The past few weeks I have been busy being an askhole to everyone I meet. Should I or should I not homeschool my oldest son? I have done my research. I have found and annoyed local homeschooling families to the brim. I have met with the school teacher and principal more times that I care to admit. I need to stop asking and start doing.
I am already doing school at home with the two younger boys. Will adding the oldest to the mix screw up the dynamic and workable routine we already have set in place? Do I have the patience to teach my oldest with his personality and learning style? How can I balance the added responsibility of his school work with my already full work load? When will I work out? (I had to throw that question in there because, come on, it is very important to me). When will I run my errands and go grocery shopping?
Sometimes, what you think you can’t handle (for me this could possibly be homeschooling), is actually God handing you a gift. Who am I to question God and his constant probing of my heart with the desire to homeschool my children? Who am I to second guess my creator who has given me the gift of teaching others? Who am I to say that I cannot handle being with my own children all the time? That is crazy talk.
I am choosing to take the leap of faith. I am choosing to obey the crazy, scary, stirrings inside my heart and pull my son from his current school. I will be homeschooling him the remainder of the school year. I will be homeschooling three children (1st grade, pre-K, and preschool). Lord help me!!
I am choosing to stop being an askhole and to be proactive and actually do something about all my prayer requests, advice seeking and verbal vomit. This is not a forever thing. Who knows, we might be back at that same school in the fall. But I know that for now, this is what is best for me and my family. This is what is best for my son.
Over the past 8 months, we have moved TWICE. My son has been in three elementary schools. He is just now finishing up the first semester of 1st grade. Our family has been uprooted from our home (which we sold last spring), good friends, and our familiar surroundings. All by choice. All good things. However, all this change has brought upon new change… a behavior issue and low self esteem issue. I believe it is time to focus on regrouping, focusing on my family’s best interest and address the issue of reminding them that they are loved, appreciated, and secure in who they are.
I am taking the leap. I am choosing to grow in my faith and am excited to see where this journey is taking me. All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without benefit of experience.
This decision is not a spontaneous one, a lot of prayer and thoughtful consideration has gone into it. However, I am taking the leap of faith… praying that this is the right decision.
What is an area where you have taken a leap of faith in order to grow?
Family? Fitness? Faith? Food Change?
Janice - The Fitness Cheerleader says
Good luck! I know you can do this!
Rachel says
Thank you! 🙂 And… thank you for listening to my verbal vomit for the past few months as I waded through the questions to make this decision. <3
Bobbie says
You will do awesome at being a homeschooling mom. This might just be one of the best decisions you have made yet though! *grins* I’m a homeschooled teenager and I am SO thankful my parents decided to homeschool me.
Rachel says
Yay! Thank you SO much for your words of encouragement! That means so much to me! 🙂
Miz says
I ADORE THIS as my whole world lately has been on great big leap of faith.
all of it.
Rachel says
Yes, Miz! Your world is one big leap of faith lately! <3
Melinda@LookWhatMomFound...andDadtoo says
i commend you. I know I couldn’t handle it. I hate the homework process so I don’t know how i would handle it all day long. Good luck on this new endeavor!
Rachel says
Thank you! Who knows, I might be sharing in a few weeks how much we should NOT be doing this… OR… we could be loving it. 🙂 I just wanted to stop second guessing and start doing. 🙂
Melanie Longacre says
Congratulations on a decision. I will be praying for you. It can be very hard at first to adjust, but give it time. Remember your homeschool doesn’t always have to be “school” at home. If your boys are having a rough morning with school work, go for a walk and investigate the nature for science or pull out an art project or run errands instead and practice reading and adding at the grocery store or find a field and run relay races for phys. ed. Don’t forget to pray, pray, pray. If I’m not fueled up myself, I can’t begin to give to my children. You’ll find your stride just give it time.
As for the exercise. I have found getting up before my hubby and kiddos and exercising first thing is the best way for me to start my day. Not only do I avoid the, “Oh I’m too tired” issue in the evening (which is almost always after a day of school and chores), but the endorphin release is better than any cup of coffee.
Donna says
Kudos to you! We are thrilled with our son’s elementary school. He is currently in the 4th grade but after he finishes his fifth grade year we will being doing a co-op. He will attend a school/church with other homeschooled kids from 8:30 – 12:30, 3 days a week and the other 2 days at home. I think it’s a good compromise for us. We know for a fact he will not be attending a public middle school. 🙂
Tammy says
Hooray to you for recognizing the gentle finger push of God! This will undoubtedly stretch you, drive you crazy, make you wonder why you did it and BE BLESSED HUGELY.
Our leap right now is having our home for sale and hopefully moving to Texas when we felt prompted by God to do such a thing for our daughter’s future….funny though when we started the process to do that He fell strangely silent, and so as we wait for our home to sell and other pieces to fall in place, we begin to wonder again whether we misunderstood what He was trying to tell us…
Paula @ Frosted Fingers says
Good for you! You can do this! My sister in law is pregnant with number six and she plans to home school them all. So far she’s home schooling her 2nd grader and kindergartner, plus a little work with her preschooler.
Nicole Flowers says
I am glad you are doing something so proactive with your children, good luck with everything!
Rachel says
Thanks! I found that I was being so wishy-washy the past few months and it wasn’t helpful to anyone. I just needed to commit to SOMEthing and this is the decision that we made. 🙂