“There are no educational emergencies.”
Your child can’t read—and she’s 9.
Your child won’t handwrite, and when he does, it’s illegible.
You forgot to teach state history that year your oldest was in 4th grade because of the newborn.
You finally got the diagnosis: ADHD. She’s 16. What about college?
My friend (and Homeschool Alliance coach) Stephanie Elms loves to share a favorite saying of one of her friends: “There are no educational emergencies.” The first time I heard it, the phrase went off like an alarm in my heart. What if that were true?
I reflected. It can’t help but be true!
I thought about literacy programs for adults. I thought about voice-to-text software. I thought about the voracious way some adults read about history for pleasure! I remembered that I had grown-up friends who didn’t get medical support for their ADHD until their 40s. Others who skipped college or went in their 30s.
What if I could dial back my anxiety from 911 level panic to “there are countless ways to get my child what he or she needs”? Education at a predictable pace is an illusion, is what I’m saying. “Getting behind”—a sure fire way to wind up in panic, to stop seeing the real child in front of you.
I can only begin each day precisely where I am. No matter the age.
Yeah, but what if your child REALLY IS BEHIND, you ask?
Deep breath. Face today with the resolve to get your child all they need to move the next tiny step in the direction of growth. Growth is tangible—and reassuring. Evaluation against the norms? Not so much.
- Don’t give up or collapse in defeat.
- Get more information.
- Gather your resources.
- Make judgment calls.
- Find support.
Take it a day or week at a time. Triangle in help. Trust the process.
Remember: you are raising LIFE-LONG learners. Some learning takes longer than expected. There’s no expiration date on an education, either.
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
