Homeschooling Through Grief

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, tells us there is a time for everything. I feel like now is the time for telling our story of homeschooling through grief.

Three years ago, after having an apparent seizure, my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. It was cancer that had spread throughout his lungs, spine, and brain. We felt like we had been punched in the stomach.

We told our three kids that he was sick but kept the details to a minimum. We prayed and hoped but the prognosis was not good.

I tried to handle all of the “home” stuff so my husband could be with his dad as much as he could. It was a struggle but I knew their time together was precious.

Only a few months after being diagnosed, my father-in-law passed away. My husband and I had just celebrated our 40th birthdays.

We grieved. We wailed. We cried. We tried to find a new normal. There was a point where I wished we could go around wearing sackcloth and ashes so I didn’t have to act like everything was normal. Corporate America, if you’re fortunate, gives you a few days off with the death of an immediate family member. I imagine public school does the same. While those days off might help you get through the funeral, the grieving process takes much longer. Our home became a haven for letting out the tears we’d been holding back in public. Thankfully, we came together as a family and supported each other.

Homeschooling gave us the freedom to grieve at our own pace. Some days we were able to get all of the work done. Other days, we did what we could handle while helping the kids work through sadness. At times, homeschooling was a welcomed distraction.

If you are walking through a season of grief or hard times, allow yourself some grace. Don’t try to do it all. Ask for help from friends, church members, and family members. The Lord will walk with you and carry you through this season. He is faithful.

How can I pray for you today?