Some days I have perspective and I look at all they've accomplished and how far they've come. But other days, I only see how far we still have to go and I get discouraged. It's overwhelming on those days. Kyle said it's like that man who was swimming the English channel on a foggy day. He couldn't see the coast and he gave up when he was just a few yards from land. He's so right. It feels like that. I only know that I'm plugging away, but I don't know where we'll end up. Maybe one day, reading will just click and they'll take off. But it might not. And I have to be prepared for that.
Earlier this week, Maya was having a lot of trouble with place value in her math lesson. I figured out a different way to teach it to her and I was so proud. It worked! She understood! She completed her math sheet with ease. Then she did the same thing yesterday and was so proud of herself. Then today she forgot all about the new method and got half of the problems wrong.
Today is one of my discouraged days.
4 comments:
Did you know Jonathan Edwards wife could not spell at all! I could even spell better than her! She was a Godly woman though. What's most important in raising children... that they are academically excellent or that they love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. That they are filled with the Holy Spirit or filled with correct grammer and spelling? That they display the fruits of Godly character that YOU have taught them or that they remember all the math that you have taught them? I've been reading your blog long enough to know you know the answer :) I've been reading your blog long enough to know you are doing a awesome job teaching your children the MOST important things. They are helpful, kind, loving and giving and obedient! Have peace in the Lord Jesus. His will will be done in all your children and enjoy who they are with all the learning problems. It does not reflect on your teaching abilities. You are an excellent teacher! The fact that they don't remember spelling, grammer,and math won't affect there lives in doing whatever God has called them to do in the future. He is the one who calls AND He will equip them for the calling. As you can see I can't spell well at all (I had to look up about 6 words while I wrote this comment to you)and I don't know grammer very well and I don't even know all my times tabels in math. I forget how to divide because I never need to do it. My learning problems have only brought me embarassment and have hurt my pride alittle and some frustration but I still have a wonderful Godly husband, I love the Lord Jesus Christ and I am fully able to be a helpmate to my husband and a mother to my children teaching them to follow the Lord and to do what is right.
Keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope I didn't offend you, my desire is to encourage you because I admire you and I think you are doing a good job and I don't want the enemy to pull your eyes away form Jesus to yourself.
Blessings and love
Your sister in the Lord Jesus,
Diane.
EQUIP
1 : to furnish for service or action by appropriate provisioning
3 : to make ready : prepare
Diane, you made me cry. What a precious encouragement that was! Thank you SO MUCH for reminding me what's really important.
Wow, I could not have said it any better than Diane. At the end of the day, academics are not what truly matters. You are doing a great job EVERY DAY in what really matters. Academics are handy to have, but at the end of the day I'll take a child with character than a brilliant on academically. Your children are learning more by your excellent example than anything else. Keep up the good work mama!
I completely agree with Diane. In addition, remember that the most important academic skill you can teach them is HOW to learn, especially how to learn through any blocks they may have. In their case, I'd say the "how" is far more important than the "what."
My husband has severe dyslexia and will always fall below acceptable standards in language use. But he knows where his blocks are and he knows how to find help when he needs it (normally, he asks me!). And that's okay.
The challenge isn't to fix what's "wrong" with them, but to help them figure out how to work around it.
My two cents.
Post a Comment