Do you think there is a market for a book called “The Worst-Case Scenario Homeschool Survival Handbook”? Maybe not, but I do have a short article that may help, called “Homeschooling without Fear.“ I hope it will help you feel like a survivor.
Six months before I first started homeschooling, I was stricken with severe dizziness, and the doctors did tests to see if I had a brain tumor, or multiple sclerosis. As I lay on my swirling-yet-stationary couch, I wondered how I would be able to homeschool in my condition. But watching the situation in the public school, I was aware that SICK OR NOT, I could still do a better job than they were doing, because my son’s teacher was on medical leave too! I thought a lot about these issues before we even began, and became convinced I would stick it out.
I have never been faced with a truly horrendous situation while homeschooling, and I hope you haven’t either. But just in case, I hope you will remember that there is a way to survive while homeschooling.
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Alana says:
Thank you.
My mom is now in hospice, and it is so nice to be able to take my kids up to visit with her during the week and spend time with her before she dies.
For the past 18 months my mother has been battling leukemia…she lives 2 hours away from me. There have been times that I thought about putting the kids in school because it can get overwhelming at times…but I realized that would add a whole new sort of stress into my life.
Not to mention, being with my kids all day has actually helped, they are such a lovely and fun distraction.
January 11th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Lee says:
Dear Alana,
They are also learning important things about care-giving, health, life and death. As a nurse, I know those are very important things to teach our children about. Think how “solid” they will be at the other side of this journey!
Blessings,
Lee
January 11th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Tricia says:
Dear Lee,
Thank you so much for this! My husband is constantly telling me this same thing but homeschooling has been very difficult over the past few years. I have chronic Lyme disease and two of my daughters have it. I’m thankful that they are home and can rest when they need and that I can meet their needs but I always feel guilty about my healthy high schooler who basically schooled herself last year. I have difficulty with cognition so many days I don’t feel like I can have intelligent discussions with her. This year is better and I’m glad I didn’t give up but I do still feel guilty at times because I want her to have the best opportunities and be challenged. Thank you again for the encouragement.
September 17th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Nancy says:
In our homeschooling journey over the last 20 years we have have multiple “worse case scenarios”. When our youngest was 2 weeks old she had to have emergency surgery. The healing process of this type of surgery is very painful. She screamed for 6 months, sleeping only 4 hours total a day. The rest of the day and night she screamed. Then my husband’s aunt had bone cancer and needed care. Since she had no children and other relatives in the area would not help, her care rested with me for quite sometime, until we were finally able to find others outside the family who were willing to help.
Our third daughter came down with diabetes in 8th grade having to take to 5 shots a day and still not being able to keep her glucose level steady. For weeks at a time she would bounce from the 30-40 range to 300+ repeatedly within a day. On days when her levels were steady she often could not stay a wake as the insulin she was on made her sleepy to the degree that she once fell asleep while on the treadmill. She fell so far behind in her homeschooling we were not sure if it was even possible for her to graduate. Though we did not think she was academically ready we decided we had to try and enrolled her in the local community college. By doing so she was able to graduate from high school only 3 semesters later than usual and got a head stare on college.
Now we are still homeschooling and caring for my mom who had a severe stroke. She lost the use of her right side and her speech. We just found out that we have been doing therapy with her for the last 5 months on a broken leg and a broken arm. Seems these were broken during her short nursing home stay. Since she can not speak we had no way of knowing she was in pain. When we finally realize there might be a problem it took nearly 3 months to get a dr. to order an x-ray. We have found that as much time can be spent fighting the medical establishment as spent caring for a loved one.
It often seems like our family goes from one crisis to another. From job loss to medical problems with our kids, to taking in other kids whose parents could not homeschool them for awhile, to care-giving of relatives, to putting on a wedding 5 days after a graduation open house with only 5 weeks notice of the wedding date due to a crisis in the young man’s family….. All while homeschooling and running a homeschooling business helping other homeschoolers.
Dealing with these have made us stronger as a family and taught our kids the value of helping others and dealing with crisises but keeping them in perspective. They have learned that our strength comes from the Lord at the time it is needed. That all we can do is take one day, one moment at a time and not borrow worry for tomorrow.
As we are going down the homestretch, our last one is in 9th grade, it has all been worth it. My advice to others is, the Lord would not call you to homeschooling then leave you when trials come. He is there everyday. Look to Him. He will get you through.
November 15th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Lee says:
Dear Nancy,
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing! Parents who are really in the thick of it need to hear from people like you, who are on the other side of trauma. You are so right, it makes you stronger – and that’s what we need to share. Thanks!
Blessings,
Lee
November 15th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Rebecca says:
Our very first day of homeschool was late August of last year. I was pretty intimidated to be taking on homeschooling my daughter, who was then a junior in high school. High school! Scary!
But my ‘worst case scenario’ was that on this, our first day of home study, our house was hit by lightning and set on fire. Completely destroyed our kitchen and most of the downstairs.
Well, homeschooling last year then involved learning about insurance policies, dealing with homeowner’s claims, restoration of a house, deductibles, what to do in an emergency….nothing I had planned for, certainly. But we survived, and we’re now on her Senior year and have learned ALOT.
God has been so faithful…Romans 8:28.
January 28th, 2011 at 6:44 am
Lee says:
That’s AMAZING Rebecca! After something like that, homeschooling must seem like the EASY part about life! Wow!
Blessings,
Lee
January 28th, 2011 at 6:47 am