Young children love companionship and can seldom enjoy themselves alone. They yearn for sympathy and tenderness. That which they enjoy they think will please mother also, and it is natural for them to go to her with their little joys and sorrows. The mother should not wound their sensitive hearts by treating with indifference matters that, though trifling to her, are of great importance to them. Her sympathy and approval are precious. An approving glance, a word of encouragement or commendation, will be like sunshine in their hearts, often making the whole day happy.
Ellen White
Encouragement for homeschool moms comes from many sources. Knowing of other mother's who cherished this role is encouraging, especially when they are from years past. Moses had a mother who homeschooled him until he was twelve years old. What precious years those must have been for her, as she knew that her time with him was short and so all that she taught to him was of great importance.
The book, Patriarchs and Prophets, shares stories and illustrations of Old Testament individuals and how God touched their lives. This quote on page 244 shares about Moses and his mother:
"She kept the boy as long as she could, but was obligated to give him up when he was about twelve years old. From his humble cabin home he was taken to the royal palace, to the daughter of the Pharaoh, and he became her son. Yet even here he did not lose the impressions received in childhood. The lessons learned at his mother's side could not be forgotten. They were a shield from the pride, the infidelity, and the vice that flourished amid the splendor of the court...."
"The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of a Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this. Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings unto God, to reign through unending ages."
