My Adventures: School Choices

After summer comes school. All summer the district was pretty up and down as far as what they were going to do. Towards the end of July they announced they would do a hybrid and also offer a fully online program. Gaupo and I both felt fully online and pulling the kids out for home school were not the right options for us. I was excited for hybrid because I thought my kids would really enjoy the small classes and still be able to be home plenty. However, like a week before school started the school district announced the school year would begin with everyone online. I was super disappointed (that is actually kind of mild) and threw around ideas of sending the kids to a charter school, so they could actually go to school, but ultimately decided to just roll with it.

August 18th was the first day of school. It was rough. Kade cried till his nose bled, Tia went to timeout a TON, and I got frustrated with Kylee and yelled and she cried. Then next day was a little better Kade still cried a lot, but his nose didn't bleed. Tia went to timeout less. I cried. I wasn't sure I could do it. It was tough balancing the help the big girls needed and what the twins needed. It just felt so overwhelming to have so much needed of me. However, Wednesday night I told Gaupo that Thursday morning before he left for work we ALL needed blessings even Abby and Kade. He gave wonderful blessings to all of us and it totally changed our home. We still have rough days. Some days I feel so emotionally exhausted that I can't do much after I get the kids to be because it just seems too hard. Some days are so great I think to myself, "Why don't we do this all year?" We have a rhythm and we get it most times, but that doesn't mean its easy, but I promise Heavenly Father is watching out for this family, these kids, this mama. I have loved the extended playtime, and flexibility. I have also enjoyed seeing what my children work on and see where they struggle and where their strengths are. It has been a fun adventure.

However, this is our last week. The school district announce on Monday that we will begin Hybrid on October 5. It will be 2 days a week unless you child has an IEP then they have the option to go 4 days and no kids go to school on Fridays. When we first heard this we were like perfect! We will just send our kids the two-days and then do what we always do. However, Tia has an IEP. However, her and Kylee love playing, so I was just going to send her 2 days, so when the school asked that's what I told them. However, as the day wore on I felt like hum maybe I should have thought more about that. Then I talked to Gaupo and was like nah, 2 days is great. However, that night I was like maybe I should pray about this. So, I said something like "Heavenly Father, we have the option to send Tia 2 days or 4 days, and we decided two days would be best. I already told the school, but if that's not what we are suppose to do then stop me if I am wrong." Well, the next day I got an email back from Tia's special ED teacher telling me, that she would probably just have her services on the days she came to school. I was kind of like "Oh, well that will be okay, she will have more time to play." However, I just could let it rest. That afternoon when Tia was on with her teacher I asked her what she thought. Then I was just still not sure, so I asked my mom. Honestly hoping she would be like "Yeah, Katey I totally think its a great idea to let her be a kid and stay home. Her and Kylee will love that time together." However, that is not how it went. Tia's teacher said her class would be small and so she would have time to help Tia, also Tia could get her services a lot more frequently and focused. My mom and I had a great discussion. We talked about Tia and the help she would get. We talked about her and Kylee and their relationship. We talked about what she might really need. Most importantly my mom said she "Katey, you know how to listen to the Spirit. The fact that you are unsettled about this might mean something. Sometimes answers that aren't what we want to hear are harder to understand. I don't know because I am not you, but you know and I know you will do what is right for Tia. It has always been hard for you to send Tia to school, but you have always done the right thing and you will do it again, whatever it is." So, with talking to those two. I really wanted to talk to Gaupo right away, but he was at work, so I decided to pray in the loft, so I could hear the twins when they got up. My big girls were downstairs playing. Well as I was praying, Gaupo comes out of our room and asks whats up. First off it totally freaked me out because I didn't think he was home. However, I talked to him some and he felt the 2 days was still plenty but we should ask Tia. He worked for a bit more and then we went on a family bike ride. While we were riding I asked Kylee, how she would feel if Tia went to school four days. At first she was like, well then I can't play with her as much, but then I explained timing like how Tia doesn't really get done with school until about 3ish anyway, so it would only be about 30 to 40 minutes she is missing her. Then Kylee also realized 2 days a week in the afternoon it would just be her and me. So, she was like yeah, I can support her in that. Then Gaupo asked Tia when we got home. At first she was like no just two, but then we said well you still have to do school and Mrs. Higgin's probably wont be available as much because she will have a class, plus you will get to go to Mrs. Fosters (her special ED teacher) everyday. She was like "oh yeah, 4 days is good. Can I watch a show now?" I mentioned she would still have to do reading after school and she was said "Well, I might be to tired." We said, "Well, tired or not you still need to do it." "Okay, I still want 4-days. Can I have a show now?"

Bottom line is I ended up emailing the school back changing our plan from just 2-days to 4 days for Tia. I actually feel fine about it. I am not looking forward to sending her 4 days, but it just feels like what we should do for her. So, we have one more week of online learning, then begins a new chapter of this school year. I am sure with will have a few bumps, ups, and downs, but more and more I find that is what makes life a big adventure. Its riding the ride. Feeling the lows, so the high is better. Working hard uphill and enjoying the downhill. Then to do it over and over again. I love it. I love my family. I get the best friends in the whole world right in my house. This time is so weird and beautiful all at the same time. I know Heavenly Father is watching out for me. He knows my children and is watching out for them. I am so glad he doesn't give up on me. I can be hard of hearing, but I really want to listen and when we want to do what is right He will bless us. Like one brother in our ward said, "Having the gospel doesn't mean that things wont be bad, rough, or hard. However, it does mean that it will be better. Everything is better with the gospel." I believe that is true. I know my family and life is so much better with the gospel. We aren't perfect, but we are way better off because of it.

Because I need to add photos, but don't have any for this story.