All the years that I’ve spent contemplating, researching curriculum, and debating if I should pull the trigger have prepared me for this day. Today is the last day of public school for my heart warrior (for now). It has been a challenge over the past few months. After her cath procedure in December, we were told that Bella needed open-heart surgery. The feelings and emotions surrounding that day are for another post but part of our struggle is about how we were going to make school work with her being out for so long. It makes things more challenging that we are in a pandemic and her health before, during, and after her surgery is most important for her recovery which would require our diligence in quarantining 2 weeks prior. This was definitely not an easy decision to make and one we went back and forth on for so long.
It wasn't until our family came down with covid 3 weeks prior to her surgery that pushed us into this decision. Just getting a glimpse of the online learning was only an indication of how the next 8 weeks would turn out. Her school district denied her access to the virtual learning platform that is already set up for students who are required to quarantine due to exposure. This meant we had to settle for the homebound tutor where she would get 1 hour per day. The rest was up to her to complete her missed coursework. Not being able to listen in on the lectures and have an idea as to what was going on in her classes would have put her at a huge disadvantage. That didn't seem adequate and would have only added to her stress levels. She doesn't need to worry about school while recovering from heart surgery. She needs another option.
When I told Bella we would be homeschooling her, I could automatically see the shift in her eyes. She looked relieved and happy. She had been asking for this for some time and honestly, we have been contemplating this for 8 years. Her heart surgery was just the catalyst to pull in all in motion. Don't get me wrong, there is a little bit of sadness as she won't be seeing her friends on a daily basis anymore. I'm not going to deny that there is some loss in this direction. What we are praying for is that the benefits far outweigh the cons of this decision. I have a feeling they will.