When Life Collides with Homeschooling

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

11 Oct 2007 07:08 AM

In this past week and a half, life has been on a direct collision course with home schooling. Nothing has gone right in the home schooling department and frankly, not too much else has gone right in the life department.

It started two Fridays ago, when my husband tore a calf muscle. A torn calf muscle is not a slight injury but in his case it really is a big deal because he coaches preschoolers for a living. No working legs. . .no work. So he was on bed rest. During his bed rest, I became acutely aware of how much he does during the week to help keep things running.

However, while he was on bed rest home schooling went out the window. Or I guess technically, it went to bed. . .right there. . .with my poor husband. The kids gathered around daddy and he read stories and explained scientific phenomenon and they watched videos. The curriculum sat in the corner and collected dust.

Then there was a death in my family. Well, technically it was a close friend, but it was the type of close family friend that at some point you just start calling family. So we'll say that my 2nd grandmother passed away. So I spent the better part of three days trying to get out to Colorado for the memorial service. I never actually went because scheduling wise, we just couldn't get it to work. But you might be surprised to find out that the airlines really don't care if I'm home schooling. In fact, I believe they must intuitively know that it is more convenient for me to wait on hold because you know. . .I'm at home doing nothing.

Indeed, life collided with home schooling this week. Nothing gelled together, and things didn't get done. My dirty laundry is still there and in fact, so are the dust bunnies hiding out under my furniture. Those chapters remain unread and my son did not learn all about trees as was planned. And then it hit me. Or rather, my daughter, with profundity of which only a child is capable, helped me sort out this whole life vs. home schooling thing.

"So mom?" asked my 8 year old with the look that says she wants to talk.

"Um hmm?" I answer.

"I guess it's good that we home school so that when life gets hard we can all really support each other huh? Right mom? Don't you always say that our character is more important than our academics?"

Indeed I do. I had it wrong. Life did not collide with home schooling this week. Homeschooling this week just had more real life lessons than book lessons.

Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

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Jsgittens (73) 11 Oct 2007 12:06 PM

That was great. You handled it better than I could have.

Valorie Delp (49340) 11 Oct 2007 12:45 PM

I'm glad you liked it. Of course I have great friends to remind me that God is in control. That's just like Lizzy too huh?