Change is in the air

So my husband and I grew up going to a small private Christian school our whole lives.  I even took it a step further and went to a small Christian college.  And when I say small ... my graduating class was 22 kids. 

Going to a Christian school is all I have ever known.  It's all my husband has ever known.

And, up until now ... it's all my children have ever known.

And while I love and appreciate all that a Christian education has to offer me and my children, there are also limitations that are inherent to small private schools.  Namely they they just don't have many of the resources that are available in the larger public schools.  And so I have always said - even before I had children - that while I really want a Christian education for my children, if I feel that they need resources that they just can't get at a smaller school I won't hesitate to get them those resources because I don't want them to struggle.

Well, darn it all if God isn't calling me on it!  We knew that it was likely that one or more of our children would struggle with learning issues.  And both of our girls have really struggled since entering school in Kindergarten.  Wake Christian has gone above and beyond in their attempts to make things work for them.  Hear my heart - I love that school.  I love those teachers.  LOVE THEM!  It absolutely breaks my heart to be leaving.  I have to follow my heart and what I feel God is leading me to do for my children. We have spent a lot of time in prayer over this very difficult decision.

We thought that our son, Caleb was old enough to participate in the decision of whether he wanted to stay at Wake Christian - the only school he's ever known - or if he wanted to leave and go to a public school as well.  He is entering middle school (Lord help me).  I was completely surprised by his reaction.  He asked very mature and intelligent questions about the public school and about his choices.  In the end - he decided to go to the public school and we felt his decision was a wise one.

And as I sit here and think about the changes that are coming I am starting to feel ill prepared.  I have NO IDEA what they are about to face - none. I mean I could go on about the differences between Christian and public schools when my daughters started to say "you mean there won't be any Bible stories there?  They don't pray before lunch?"  That's kind of just the tip of the iceberg people.  I never went through a lunch line in a cafeteria. My kids are entering a year round schedule where they are essentially  in class for 9 weeks and then "track out" for 3 weeks. One of my daughters will be getting specialized help with her education in the form of IEP.  All 3 of them will be riding a bus to school.  My mom was a bus driver when I was young - and I rode on her bus, but I never got on a bus and rode to school.  My girls will be on a different campus from my son.  I was always at a school that was a K-12 campus.

Don't get me wrong - I feel confident that I am doing the right thing for my children.  I just get sudden attacks of panic when I think of all the things that I can't anticipate or help prepare my children for.  And I know that experience is not a unique one.  I know I'm not the only parent that worries about sending her children out into the world.  :)  And so I will pray over my children and entrust them to my Lord.  This is a new and exciting adventure for all of us.

I have already enrolled them in their new schools and met with their principals and guidance counselors in their new schools and have been very encouraged at how eager they were to welcome us, to work with us on the transition.  They were knowledgeable on the challenges that my children would face in making this transition and were anxious to work with us to face those challenges in way that seem to make a lot of sense.  In the end, we are looking forward to the new school year - which actually starts July 11 because it is a year round calendar.