What are you thankful for?
Her answers are simple, story and they come quickly:
- My mommy and daddy
- My sissy
- My mice
- The cats
- My favorite toy
Mine are sometimes harder to come by. While I can respond quickly that I’m thankful for my family, healing our home, and friends, I sometimes have trouble remembering other blessings when the bills are piling up, the weight of diagnoses and medical issues is pressing down, and I’m stressed about what tomorrow holds. I have even doubted the wisdom of homeschooling when well-meaning people criticize our choices and tell me how much easier our lives would be if I went back to work and put the girls in public school.
But instead of seeing it as a burden, homeschooling is rising higher on my list of blessings. We began homeschooling for certain reasons, but God has revealed new reasons each year that confirm the rightness of His leading us to homeschool. I’m thankful that, for once, we obeyed the first time He called us. With my younger daughter’s medical conditions, learning disabilities, and other issues that have recently come to our attention, in addition to her personality and temperament, I see that other educational choices would not serve her as well. The individualized lesson plans, one-on-one instruction, and schedule flexibility are exactly what she needs.
I realize that this path is not for everyone, but it is the path we have been called to. It has become a way of life for our family, and I am thankful for it.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV1984)
In this season of Thanksgiving, what blessings are at the top of your gratitude list?
This Wednesday’s Special Needs Support was written by Special Needs writer, Jennifer
Thank-you so much, Jennifer! What a beautiful reminder of God’s leading and His blessings. We homeschool our son and our daughter is in a local charter school. My older child needs the structure and competition and people that come with being in a school. She is really thriving there and I’m so glad she’s doing well. My son has had some learning difficulties and started school at the charter school. The staff and school district really tried hard but he just basically gave up. I pulled him home a year ago at Thanksgiving and it was one of the best decisions we ever made. He has grown by leaps and bounds over this last year. I’m so glad we listened to the Lord and brought him home. He is becoming MORE social since he’s not so stressed by the over-stimulation of a school. As he is relaxing and becoming more confident in learning, the coping behaviors that made him seem so odd are falling away and he’s the kid I know even when he’s in a crowd. I’m seeing signs of a hidden disability (dysgraphia) that I think really made school impossible for him and am scheduling with a specialist for more testing so I can find out what therapies will help him. This call isn’t for everyone but I’m so blessed that it’s for me and that God uniquely prepared me to parent and school this incredibly smart and funny kid.
Bless you for posting and may God continue to gently lead you as your parent and teach your children.
di
It’s wonderful that your children are thriving at home with you! Your story is so inspiring! Thank you for sharing it.
I hope you get the answers you need in the evaluations so you can get him other interventions that will help him even more!
Thank you so much for this Jennifer, My daughter is being treated for some special needs and I too have been criticized especially by her doctors for homeschooling her. I have been told she can get so much help if I would just put her back in public school! Some days are harder then others, but I thank God for this time I have with her.
It is hard to stay the course when you’re getting opposing views from those around you—especially professionals you count on to help you! I’m glad things are working out for you right now and hope they smooth out even more as you go!
Jennifer, sometimes the opposing voices can have a shred of truth but so often they just sell what they’ve been sold: that all kids are better off in public school, and you have to have an “expert” to handle a child with special needs. I’m a firm believer that parents know their kids best, and having tried out that special Ed system I can truly say “it’s not all that”! Homeschooling is a blessing and thanks for the timely reminder for me today.
You’re welcome, and thanks for the encouraging words! I agree about criticism often having a shred of truth. We often pray about different aspects of our situation to make sure we’re still doing what’s best for our family. I’m glad homeschooling blesses your family too.