Homeschooling In Tough Times

By Sandra

I’ve been talking to my children lately about the economy and why we need to prioritize, cut back, or consolidate car trips around town to make good use of our gasoline.  The country’s economic plight has provided a framework for regular discussions at our home--practical lessons in conserving, planning instead of doing things impulsively, and seeking wise counsel before making big decisions.

Friends of ours, fellow homeschoolers, have been struggling with finances over the past six months, and now find themselves grappling for a “Plan B,” due to the now-likely scenario of job loss.  What happens to homeschooling families in these times?  How does a financial earthquake rattle the foundation of a family, even a tightly-knit one, during unstable times?  Is my family prepared for this kind of curve ball?

My children brought the troubles of their friends to our dinner table recently. They expressed some weighty concerns for their tween buddies in light of some confidences that had been shared in the tree fort.   It seems their young friends are deeply troubled that a job loss will mean no healthcare insurance for their family.  Their mom has been home for many years and suffers with various physical challenges.  The impending loss would also mean no follow-up visits to a specialist doctor at the hospital, for one of the children.

Their mom is heavy-hearted because she’s never seen her husband so worried about providing for the family. She knows he is talented, learns easily, and encourages him to spread his wings and explore new possibilities in the job market.  It’s difficult to be uplifting when he comes home early because there is no work to do.  She teaches, continues to care for the children and the home, and cries out to God in moments alone, wondering, “Where are you, God?  I still trust you.  They say you are never late, but it’s getting really close.”

Sometimes I wonder why things are so challenging for folks who try so hard to stand by their families. Homeschoolers don’t all home educate for the same reasons, but most I’ve encountered do love their kids a lot. They count the costs and make the necessary sacrifices to stay home, and then they submit to the discipline of training them.   The nuances of daily scheduling, the burden of choosing curriculum, the cost of field trips, the time invested in co-ops….all of these considerations can make for some impressive juggling or, at the least, some complex decision-making.  It takes a toll; it comes at a price.

I wonder if hardship, like an unannounced visitor, may actually bring some simplicity to a household, once we see beyond its obvious affront.  Maybe hardship will help reorder the day, bring clarity, or cast a new light on blessings that we have taken for granted.  A heart of gratitude for groceries feeds a family in a way that the food alone cannot.  Thanksgiving for friends who extend a dinner invitation during tough times, restores laughter and promise to an otherwise quiet and dark day.   Writing an encouraging note or email takes us away from our own momentary difficulty, and helps us honor someone ahead of ourselves.   These are rich lessons for the whole family, because they penetrate to the core of who we are and what we believe.  We are designed to magnify something, by what we do and what we say.  Will we magnify our problems or our God? 

Perhaps we are challenged in these difficult times to dig deeper into our pencil boxes, our closets, our pantries, and emerge with a different outlook on the day, while we wait on God work out the details.

Homeschooling inTough Times Primer

1. Who am I is not determined by what is happening to me. 
2. My security comes from God, in who He is-- constant, faithful, and loving.
3. I can love my neighbor as myself.

 Be encouraged.  God sees your need, He loves you, and He has not forgotten you.