One week ago I seriously wanted to quit homeschool. Last Monday I had no desire to be his teacher, I just wanted to be his mom. I didn't want to fight about math facts or go round and round about reading. I didn't want to feel guilty when I folded laundry because we should have been learning. I called a local private school and scheduled a tour. That's how serious I was. I was ready to throw in the towel. I didn't care how he received an education, but I was determined I Continue Reading
When Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Sparks Hope
Jackson and I did something outside of our comfort zones yesterday. We joined our local Wild + Free group. We spent a fun morning tramping through the woods, enjoying nature and the crisp winter day. Joining new groups causes both of us a lot of anxiety. We've had too many bad experiences over the years - people who judge, people we aren't accepting of Jackson's differences. Having a child with differences can make it hard to connect. But connection is exactly what we've been lacking Continue Reading
Reading, Writing & Arithmetic {Back to the Basics}
Last week as we got back into the groove of homeschool and weekly therapy sessions, I realized something. Maybe Jackson and I need to get back to the basics. I think what needs to happen - what will lessen the stress of homeschool for the both of us - is if we focus on reading, writing and arithmetic (kind of like the old song goes). Because the truth is, between all the therapy appointments each week and my grandiose homeschool plans, we run out of time to get it all done and then I feel Continue Reading
Bumblebee and My Boy
My boy is infatuated with Transformers these days. "A giant Megatron that turns into a tank" is all he asked Santa for. He unwrapped Transformers on his birthday and on Christmas morning. Transformers have taken over my house. He takes them to speech therapy each week and has in-depth conversations about Autobots and Decepticons with his therapist, Ms. Allie. She's a saint! She never gets tired of talking Transformers with Jackson. They motivate him in therapy and she incorporates Continue Reading
Four Things I’m Saying Yes To This Year
I'm determined to take better care of myself this year. I feel like I spent the majority of 2018 in survival mode. There were the hellish months of being on edge every single day Jackson went to school. Would I get a phone call? Would he make it through the day? We spent some of the worst weeks of our lives dealing with the most challenging behaviors caused by his ADHD medicine. Then there was the big adjustment of becoming a full-time homeschooling family. During all these crazy Continue Reading