As distance learning is said to start in just two short weeks, I am again reminded of
my personal hope and goals in life for my kiddos that center on relationship and connection, not in any order:
They want to hang out with each other (so far Penny is planning on having a place for all the boys to come live at that Jude will fill the freezer with ice cream, so that is looking good).
They know they can count on us for anything and actually want to come home to visit once they leave the nest.
They love Jesus; understanding Jesus is not religion or something that was merely taught but is the Savior who gave His life for theirs and we did our best to live out in front of them daily.
Distance learning is not something I signed up for nor would want my children to experience but something that is beyond our control this year. What is in our control is how we approach the situation and model to our children, explaining it in terms they understand.
The rest is up to us day by day to do the best we can with what we have been given. I do not want their education to become a stumbling block in our relationship and connection with them. If my son cannot write his sight words or get his writing done but knows that we are here to support him every step of the way as he tries his best, that is a win for us.
The way we treat our children and guide them through this upcoming academic season says volumes about our character, who we are as parents, and how we are LIVING OUT what we believe.
May we not sacrifice connection with our children over their education.
I want my kiddos to see parents who cared about their children so much that they figured out ways to keep themselves regulated during this stressful and challenging time.
I want them to see us going to prayer when we are about to lose our marbles from the distractions and technical difficulties that are sure to abound and demonstrating ways to keep ourselves present when we would rather zone out.
I want them to see us laughing at what we do not know and learning in a way that makes it fun and encourages them to do the same.
I want them to learn how to articulate how they are feeling in all of this and be able to express it in a healthy manner.
At the end of all this, I want them to feel more connected, loved and supported by us than when we first started.
Only God knows how we are going to do distance learning with three school aged children, a toddler while working but I could not be more thankful to serve a God that does. There is no one I would rather have with this knowledge or guidance from and He knows we are going to need it!
Praying we are parents and teachers who teach what we have been taught, more than just words but in action and truth as we head into the start of this school year. Praying we see ways to connect during the extra time we are given with our children and that they feel comfortable and loved as they learn and grow.
If you need help, feel free to reach out to someone for ideas or a helping hand. Let me know and I can see what we can do. And if you need prayer, I am always available :)
Listen to more about our #marriageinthemiddle conversation on your favorite podcast platform.
