Continuing the theme of humility in The Intellectual Life, Sertillanges reminds us that we cannot do everything. Once we have laid a foundation of broad knowledge, we should seek out our particular specialty and leave the rest to others:
In the first place, each individual has his capabilities, his resources, his interior or exterior difficulties, and each has to ask himself whether it would be wise to cultivate equally the things he is made for and those that are more or less beyond his grasp. To overcome a difficulty is good; it must be done; but intellectual life must not be an unbroken series of acrobatic feats. It is very important to work in joy, therefore with relative ease, therefore in the direction of one’s aptitudes. By going forward at first on different paths each one must discover himself, and when he has found out his special vocation, pursue it. (pg. 119)
I think this can have broader application to our work as homeschooling moms. We cannot teach everything well – sometimes we need outside help and that is okay. Each of our homeschools will look different according to the interests and abilities we as mother-teachers have, the opportunities and resources we have, and the strengths and
struggles of each of our children.
It can also apply to our children as they reach the teen years and start preparing for a particular job or further education. We introduce them to many ideas and areas of knowledge when they are younger, and we continue to give that liberal education in the high school years; but we also recognize that they will need to start to narrow their focus and pursue the areas of study they are interested in more deeply, and that requires time. An example in our family is robotics. It has become a rite of passage of sorts for our kids to participate in the First Lego League when they turn nine – Mr. L is looking forward to it in the fall, and Mr. R will probably follow suit in a couple of years. It is an opportunity for them not only to learn about robotics, but to practice teamwork and speaking skills, among other things. But the high school level robotics is much more intense and time-consuming, and I would not make my kids do it unless they had the interest. There are many other classes and extracurricular activities that might better fit their particular bents, and it is important that their schedules not be overfilled. Miss A took a break of several years from robotics until deciding on her own to do it this year. High school is a time for young people to start pursuing that “special vocation”, and it may look very different for each of our children.
