HS #217 Shawna Wingert

HS #217 Shawna Wingert

Show Notes:

Hi, My name is Shawna Wingert and I support homeschooling families online at Different By Design Learning. As a former special education teacher and homeschooling mom of two boys with special needs, I find that most of us are just looking for real-life, practical ways to make our homeschool days a little smoother and our relationships a little stronger.Every Wednesday, I share 2 or 3 things that are getting us through the week, in the hopes it may help you in your week as well. (On the rough weeks, this is a list that includes coffee and screen time, so bear with me.)This week, given the shift in our lives and daily routines, I want to share a snapshot of what is actually working for us right now. But I am warning you, it's not at all pretty.And now...this week's what's working. 1. Tons of graceI have to start with this, more as a reminder to myself than a great idea to bestow upon you.My family lives our "normal life" already under a certain amount of stress, daily care requirements and even medical worries. Add the past week to the mix and you can imagine the sheer chaos. All four of us are weird right now.We count on the routine we have so carefully crafted to help us through the tough parts. Now, our primary tool for sanity has been replaced by the unknown.The need for grace is real, almost tangible right now.2. A loose planI don't feel very creative these days, but the lack of any external routine demands I come up with something to fill our days and create a sense of normalcy for these boys of mine.The past few days have brought me back to what works and nothing else right now. This means YouTube videos, No Sweat Nature Study re-runs, and chalk pastels. It even means thinking of ways for my oldest to take apart old computers and guitars, just so he can put them right back together again.I have taken to creating a very loose plan of all the things (and only the things) that I know work. Then, as the day unfolds and I can see the levels of anxiety, or lack there of, I can add or subtract from it. It seems simple, and honestly, it is. But when the tension increases, so do my sons' behavioral needs and dysregulation. I need a very simple plan to stay on track, as much for me as for them.
More than anything, I want you to know that this is not easy. I think we tend to blame ourselves when things are difficult in our homes. But I want to remind you that just because something is difficult, doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong! Sometimes, things are just hard. It’s part of life, this side of heaven. Just because things are difficult, it doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong!In closing, I want to share with you a portion of Psalm 91. I have been reading it every morning, before we begin our day, as a reminder and way to increase my own sense of calm and peace.“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him. I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble.” He is with us, now and always. Amen!If you would like more support and encouragement, I welcome you to join me online at Different By Design Learning. I wish you and yours a week filled with grace.

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