I look forward to Fridays. Not because it's the last day of the week or because we take Friday off from school. I look forward to Fridays because we don't have a single place we have to be. Every other morning we have to hustle to a therapy appointment. On Fridays we can start slow. Last Friday we cuddled up in the oversized chair by the fireplace. We read books together and stayed in our pajamas for a good portion of the day. We decided to stay snuggled up for our spelling test, because Continue Reading
The Day I Wanted To Throw In The Towel
One week ago I seriously wanted to quit homeschool. Last Monday I had no desire to be his teacher, I just wanted to be his mom. I didn't want to fight about math facts or go round and round about reading. I didn't want to feel guilty when I folded laundry because we should have been learning. I called a local private school and scheduled a tour. That's how serious I was. I was ready to throw in the towel. I didn't care how he received an education, but I was determined I Continue Reading
When Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Sparks Hope
Jackson and I did something outside of our comfort zones yesterday. We joined our local Wild + Free group. We spent a fun morning tramping through the woods, enjoying nature and the crisp winter day. Joining new groups causes both of us a lot of anxiety. We've had too many bad experiences over the years - people who judge, people we aren't accepting of Jackson's differences. Having a child with differences can make it hard to connect. But connection is exactly what we've been lacking Continue Reading
Reading, Writing & Arithmetic {Back to the Basics}
Last week as we got back into the groove of homeschool and weekly therapy sessions, I realized something. Maybe Jackson and I need to get back to the basics. I think what needs to happen - what will lessen the stress of homeschool for the both of us - is if we focus on reading, writing and arithmetic (kind of like the old song goes). Because the truth is, between all the therapy appointments each week and my grandiose homeschool plans, we run out of time to get it all done and then I feel Continue Reading
Will I Ever Feel Equipped?
A few nights ago I sat at the dinner table, head in my hands, and sobbed. The reality that our low-key holiday break was coming to an end and it was time to buckle down with homeschool once again, had me feeling completely overwhelmed. The dawning of a new year - 365 (give or take) days of homeschool - felt paralyzing. Suffocating thoughts swarmed through my head. Jackson's education is on my shoulders. Teaching him to read is my responsibility. Yes, God has called us to Continue Reading