TEARS....

You were probably looking for Cheryl today, but she’s taking sometime off. If you read her blog two weeks ago then you know she is now homeschooling her 3 nephews along with her 2 boys….phew! So, like all good teachers who find themselves with more students then the year before, there is a great adjustment to make and leisurely time to write a blog just isn’t there. So, hopefully she will be able to give us a couple of “guest” pieces this school year. Cheryl, we wish you the best and really do look forward to hearing how things are coming along. Sasha and I are now the main bloggers for “Homeschool Thursday”. Hold onto your hats ladies, this might turnout to be one bumpy ride…LOL!!!

Tears are something that is very common place in homeschooling. It can be the student or it can be mom. There might even be a day where it is both. ~Smile~ Now you might assume that when someone is crying that is not good, but the truth is—it can be a good thing.

Last week my granddaughter cried because she was very frustrated over her math. Variables seem to be giving her a bit of a problem. When she started to cry I told her to go upstairs and have a good cry. We were blessed that Tovah was home and I asked her to go in and talk to her. See, Tovah had a hard time with Algebra in 8th grade and she remembers the tears too, but she was also able to tell her niece that with tutoring she ended up with all “A’s”! She encouraged her that if she just kept plugging away, she was going to get it. This was all good because she got to cry out her frustration and she was also given hope that things will change.

I started homeschooling Tovah in 2nd grade and the curriculum that I chose had already started preparing the students in 1st grade to write in cursive and so Tovah had a little bit of catching up to do in that area. In her basic subjects Tovah was doing all 3rd grade work, and some of her lessons were to be written in cursive. This sort of threw a monkey wrench in the works for us. It caused me to push her really hard in writing in cursive when she was doing the best she could for her age. One day she burst into tears after I fussed with her about penmanship. It made me feel like such a failure as a mother and then I began to doubt if I had really heard God in homeschooling her. So, I went in my bedroom and cried for her and me.

The blessing was that I had school teachers in my life who I went to with the problem and when they all said that 2nd and 3rd grade was pretty early for demanding so much to be written in cursive — I felt much better. And one friend came over to see Tovah’s work and reassured me that for her age and motor skills she was doing excellent work.

I just want to encourage homeschool moms who find themselves crying or their children crying that it is okay and it comes with the territory. And not to let the bumps cause you to doubt what God has told you to do. My first year of homeschooling was a rollercoaster ride when it came to “Did I hear God right on this?” Every time I found myself at a hurdle (whether my finances or homeschooling itself) I would begin to doubt God and myself.

If you are struggling right now because this is your first year of homeschooling or just a more challenging and difficult year, I want you to be encouraged that God is with you. Because you were called to homeschool your child or children, it doesn’t mean that everything will come up roses, but it does mean that you have been obedient to God’s call and with obedience comes a blessing.

Don’t isolate yourself in your feelings, because that is one of the quickest ways to become discouraged. All homeschooling moms need a mentor (one who has been there done that) and a good friend who will listen and encourage you.

Yes, Tovah did learn how to write all assignments required in cursive by the end of the school year and she made the honor roll each trimester. But she still writes too small for my liking, (LOL!) yet it hasn’t caused her any problems in high school. ~Smile~


Love & Hugs
Ponnie

Next Thruday: Another great homeschooling story, but you will have to tune in to see who writes it! ~Smile~

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