Flexibility

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By Tammy M. Cardwell

"Why do you homeschool?" Oh, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked that question! (And if you had a dollar for every time you’ve heard that expression?)

My list of answers can either be a mile long, or one sentence - that one sentence being, "Because God told me to." That is why I began homeschooling, and the primary reason I continue, but oh how many other reasons there are. I was recently reminded of one I tend to take very much for granted - flexibility.

On the Saturday before Mother’s Day my oldest son was shot in the eye with a paintball gun. He is still awaiting his final release from the doctor, but his reports have been excellent. Those first weeks, however, were a nightmare. Round the clock nursing was the order of the day. Between putting medicines in his eye every three hours and making sure he was always sitting up (as opposed to laying down), I was lucky to snatch one or two hours of sleep at a time. And that only happened two or, at most, three times a day if someone else was around to watch him while we both slept. I was a walking case of sleep deprivation, and Thomas wasn’t permitted to do anything but watch TV or listen to someone read to him. Between the two of us, school was completely out of the question. But that was okay, because we homeschool. For us to take a few weeks off is not a major disaster.

And then there’s my nephew. He broke his shoulder shortly after Thomas was injured. Though his injury did not require the constant care Thomas’ did, I definitely would have chosen to keep him home from school for at least a few days. This, I was assured, was not even remotely an option. Off he went, with his arm bound up and pain pills in his hand, for those oh, so necessary last days of school.

I thank God I homeschool!

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