Looking Back on a Hard Homeschool Year - Our "Parched Earth" Year

photo credit - runrunrun

At the end of each school year I like to write a summary of how our homeschool progressed. I've wanted to write this post for a while, but haven't tried for fear that it would just come off as one big, long, whine-fest. I hope it doesn't seem that way, because I really do love homeschooling, but as the title implies - this has been a long, hard year. Though it didn't start that way - it started with much excitement and new beginnings.

My eldest was starting high school! This was Fox's 9th grade year, our tenth year of official homeschooling. Tony and Billy (my BILs) had moved in with us and I would be homeschooling them also (9th and 7th grade respectively). Bram was just beginning to show interest in learning so I was starting preschool readiness. Exciting times.

On top of all this we were readying for an international move. My husband had accepted a job in Lybia, Africa. We would live there for a minimum of 2 years and we, well most of us, were excited to experience a new culture first hand.

We were looking forward with anticipation. But from the beginning things began to unravel.

I decided to start the year late, rather than homeschool for a month, move to Lybia, experience culture shock then start again. So what would have been the first few weeks of the school year were spent packing the house and putting most of our belongings in storage. We were only weeks away from our move.

Then our move was delayed, so we unpacked some of our creature comforts to make the wait more comfortable and dove into the school year. It was a rough start. Because we were facing an imminent move we didn't sign the boys up for co-op, music lessons, group sports - nothing. It was monotonous.

Add to that the deschooling that needed to be accomplished with my BILs, their general disdain of homeschooling because they had bought all the stereotypes, my navigating of new and difficult learning disabilities that I feel were improperly diagnosed, my sons' adjustment to having to share their mom's time with two new people, and the aforementioned monotony and you can imagine the tightrope walk we walked daily.

Our move was delayed twice more. Then revolution broke out in Egypt and quickly spread to Libya. Our move was cancelled. Thankfully, hubby's position was still secure, they simply kept him in the local office.

But we still needed to move. We were 7 people, 3 dogs and 2 cats living in a tiny (and I mean tiny!) three bedroom house. Thus started the house hunt. We trudged through the school year with out any extras. I did my best to make it fun, but time and money didn't allow for big field trips.

It was around this time I realized my beloved Sonlight curriculum wasn't going to work for us. It was perfect for one grade level - but was too difficult and time consuming to juggle two different cores, covering different eras of history. I needed to streamline our curriculum, and fast! After an exhaustive search I decided on Tapestry of Grace which I am loving for its ease of use with multiple age ranges.

Shortly thereafter I found my dream home - which needed a lot of work before the loan would even be approved. This began a period of juggling homeschool with home improvements (for a home we didn't even own yet) more packing, then an actual move and all that entails.

Oy - what a year and it wasn't even over yet. But more than all the physical changes, what really made the year difficult was the emotional aspect. And to be honest, it almost broke me.

Trying to instill values in all the boys and nip unacceptable behavior in the bud. Doling out chores and consequences, the truth of Christianity and the importance of honor, which honestly, were slightly foreign concepts for some. I had attitudes from my kids, my BILs, and extended family who care about my BILs and want them to be happy. I was deschooling, homeschooling, juggling schedules, trying to accommodate all the needs - school, vacation, visitation. Once again we were thrown into the infuriating battle against those who get homeschool and those who don't. It was like we were back at year one again - fighting against the stereotypes and questions like "Don't you boys want to go to prom, what about your friends, don't you want to go back to school and be with your friends?"

Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a damn what they want. I saw what public school got them, and it wasn't much, especially when you take eternity into account.

As I said the high emotions almost broke me - almost, but they didn't. We made it through and are marching on toward next year, finishing up the straggling subjects as we go. How? Why?

Because my God is bigger than anything this world can throw at me. Because He has called me to homeschool and has promised me the strength to carry on. Because I know that His will is perfect and far better than anything I can comprehend. He is control and God is always good, even when bad things happen.

It was a long hard year, but we made it through together. And even though there were lots of negative aspects I did see growth in us all - both educational, spiritual and maturing. So rather than look with dread at next year, I will continue to have faith in God's plan. Tomorrow, I will begin a period of fervent prayer over our coming school year and lay our new plans with excitement!

Be sure to come back tomorrow when I share A Homeschooling Mom's Prayer and Thursday when I will share out new curriculum plans.