ANOTHER LETTER

Another inspiring letter... =D


OH, AND CATS DON'T LIKE TOOTHPASTE

My decision to homeschool was not an easy one. I had never even considered homeschooling before this year, especially since I'm a college student myself! Taking classes again was a dream come true for me, as 10 years have passed since the last time I cracked open a college textbook.

The past five years were years of dramatic change in our family -- my husband's decision to join the military (at 34!), my decision to quit working and spend some much-needed quality time with our two children, and the ultimate goal for both of us to complete our degrees. After looking at all of the alternatives, an online college made the most sense. The idea of setting my own pace, not having to miss a class because of a sick child (or a deployed husband), and reduced tuition for military dependents was too good to pass up! I attended full-time for the first year, then my husband received orders for Korea. One year apart-it just didn't seem fair! He'd only been home a few months after returning from a 10-month tour in Kuwait, and now he was going again. That's okay, I thought, I'm in school, and the kids are in school. It won't be that bad.

Near the end of my son's 5th grade year, I began to ask about the middle school that he would be attending. Several other moms were concerned with sending their children to middle school, and I was worried, too. My son was diagnosed with ADD in 3rd grade, and over the past two years, I had come to realize that his teachers were less than enthusiastic about helping him learn how to focus. Anything that I did at home seemed to disentigrate the moment he walked into school. A dear friend of mine had been homeschooling for four years, and I was wondering if this was the solution to our concerns. After researching (and praying), we discovered a program that fit our son's needs. Beginning the program was easier than I had anticipated, and it gives my son an opportunity every day to be more responsible and more focused on his schoolwork.

Being a homeschooling mom has taught me a few life lessons, as well:

-Taking an hour to relearn math with your son that you learned 20 years ago is priceless. Exhausting, but priceless.
-It's okay if the house looks like a toy store exploded every once in a while.
-A plastic "superbouncer" ball, microwaved for 3 minutes at high, will ruin your microwave. Trust me on this one...
-It takes exactly 114 medium-sized Christmas bows to cover a 80-pound, 11-year old boy.
-Cats don't like toothpaste.
-A cheese puff is small enough to fit up the nose of a 7-year old.
-Don't let your children watch anything on television that you don't mind them telling your pastor after church.
-Cats don't like tape, either.
-The next time you feel like crying, laugh. It's good medicine.
-The greatest lesson a parent can teach is one that involves compassion, kindness and humility.
-Life is not a race; it is a dance. Take the time to hear the music, to dance with someone you love, and to enjoy the moment for all that it's worth.
-With God's help, I can accomplish anything I set my mind to

These are some lessons that I've learned over the past few years. Through God, I have learned how to be patient and understanding. I'm still learning, and I know that I have so much more to learn. That's okay, though. I know now that some lessons have to be learned over time, that they can't be taught in a day, or a week, or a month, or even a year. Homeschooling is a lesson in life-every day I find an opportunity to teach my son a life lesson.

My only wish is that he shares these with his children one day. We'll just have to wait and see....

-T.Downey.-