Dear Mom,

Certainly your children are truly blest to have in you an advocate for their needs both spiritually and academically. I imagine that you work very closely with your health care provider to ensure that both of your dear children are receiving the outside help afforded through programs designed to better their social skills and learning capabilities. Given the support network available through such programs it is quite possible to experience a positive approach to the challenges that you are facing. I trust that working together with those who better understand the challenges that your children are facing affords you a certain amount of peace and understanding of the challenges.

Homeschooling can be a wonderful way to approach the challenges of education for your children as long as you communicate with other professionals who can help you to tool your instruction to meet the needs of the children. I have found that when one works hand in hand with those whose focus is to help parents cope and understand the challenges of disabilities helps families to see first the abilities not just the limitations of challenges.

I sense that you are longing to return your children to an active faith life. This is wonderful. The Catholic Church fully embraces those individuals whose challenges present certain adaptations allowing that these individuals will experience a complete and satisfying faith life. I would make a simple phone call to your diocese director in charge of faith formation and express your concerns accordingly. There is obviously going to be materials available that will be of interest to you and can perhaps help you better format your instruction to meet the needs of your children.

Do speak with your parish DRE and get his/her opinion concerning the challenges that you are facing. Speak first with your pastor and take him into your confidence with this regard. I would suggest that you make a plan to start attending Mass as soon as you feel that you are able. Do not wait for the perfect set of circumstances (as they will never happen). If the children find Sunday Mass too difficult to cope with, then prepare them slowly by taking them to daily Mass once or twice through the week. Daily Mass is usually shorter in duration and not crowded. Use whatever motivational helps you have found work in the past to encourage the children to attend Mass and be respectful. Remember that Jesus anointed the little children that were brought to Him. He knows intimately the sorrows that you are bearing as well as the challenges that you are facing. Jesus longs to guide you along this path. In your holy and pure desire to bring your children closer to the Lord through the reception of the graces found in Mass you are coming to the Lord with a humble heart. Jesus has a heart for people.

Begin homeschooling. Use the summer months to look over the materials and adapt them to fit your needs. Use your time in preparation to prepare your spirit as well. Homeschooling is a lifestyle. In this lifestyle we try to see the strengths of each student as well as their weaknesses. Learning the weaknesses of a student is actually a better portion of their strengths. For example a student that may not have strong verbal skills will most likely excel in another method of communication; writing, art, etc. All children learn. They learn so that they may yearn for God. Bringing your dear children closer to the Lord ensures that they will be uplifted and encouraged to be all that the Lord intended when He, from His overwhelming love, created them. Jesus sees perfection in your dear children. Your children were created by God and He has made them to His liking and they are perfect in God's sight.

I admire you greatly. I sense in you a woman who has a heart for her children and would move heaven and earth to do what is best for them. Continue in your work and know that Jesus and the power of His presence is with you every step of the way. Go forward.

Let us pray together a Hail Mary today for the intentions of all those children who must navigate the world with challenges. Let us ask our dear Blessed Mother to allow that their caregivers are prudent and thoughtful in the care that they give. Lord, we love You and praise for the gift of life. Amen.

Sending out a prayer,

Rita Munn