handwriting and other homeschooling nightmares

I think its an understatement to say that I have been learning a lot while endeavoring to teach my children at home this year.  Its amazing how the Lord has been a part of every detail, intervening with creative ideas and solutions, with understanding.  I have been truly blessed to see His hand moving on behalf of my children.

Even with this knowledge, there is one subject I have been dreading. Instead of times of prayer and relinquishing control over it (like most godly mothers would do) I’ve been living in fear.  I stay awake at night thinking about it, feeling completely  inadequate :  It’s handwriting for Isaac.  I’ve had terrible dreams where I wake up in a cold sweat, thinking Isaac is about to start high school, completely unable to write the alphabet because I didn’t teach him how to hold his writing utensil properly.

I can tell you why I’m nervous.  Its my first experience teaching the beginning stages of handwriting.  Emily was in preschool at this point, and learned how to hold her pencil from her teacher.  (as I say this out loud, I know it sounds silly,  really, I do…)  I just seem to have limited ideas on how to get the process started.

Well, Its November and here we are. I’ve chosen the procrastination route.  Isaac has not done any handwriting yet.  And its not that I don’t have the materials, I do.  But instead, we’ve painted, we’ve colored, we know our letters- we’ve even made them out of play doh.  There has not been a pencil within a 2 foot radius of his learning space.

Interestingly enough, Isaac brought his paper home from Sunday School this past weekend.  It was a coloring sheet with minimal coloring on the front.  Instead on the back were lots of letters that he was trying to write.  And he said to me, “Mommy, I need to write letters.  I want to write my name.”

Could our learning time for Monday morning have a more clear mandate? no.

So, Monday morning arrived and I pulled out the Write ‘n Wipe tracing cards with the special marker.  Isaac sat for probably 30 minutes, tracing carefully – which is a long time in a four and half yr old boy’s world.  Tuesday morning, the same, except he said to me, “Mommy its time to write my name.”  We went over the letters in his name.  And he did it.  Just like that.  His face was shining with excitement.  I couldn’t have been more proud of him.  And I had almost nothing to do with it.

Sitting here on my bed this morning, I’m reminded of a Scripture,

Luke 3:4-6

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all people will see God’s salvation.’

As I make way for the King of Glory in our home, He makes the crooked paths straight.  The valleys aren’t so deep and impossible.  The mountains aren’t so high and impassable.  I don’t need to hold on to my fears, no matter how difficult the subject.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for miraculously working through my weaknesses.  May I never forget the care and love you have shown to us during the learning process this year, so far.  Thank you for my three precious children and the gift of teaching them at home.

amen.

(originally written in November of 2010)