The other day, I attended a memorial service at my church. When it was time to get ready, I went to my closet and picked out a dark skirt. I chose a top that was a fall color but muted. Nothing flashy, but still dressy enough. Since the skirt and top were both solid colors, I chose a long necklace that would break up the plain expanse of burgundy. I added boots, and my outfit was complete.

When I returned home after the service, I went back to my closet and made different selections. This time, I picked out some comfy pants, a T-shirt, a hoodie, and wool socks. It's starting to get chilly here in Michigan, and I needed clothes that would keep me warm while homeschooling. Clothes that would be practical for housework.

Why am I writing about what I wore? Choosing clothes is a good analogy for the way we should approach our curriculum. BJU Press Homeschool is like a walk-in closet filled with wonderful educational choices.

There are video lessons and teacher's editions, so we can choose how to give instruction each day. There are different types of assignments. We choose whether each child needs writing practice, a workbook page, or a hands-on activity. We decide whether or not our children need review or enrichment. It's up to us whether or not our children complete every page or answer every problem.

How do we decide? We pick from the closet based on what is needed each day. What does this child need? What does my family need? What will get the point across? What will time allow? Homeschool moms and dads, we can answer these questions for our kids better than anyone else, and these daily decisions are within our control.

Do we ever wear all the clothes in the closet simultaneously? Obviously not. I'm mentally trying this out right now. I can imagine a very round and puffy me, complete with many different colored cardigans layered on top. It's silly.

I'm having a good time laughing at the sight in the mirror. But now I'm thinking about how that would feel. Cushy, yes, but the sleeves! You know that feeling when you're wearing layers, and one of the sleeves is crumpled up underneath? Ugh.

So many layers and none of them fit properly anymore. I don't even want to try to imagine putting on several pairs of pants. Uncomfortable. Tight. I just heard the pop of stitches ripping somewhere. Laughter would fade pretty quickly into frustration. I would be hot and irritated and probably stuck. The clothes would cease to serve their purpose and would instead become a hindrance to my goals. I wouldn't be able to do much of anything at all.

If this is true, why do we try to do every single activity and assignment in the curriculum? There comes a point when too much is too much. We only need to wear one sweater at a time. Do we feel bad about the clothes that we didn't choose to wear today?

No! We picked out what we needed, knowing that there are more choices that will meet our needs tomorrow. Do we get rid of all the clothes we didn't wear today and just wear the same clothes every single day? We have our go-to staples, of course, but occasions will arise when we need something else.

We wear different kinds of clothes to a wedding than we wear when we go hiking. We keep items in the closet that are appropriate for swimming and others for playing in the snow. Options wait, ready and available, for the day we need them.

This is what BJU Press Homeschool does for us. It provides us with resources. We don't have to look for another assignment or activity to help us teach a lesson. We have a closet full of options. Approach the curriculum with your unique needs in mind. Choose something appropriate that fits the occasion and fulfills the purpose each day. Pick elements that suit each child, and feel free to vary your choices as you go. We have an abundance of wonderful options available to us!

Ask a HomeWorks Consultant how BJU Press Homeschool materials can work for your family and how you can receive special pricing.