Home Education Magazine is preparing an article for their summer issue. A reader is questioning whether they should continue homeschooling after her husband was laid off. It inspired me to share our view on this subject.
Why do we continue to homeschool while going through unemployment stress?
1. Its a part of real life. We learn by living. Sometimes life is good, sometimes its not, but to quote my favorite band, "Everyday above ground is a good one." Life goes on.
2. Challenges often are opportunities for learning and growth. As baby eagles mature, their parents change the nest. They remove the warm, cushy nesting and expose more of the scratchy sticks. The discomfort helps motivate the baby eagles to fly free. This stressful time in our lives will strengthen us and lead us to a better place.
3. Support- Keeping our family together means we can support and lift up each other. Why would we want to separate when staying together during this difficult time can only strengthen our bond?
4. Normalcy- When stress bombs shake your footing, its good to still have something to cling to and bring you back to solid ground. If we were to send the boys away to school, after they have always learned at home, it would add to the stress level, not make things easier.
5. Homeschooling can be inexpensive, even less expensive than school. - We've never had to pay school fees or break the bank during back to school shopping. Being life learners (unschoolers), we've never purchased boxed curriculum. The library is and always will be, our best friend!
6. Flexibility- We are fortunate to live in a state where we have control over our home based private education. If we want our school hours to be the traditional 8:30-3:30, September through early June, or if we want to follow a different schedule, its our freedom to choose. This is partly why I can work the hours I do, opening some days and closing others. DH can job search and consider taking a first, second or even third shift position because he knows any of those schedules would still allow him time to spend with the boys because we can arrange our schedule to be what ever works for the family.
7. The timing. I can't help but think about how blessed we are to have had more access to DH now, when the boys are on the cusp of becoming young men. As they transition from boys to men, their father can be their role model. I also know I'm a better homeschooling mom because my husband has been given the chance to share our life learning opportunities these past 6 months.
8. I refuse to allow the Unemployment Monster to get my cubs! I will forever be in Mama Bear mode. I will never allow anything to get in the way of our ability to give our children the best. I know homeschooling is the best option for their education.
I know we still hope for the day when unemployment survival mode ends, and it will be difficult to not have him around so much, but I know this experience has strengthened us and our unschooling.
5 comments:
I think it's great you share those thoughts. :o) I think the best thing about hubby's unemployment (if there IS such a thing -lol) is that he DOES get that extra time with the boys. :o)
Keep doing what you're doing!
Wonderful blog, Dawn.
I think it's wonderful that you are homeschooling your boys. I like how you added a positive note about DH being unemployed, he has more time with the family. Great post!
My hubby is on partial unemployment. We are loving him being home more. Soon his hours will pick up + he will be gone a lot so we're enjoying this time.
We go to the library a lot too. :) Great blog! Enjoy your week!
Another awesome post Dawn, you should be writing for a homeschool magazine. I hear many families touched by this situation but I totally agree with you, your boys are getting great time with their dad and building memories and learning great life lessons. As adults our children may face some of the same challenges we are going through.
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