I've been feeling a bit panicked about the start of school. Being a homeschooling mom with a full time job means that days are VERY full. Over the past 3 years, I have seen that I don't deal well with being hyper-scheduled and these 2 jobs require it. But it seems more than that. I have come to see that my main struggle centers around 1 kid. This kid was diagnosed with ADHD last year and really hates school. He is very intelligent but he doesn't believe it. He is also very determined to do what HE wants. So, I am asking you to pray for both me and this child, and hope that you gain some insight into what it means to parent and homeschool this particular child with ADHD.
1. Pray that my husband and I would have insight into how to help him. Keeping him on track - day by day, week by week - is a never ending puzzle of what works (today, because it is always changing) and what doesn't. I can't tell someone 'what are you going to do to help him' because, I don't know! I try something and if that doesn't work, I try something else.
2. Pray that I will ignore the judgmental and grace-less comments and looks I receive because of my child's school performance. Do you have any idea what mighty work of sanctification God is doing in my life (a high school valedictorian who graduated with Honors from college and graduate school) to know that my child is okay with a C grade or that turning in his assignment is not a big deal? I have come to the place where I know in my HEAD that all I can do is give assistance, ask to see work, put structure in place that gives him his best chance. I cannot (and will not) write his papers for him, re-do his assignments, or coach him through each problem or question when he has decided not to give effort. Unfortunately, he lives with the consequences of his bad choices - if he fails a class, he will be in summer school (like we did this year - so more work for me) or he might not be eligible to play the sports he enjoys.
3. Pray that God would do a work in this child's heart. He is struggling with a lot of frustration right now. He is struggling with confidence in his own ability.
4. Pray that we would be able to meet the needs of this child. He needs to learn to manage his own time and work better. When that doesn't happen, he needs appropriate consequences, which is sometimes that he is not permitted to participate in certain activities with friends. This child is an extrovert and isolation makes him more angry and frustrated, which does not help him focus on his work. So you see that we are in a quandary. We need lots of prayer for wisdom.
5. Pray that I would have some outlet - friend? - that I can share my struggles and frustrations with. I have encountered a couple of people who see this situation, and have offered grace and compassion and understanding. But these people are far and few between and I don't run into them on a regular basis.
6. Pray that we would find classes where both he and our family are supported. We thought we had his classes settled, but new requests (that seem to make additional demands of me rather than my student) from a coop administration are turning us a different direction. Pray also that we would know when additional tutors might be helpful and that we would be able to locate them at the right time.
Your prayers are needed. I am weak and a bit weary and the school year has not yet started! Thanks for reading and I appreciate your partnership through prayer.
1 comment:
Will try to pray for these matters.
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