When we began to consider homeschooling our children, it was with the idea that we would do it for two or three years and then enroll them in a Christian school. We also agreed that since the burden of home schooling would fall on my wife, she would only do it as long as she could retain her sanity.  

There was a point in the beginning  where my wife was home schooling two children and caring for two preschoolers at the same time.  The younger two had no idea how important this schooling was to their older siblings, nor did they care.  Their blissful ignorance of what was going on in the home only added to the challenge before my wife.  

My task in all of this was administration.  I provided the funds for the textbooks, satellite feed, and supplies required to keep things in operation.  I was called upon to be an enforcer and to help discipline.  I was careful to require respect from the  students toward their mother and teacher.  They were taught that disrespect to her was considered to be disrespect to me. 

The most important task that I had, however, was to listen to my wife on a daily basis.   This task, by the way, was an act of God for us because it did not come to me naturally.

Let me explain.  Each day, when arriving home, I learned by the grace of God to sit down with my wife and listen to how the day went, including the problems or victories that came with it.  I did not listen while reading the paper (I may have at first) or while messing with my cell phone (not sure we even had cell phones when we began) or while watching the news on TV. 

I learned to listen to her, because all day long she had had no adult conversation.  Listening to her assured her that she was not in this alone.  Eventually, I learned that she did not need advice necessarily or quick solutions.  What she needed and wanted from me was my unwavering support and encouragement.

As a husband and father, I learned some things about my wife and mother of our children through this process of home schooling that I did not understand previously.  I learned that she would literally waste herself to care for our family.  I also learned that I could  stand by and watch her do it; I could pursue my own agenda (so I wouldn’t have to watch her do it); or I could keep her from killing herself by participating in the care and raising of our children.  By the way, she is still alive and she is still sane.  

Whether or not you are homeschooling, every Christian husband should be watching out for his wife, particularly if you have little ones.  Homeschooling only adds to the burden mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  If you as a husband and father are not willing to partner with her in sharing this burden then you should probably not add homeschooling to her agenda.  

One of the characteristics of a Spirit filled (controlled) believer (husband) is that he loves his wife as he loves his own body.  You do the math.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways that I love my own body.

 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  Ephesians 5:28&29