The unexpected in your life can be messy, terrifying, tragic, distracting, time-consuming, or joyous. It doesn’t matter the reason, it throws you off your plan. If your child is in school, life is expected to go on without even an acknowledgement of the stress your family is enduring (and remember, even good news can be stressful!). The no excuses, zero tolerance, don’t mess with the school’s plan has led many a family to homeschooling.
If you are currently homeschooling, your kids will find other ways to learn if you can’t be there to guide a lesson because of your illness or need to be elsewhere. They’ll read, create, and imagine. They will be watching and learning how to prioritize the important things in life. They may even surprise you by what they are capable of doing when they see that you need help! And if your child is the one who needs care, what a comfort to know that their immediate needs are more important than a schoolish assignment.
Is a crisis a good time to enroll a child in school? That’s a common question from parents who are overwhelmed or feel guilty that they can’t do enough for their child. In most instances, it can be best for all to keep the family home together rather than add the additional stress of school. Your child won’t get behind and might even advance in unexpected ways when left to learn on their own!
Please remember not to feel guilty for what you can’t control. You’ll get through it as a family, whether it’s a one-week unexpected blip or many months.
Karen Taylor’s always homeschooled son attended a local community college after graduating from homeschooling. He transferred to UC Berkeley as a junior, and received a PhD in neuroscience from UCSF. She shares homeschooling comments and links on Facebook, Pinterest, and this blog.
