“Never Surrender” Homeschooling

“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”

Powerful words indeed.

It was 76 years ago tomorrow that Winston Churchill gave his inspiring “Never Surrender” speech. He gave the speech on June 4, 1940 at the beginning of what was to become one of the greatest fights for human freedom known to mankind. The resolve it took to win this war became legendary with Churchill emerging as a figure that will always be remembered for his pluck, determination and resolve that inspired his nation and the world.

Winston Churchill holds a special place in my heart since my father, then a Naval photographer, took an amazing picture of him when he landed in Bermuda on Dec 1, 1953. Take a look at my dad’s picture below. You can see Churchill and foreign secretary Anthony Eden as they watch Dwight Eisenhower’s plane land on the small island of Bermuda.  Check out the storm clouds in the sky symbolizing the uneasy reason for the Bermuda Summit… the growing Soviet Nuclear threat.

A few months back, while in London recording our latest Audio Adventure, Beric The Briton, I had a chance to visit the famous Churchill War Rooms. This was the underground bunker in the center of London that Churchill used to prosecute England’s war against the Nazis. The tour was so fascinating to me that I actually came back a second time and brought a cameraman so our Live The Adventure readers could get a little dose of what it’s like to be there. Hope you like it.

What’s the takeaway on all of this?

Simply this: The importance of resolve.

We all know this, but it’s important to remind each other and to teach our kids.

It’s true. Anything worth doing in life is going to take resolve. That means not only keeping your head when things get crazy, but also working hard even when you don’t feel like it. Churchill inspired freedom-loving people all over the world to “press on” when things looked their darkest.

As a homeschooling family, you know the skies are often full of dark clouds.  You have as many challenges as any single group in the country. But against all odds… you must press on.

Here’s the best part: Your children learn profound lessons when watching you… press on. Read that again. It’s not so much what you say to your kids… (though that’s important too).

It’s what you do that counts.  It’s how you press on under pressure. Your kids are always watching and modeling your behavior. The great part about using “Churchill-like resolve” in your homeschooling efforts is that you are passing on the most important lesson in life:

Hard work wins the day.

I’ll leave you with one more great Churchill quote: 

“Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.”

Take a moment to talk about Churchill’s resolve and what it meant to the world then and what it means to the world today. It’s a pretty big deal.

Blessings,

Bill Heid

Executive Producer

Heirloom Audio Productions

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our new Audio Adventure, Beric The Briton. The story goes way back to early England and is a model lesson in resolve for you and your kids. Use coupon code CHURCHILL to get half off our Beric The Briton Family Four Pack.