to be when she grew up. When I became a teacher in traditional schools, my girls went to school with me. They'd help me set up my classroom, and they loved attending the school where I worked. When I became a stay-at-home homeschooling mom, my daughters loved our time together and the ease of our days. They enjoyed learning things together, planting a garden, cooking meals, and taking impromptu trips. All of these seasons of life were equally fruitful and worthy,
When I went back to Columbia for my master's in education, the schedule coordinator struggled to accommodate me because I had a family. I once asked her in conversation to make my name synonymous with the word "flexibility." "In my world, I am everything to everyone, and I need you to be able to work with me," I said.
I've dedicated my life to creating a hybrid learning center that gives families options. Life doesn't have to be all or nothing. Our families' needs change by the day.
Parents, whatever path you choose, you are right.
We can have our children whenever we are called to.
Working parents can still homeschool.
Homeschooling parents can outsource support.
Children can have a safe and nurturing homeschool experience outside of the home.
Ultimately, our children will always be loved, and we'll move according to God's plan for our lives and for His glory alone.
Join us for an info session with founder Amanda Lucas on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Enrollment for the 24/25 school year is open and filling up quickly.
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