Reprogramming Your Homeschool Mindset

A Lesson from The Terminator

Lynn Pierre
September 16, 2024

FOR THE LOVE OF HOMESCHOOLING

The Homeschool Program

Reprogramming Your Homeschool Mindset: A Lesson from “The Terminator”

Remember Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator? His cyborg character was programmed for one thing: completing his mission. No emotions, no second-guessing, just action. He was on autopilot.

Now, think about your role as the leader of your homeschool. Did you feel prepared for this? Probably not! Most of us weren’t raised in the homeschool world. We were conditioned, or “programmed,” to follow traditional paths—just like our parents. But here we are, choosing a different way, stepping outside the standard educational system.

What Does It Mean to Be Programmed?

The term program means to cause someone to behave in a predetermined way. In The Terminator, the cyborg was given a clear directive and it followed it without hesitation, displaying relentless focus. The robot’s rigid obedience to its programming highlights the difference between machine-like behavior and human free will.

But here’s a question: In what ways are you programmed? It’s not just about what you think you should do; it’s about what you do on autopilot, without thinking.

Consider this: What happens when you’re running late for an appointment or when someone cuts you off in traffic? You react instantly, right? You don’t pause to analyze the situation; you just feel a certain way, because your thinking drives your feelings, and your feelings drive your behavior.

Over time, we stop consciously examining why we do what we do, even when it’s not serving us well. So, the real question is: How do you want to be programmed?

Reprogramming Your Homeschool Mindset

As a homeschooling parent, what’s most important to you? Academics? Faith? Relationships? Socialization? Take a moment and ask your kids what they think is most important. Ask your spouse. If their answers don’t align with yours, it might be time for a mental reset.

James 1:22 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” In other words, it’s time for action.

Steps to Reprogramming Yourself for Homeschool Success:

1. Define Your Vision: Write down what you truly want from your homeschool experience. Be so specific that a stranger could read it and know exactly what you’re striving for.

2. Find a Mentor: Identify someone who has achieved the results you desire. Get close to them—have lunch, read their books, follow their content. Absorb how they think and act.

3. Adjust with God’s Guidance: Allow God to shape your expectations—whether they need to be raised or lowered—and possibly give you new desires for your homeschool journey.

4. Take Action: Begin actively working toward becoming the homeschooling parent you’re called to be. Don’t just think about it—do it.

As Epictetus once said, “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

After you’ve gone through this process, circle back to your family. Ask them again: What do they think is most important in your homeschool? Chances are, their answers—and yours—will have evolved.

Reprogramming isn’t just for machines. It’s about consciously shaping the way you lead your homeschool so that you can guide your family toward the outcomes you truly desire.

Take control of your programming, and you’ll take control of your homeschool journey.