Dear Mom, It is a very powerful witness of your faith and desire to follow the Lord's will for your family that you have prefaced your choices with prayers. Let me ask you a question. Have you spoken with your daughter's health care provider about her separation anxiety? I bring this up for a reason. It seems to me that if the principal of the school would be willing to take on the responsibility of parenting your daughter through this time in her life then I would assume she would have a reasonable amount of input with regard to the issues that you and your husband are dealing with in regard to your daughter's mental state. I appreciate the principal's zeal in wanting to help, however the full responsibility of parenting does begin and end with you and your husband. You are after all the parents. Now in keeping with the concerns that the principal is expressing with regard to her school being the best solution for treating the anxiety and separation issues that your daughter is manifesting, I would have to ask her by what information she bases her statement. Is she able to back this statement up with medical evidence that would support her position? If however you have spoken with your daughter's health care provider, or have researched the concerns then truly the worth of the choice again, begins and ends with you and your husband. You are the parents. It is seriously grave matter when a non-parent takes responsibility for someone's child. This is understood in all cultures. You are the parents and as such you carry the greater burden for your choices. You must make the choices and you must live with the choices you make. The principal can help in the decision-making process by given you information that will be used as you discern your choice but ultimately you must stand alone with the choices you make. The principal has the right to offer her opinion but her opinion is just that. Her opinion is not a medical diagnosis or a complete understanding of your daughter's behavior, emotional makeup, or mental health. It is absurd to think that caring, informed parents must seek permission to parent their children. If you wanted to do something illegal, harmful, or dangerous with your daughter then certainly someone should step in and change your mind. However you are trying to discern if perhaps homeschooling would be a better fit for your daughter. Please speak with your husband before the two of you go to this meeting. I do not know that I would even go to the meeting. It is not a law that you must attend such a meeting. Maybe instead of keeping that appointment you should make an appointment with your daughter's health care provider and see if there are areas that need addressing. Begin to resolve her fears by getting to the root cause of those fears. After all whether you homeschool or send her to school, your little girl needs to be a confident youngster capable of functioning in the world. I admire your sweet spirit and overwhelming desire to do what is best for your little girl. Your desire to parent is the greatest asset that your little girl could have. A parent that is ready, able, and willing to take full responsibility for their child is a gift. Let us pray together a Hail Mary for all those children that will spend this day in want of parental guidance, nurturing, and love. Amen. Sending out a prayer,
Rita Munn |
