An Interview with Diana Waring

How lucky am I?  As part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s 1st ever Blog Hop, I have the honor of hosting an interview with Diana Waring!

Many of you will remember how I went on an on about her History Revealed: Ancient Civilizations and the Bible curriculum last year.  Sorry, but it was truly THAT good!  For those of you who missed all the rave, my posts are referenced below for you.

But on to DianaDo you know who Diana Waring is?  She’s a veteran homeschooler, author of the (wonderful) History Revealed series published by Answers in Genesis, and author of two very encouraging books: Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling and Reaping the Harvest: The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling.  She believes “the key to education is relationship” and this idea drips from every one of her publications.  She encourages joyful school time through meaningful activities and real discussions that lead to abundant homeschooling (and a life) that honors our Lord.  Whether you read one of her books, use her curriculum or hear her speak, you will feel the excitement and passion she has for lifelong learning.

Now on to the interview!

What’s your favorite era in history? Would you want to live during that time?

Thank you for asking! This is one of those questions that always makes me smile, because my favorite era in history tends to be the one I am currently studying!  In this case, however, I have just finished months of researching and writing about WWI and WWII—which is definitely NOT my favorite era in history.

To answer your question, though, I would have to say that for myself, I find it easy to romanticize a time period and overlook the difficulties and challenges people living during that era faced.  For instance, I’ve often dreamed of what it would have been like to be one of the women who followed Jesus, supporting His ministry, hearing His teaching.  Can you imagine hearing the Sermon on the Mount in person?  Wow!  However, I must say that I’m really thankful to not live under Roman occupation!  And what an incredible gift it is to have antibiotics, frozen food, cheap books, and store-bought clothing readily available!! This is what I have realized about every time period in every place on earth—there have been and are amazing blessings and stunning challenges for each of us throughout history. 

Why should we teach our children about history?

When I began homeschooling my children in the mid-1980s, there was a lot of fear of “what the world was coming to,” the nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the U.S., and the explosive events occurring in the Middle East.  I had Christian friends who were choosing to not have children because they were so concerned about what was happening in the world.  And, to top it off, I come from a long line of worriers. . .first class worriers! So, it was with much fear and trembling that I set off on the journey of parenting and homeschooling.

In 1992, as we settled into our new home in South Dakota, I began reading a book on world history to my kids, A Child’s History of the World, by Edward Hillyer. He was an engaging and interesting writer, but as I entered the chapter on ancient Egypt, I began to wonder why he wasn’t mentioning anything about Joseph, Moses or the Exodus.  It was through my digging and researching that I began to get more and more perspective on the connection between events described in the Bible and what was taking place in these ancient cultures.  It was so astonishing to begin to see the panorama, and to begin to recognize God’s heart for these different places and people, that one day I realized that God had been utterly faithful and perfectly on-time throughout each era I had studied.  In pondering that, my own fears for the present were suddenly seen in light of God’s faithfulness in history.  He truly is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  So why was I so worried???

That was one of the major watershed events of my life.  Seeing God’s faithfulness throughout history changed my outlook so completely, it brought such hope, faith and perseverance to my personal trials, that I began to share with others the extraordinary benefit of studying history with an eye to God’s works, His ways, and His Word.  Honestly, that is one of the most compelling reasons I know to not only study history, but to dig into it together, sharing, discussing and considering it as a family.

Do you have any advice for parents who are homeschooling teens?

Yes!  Enjoy them.  That is simple to say, but more challenging to do.

As homeschoolers, we have invested SO much time, energy, and prayer into our kids, along with experiencing large doses of frustration and pulling-our-hair-out episodes.  We have tried our best to care for them, protect them, lead them, teach them, guide them, nurture them.  We have tried to teach them to get up in the morning, make their beds, brush their teeth, speak kindly to others, be respectful, work hard, be diligent, finish well, and take out the trash. We want them to love God, love us, love their siblings, and wait for the right person to marry. We have high hopes and tired bodies. 

And then our little ones become teenagers.  They have their own ideas, they are finding their own identities, they need their own space, they like weird clothes, they eat the leftovers without asking, and they growl at you on the way to hibernating in their cave. They want to talk to you at 11:30 p.m., just as you are wearily going to bed, and their ongoing middle-of-the-night conversations take hours.

It’s hard to not become exasperated. It’s difficult to find perspective. It was for us, anyway.  We wondered what on earth had happened to our sweet, helpful kids. . . And, of course, as a homeschool mom, I assumed that I had done everything WRONG!!  Fortunately for me, my husband began to recognize that they were going through that transition time from childhood to adulthood, which includes dramatic mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual changes.  It was like watching a chrysalis as the butterfly begins to emerge—though the process is agonizingly longer.

So, again, my advice would be to enjoy them.  Laugh together (reading funny books out loud helps!), play together, listen to them, encourage them. Set appropriate boundaries about appropriate issues, but do so with tremendous grace and kindness and love, remembering you were once in their shoes. And pray without ceasing.  🙂

Thank you so much, Diana, for sharing your refreshing wisdom (and time)!  What a pleasure it will be to meet you in person someday! 

And guess what? There’s a giveaway!

Just because you stopped by to learn more about Diana, I have a giveaway for you!  One person will win a one-year digital subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine AND one person will win a digital copy of the Schoolhouse Planner.

All you have to do is comment on this post for a chance to win.  You can earn another chance to win if you “like” and leave a comment on my Facebook page.

You only have until Saturday, October 1st to enter.  Hurry!

Rules: Must be 18 or older to enter and provide a valid email address. TOS employees, contractors, product reviewers, and Crew members are not eligible to enter. Winners will be notified via email within two days of the close of the contest.

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Be sure to visit the entire TOS Blog Hop!

Each blog taking part has a giveaway to offer!  During the duration of the Blog Hop, there will be daily giveaways on the Homeschooling With Heart Blog, too!  Oh, and everyone who stops by will receive a free Ana Lyze 9-Pack Bundle!

14 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing! I have enjoyed reading the interviews.

  2. Carol Emmert says:

    We love Diana’s curriculum! She is a precious gift to the HS community

  3. what an interesting interview. thanks diana.

  4. Thank you for this interview. I really needed the reminder about teens today after my 13yo dissolved into tears over a simple school mistake. Now I’m thinking up a way to make her laugh!

  5. Thanks for the interview. As someone just beginning the homeschool journey, it was an encouragement. Thank you!

  6. I am looking forward to using her curriculum in the upcoming years of my homeschool, so thank you for the great interview and the chance to win the goodies!

  7. I haven’t read any of Diana’s books, but I’ll be interested to check them out now. Thanks.

  8. Loved reading her tips about teens!

  9. I really enjoyed reading her advice about teens!

  10. Thank you for the interview!

  11. I love Diana. We have her CD’s and many of her books. Thanks for encouraging me to go through them all again.

    Annie Kate

  12. So True! I have a daughter that growls as she heads to her cave, and wants to wear clothes that do not look like something I would wear, and a son who eats all the leftovers (we have to label stashed treats with “DO NOT EAT. THIS BELONGS TO SO AND SO”) and keeps me up until after midnight some nights lying across my bed talking. So, now I know they must all be the same! Thanks for the article.

  13. I just love your blog!

  14. I hope I’m not to late to enter. Please enter me in the giveaway.
    Blessings
    Diane

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