During the last school term of 2021, we made the decision that it would be better for Cara to be homeschooled. The traditional school environment was not for her, and homeschooling was the better option. Grade 5 started off well; I had all the tools I needed to be a good teacher. Did it work out the way I planned? Sadly, no.
Why we decided to homeschool
Cara struggled in the school environment from the get-go. We never understood why she would get so incredibly overwhelmed and what caused her anxiety to skyrocket. She struggled with separation anxiety as well. I can’t put into words how hard school drop off was when she was younger. For both of us. It all started to make sense when Cara got her Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD diagnosis. My poor child was struggling more than we realised. She was still in school for a couple of years after her diagnosis and she was doing okay. The school had very few learners in Cara’s grade when she joined, but as the school grew, so did Cara’s anxiety. Grade 4 was a difficult year for Cara. Her senses were overloaded the moment she stepped into class in the mornings and some days she couldn’t function at all. Cara needed a calm environment, minimal distractions, and one on one help for her to thrive. We decided that homeschooling was the best option for us at the time.
We officially started homeschooling in 2022. I had everything in place for a successful school year – the curriculum was purchased and all the schoolbooks were covered, I made sure that I knew and understood the work (thank goodness it was only Grade 5), I had additional study materials, Cara’s homeschooling space was perfectly set up, we had all the stationary, arts and craft supplies she needed. We even had a space in the garden set up where we could have lessons outside. I had high hopes.
Homeschooling – It was harder than I thought it would be
Did it work out as planned? Sadly, no. Life got in the way. Big time! I struggled. I couldn’t be mom and teacher while also holding down a job. My way of learning (and teaching) is also not Cara’s way of learning. Some days we gave up even before we started. Don’t get me wrong, we also had many good days and Cara passed her grade with good marks, but homeschooling was not for us. Homeschooling can be hard. Especially if your child is not ready for independent learning. I could not give my daughter what she needed. Homeschooling also put a strain on our relationship. I realised that I needed to stick to being just Cara’s mom. We needed help. For my child’s sake. And for my own sanity!
Our solution… we got a tutor. During the last term of Grade 5, we met an amazing young woman who became Cara’s full-time tutor at the beginning of this year. She was sent from above. It has been life changing for Cara and myself. We are so blessed that our paths crossed and everything worked out.
I felt like a failure for a long time, but I tried my best. My daughter tried her best. I learnt a lot from the experience and I am glad we went through it. If we didn’t, my brilliant daughter would not be thriving the way she is right now. Sometimes things happen the way it should, and I am so glad it did. We made it ;)
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