Dear Mom,

Thank you for such a wonderful letter. It uplifts each of us who are struggling through challenges (different perhaps from yours but still a challenge all the same) to read of the journey experienced by a homeschooling sister in Christ. I personally find that the spirit of such letters as I receive are holy witness to the power of the Holy Spirit working within our lives to empower and shower us with inspiration and ability and grace to do the work ahead of us. Your letter speaks to such a spirit.

It would be my suggestion that you currently look at the subjects that you are teaching. Try to decide which of those subjects require more one on one time. Let those subjects be the ones that you tackle when you are not pressed for alone time with your students. By the ages of your children it seems to me that you have two students who require a more traditional approach to the homeschooling day. They are in need of perhaps a bit more structure due in part to the amount of work and the type of work that they should be covering.

Differentiate those subjects that require less of your time. Those subjects that may be more workbook based and geared towards independent study. These subjects are better suited to those days and times when you are very busy with the younger two children.

Remember that homeschooling is an approach by which the schooling experience fits the rhythm of the home. We can not make our homes miniature schools however we can bring the best of school to our homes. For example it is perfectly acceptable that your children have a separate bedroom or some other place to do the work required of them that is going to be independent study. It is a good thing to reward your students for those times when they have accomplished their work without the need of your prodding or urging. Rewards can be many things from special field trips to stickers.

I too work from home and have done so for many years. Indeed homeschooling is a challenge when the children are small and there are outside deadlines to meet. I find that if I commit to a certain time of day for my work then it is easier for me to block off the time to do what I need to do. Now that my husband's mother is with us she is like having a very needy newborn. So.....the morning is her time to need me the most. I attend to her needs knowing that I will have the evening when my husband is home to catch up on my work. Sometimes I find that I must let my work go until the weekend when I have more help.

I prefer to block off the time instead of snatching bits of time throughout the day. I find that when I try to 'fit ' work in and around my homeschooling day, I am distracted and hurried and that this spirit translates itself into my teaching and interaction with the children.

One tip that I have found is helpful is to let the children do their school at the library. Perhaps you could take the younger children to the library with you and set the older children up at a table to do their school. When the older children were younger I found that going to story hour was a wonderful break for all of us. If the older children at the time were too old for story time they enjoyed sitting at a table doing their school work. I could visit with other moms and keep an eye on the little ones. It worked. It was a diversion in place that gave us a break from the same routine.

I believe that you have the best ingredient to work through your challenges. You are a woman with a spirit of love and sacrifice. To give of yourself in this way while your husband goes to school is beyond the beyond. It is obvious that this is a choice that was made by the two of you. The need to further his education has come at a time when your family is growing and busy. God bless the heart of a woman. Women will make it work and will do so with love and docility.

Pray to be inspired. The Holy Spirit will show you the path and empower you with ways to make your challenges work for the good of the family. I would suggest that in your busy life you take the time to pray together as a family. Fit that in when it is best for everyone but make it a priority. It is the single most important step to family peace and renewal of spirit.

Let us offer up our prayers this morning for all those families that struggle with the challenges presented by a lack of higher education. Let us pray that husbands and wives who feel that they must improve their skills in order to improve their life find that doors are opened for them and the path to this goal is made clear. Amen.

Sending out a prayer,

Rita Munn