I hate to say it, but just like I told you Monday, today we are having forced schooling with corporeal punishment. Sigh. Tuesdays are so discouraging. I wonder if you can just let a kid graduate without math.
When my kids face something hard to do, I try not to let them quit. Who ever learned anything by quitting? If I let them develop a quitting habit now, what kind of character will they have later in life? There will much harder things than school work coming in their future: challenges to their faith; keeping a marriage not only together, but sweet; possibly starting and keeping a business going; and hopefully, training children! (That has to be the most difficult of all, but potentially the most rewarding.)
So here I am facing something hard to do. Tuesday is the day in every week when I would like to just quit homeschooling. The home part is easy. It’s the school part that is such a struggle sometimes. I am trying to learn the same lesson I am also trying to teach my girls. When something is hard to do, PRAY first. Trust God to help you. Keep trying. Don’t give up. I know why my daughter wants me to be right by her side when she is grunting and moaning and crying over math (truly, she sounds like she is giving birth to an elephant). It’s the same reason that I want someone by my side while I am struggling and sighing, and yes, crying, over teaching. Because I have three other children who need my attention, I can’t stay by her side constantly, and I don’t even want to. But I thank God for his omnipresence! He doesn’t have to run off to take care of his other children – He is by my side through the whole battle, reminding me to pray, reminding me that, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.
This is God’s will for my family. We homeschool by conviction. We do it not only because we believe it is right, but because we believe the alternative is wrong. When moms who once said they homeschool because they believed it was God’s will for their family now say they are quitting, I have to ask them, when did God change his mind?? I know God has not changed his mind. My God, the Lord Jesus Christ, gives grace. He will give MORE grace as I need it. He will give more grace as YOU need it. Pray. Trust him. Keep trying. Don’t give up! He is by your side, giving yet more grace. “But the God of all grace (…) make you (and me!) perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (me!).” 1 Peter 5:10
I am sorry your daughter is having such a hard time with math. How old is she? I have learned quite a few math tricks and games over the years to get my kids doing math and understanding it. Maybe I can share some things that worked well for us.
ReplyDeleteRemember, you can change your path to reach your end goal as needed, and it’s not giving up. Hopefully you can soon find the path your needs to get to her math goals.
And the part about some people homeschooling due to conviction and then after a few yrs deciding to no longer homeschool--- God doesn’t change His mind, but He does change our paths. There is a season for everything. Maybe God decided their season to homeschool is over and He wants them somewhere else for now. Maybe they did give in, but maybe God just had them change lanes.
Why are Tuesdays hard days? Do you do something different in school on Tuesdays?
I like Tuesdays, they are usually my favorite…LOL. Tuesdays are my Latte Break days. now that my kids are 10, 12, 13; I can leave them home for a couple hours and I go have coffee or tea or cocoa and read and just be by myself. I just started this school year and it has been great. took a few yrs to get to this point
Hope you have a better Tuesday next week!
I know you and your kids. I have no doubt that all your efforts, though frustrating, will have a 'happy ending'. I am a victim of the public school system. They just passed me on to the next teacher. No one sat down with me to help, though I had some private tutoring, no one made the real effort to get me passed my math phobias.My parents did try to help, but it was very difficult on all involved. I did all the same things she is doing while trying to learn math. Your efforts will not be in vain!! Hang in there.. And don't give up!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that Tuesday's are so hard. Though I don't have one specific day, we do have our hard, don't want to do school days. (I just wrote a post about that on my blog). But the Lord is our strength and will get you through. :) I'll be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn