Homeschooling Eleven . . .

With eleven darlings home and a huge variety of academic abilities

I am finding that it is time to re evaluate a few

issues...

I had a hope and a dream but I can see now, that it may not be what is best for each of the child in this family.

Instead, it is necessary for me to give up my own desires and give this to God.

He's got a plan and I need to figure out what it is and submit to it.

Have you noticed I haven't even said what it is yet.

YES

I am stubborn and it's hard for me to even say this

BUT

I have too...

Okay here goes-

homeschooling 11 kiddos is HARD.

Really HARD...

Really really HARD...

Maybe not for some people BUT it is for me.

It's not just one issue that is hard, it's a variety of issues and when I put them all together it equals HARD.

I am sure that some of you out there are saying 

Ya, duhhhhh...

I coulda told you that...

BUT I look at it differently... 

if you have never adopted 

and 

never homeschooled than you really don't understand

 how awesome adoption is and how wonderful homeschooling your adopted children really is!

It is my hope that someday, once again all the children will be home

but for now I am planning to use the resources available to us to benefit our children.

 We have 

severe to moderate cognitive delays and disabilities, 

we have PTSD, 

we have memory issues, 

we have ADHD, 

we have ELL (English language learners),  

we have speech disabilities and more.

We also have average students and 

very bright students where the sky is the limit,

We are shy, out going, quiet and talkative.

We are brave and fearful.

We are stubborn and go with the flow.

We have used outside resources for therapies and now it is time to use the resources available for our children with cognitive issues.

To be honest I feel like God is saying

"yes, it's time".

I have thought about it other times and would change my mind by the end of the day.

This time it's different.

I am at peace with it.

And because of that peace, I feel like God has planted this in my heart and now it is the right time.

We are beginning the IEP process for one of the children. Then we will begin it for another. And then another...

Only one will probably get to start school this month and the others will wait until fall.

Our school day is going in too many different directions and I can see some frustration with the children (and myself).

I cannot sit next to each child at the same time and individually tutor them.

I am only one person.

Sometimes when working with a cognitively disabled child it is easy to loose sight of correct expectations. Now the schools and I will work together for the benefit of that child.

We live in a wonderful school district and we are very blessed to have these services available.

PLUS, a good friend of mine is the school psychologist and will be part of the team- that is comforting!

If it doesn't work- I can bring them back home

and then we will devise another plan!

We are praying over this decision and will post more on it later.

(pics later)