Phone Calls; Answer or Not?

Picture Credit: Vera Martin's bouquets on reception tables at Robyn and RJ's outdoor wedding reception in our backyard.

We no longer have an answering machine, I hate them, so when the phone rings it is a one shot deal. I really do feel bad if I do not answer. However, when I am in the middle of prime teaching I often just let it ring. My children do not. Today I was blessed they answered.

On the other line was a woman, earlier in the summer, I had been encouraged to call to offer encouragement. Her son, when tested, did not meet the standards that a first grader is expected to meet. He had been at our home school learning group last year and she was putting him in school this year. The woman in charge of the elementary section of our group thought I should give her a ring. "No, I do not do that, she is free to do what she wants." Period.

One morning it was as if I HAD to call her and reassure her that her son was on track for "his" track. We had a great talk. Regardless of their schooling choice I just wanted her to know that she need not worry about test scores! Period. She knows her child better than anyone, even the teacher. Mother's intuition is to be trusted, just relax I told her.

She called this morning. She said she knew I would "get it." Her father died un-expectantly of a heart attack in July, shortly after her and I had talked. After his death there were many things that became apparent. One of them was an understanding of why she home schooled her son last year. Had she not he would not have had the opportunity to spend time with his granddad. She had been so sick and regretted the time wasted on her son's education but now in retrospect saw the beauty of her son's time with his grandparents because of her sickness. It was all making sense even though the loss is profound. She wanted me to know this.

Her son has transitioned well into brick and mortar school. His teacher is a christian who is watching that his little broken heart is cared for. What a relief to his mom. God is good.

We talked of the plans that we have and she said, "But God trumps them all!" Why are we home schooling? We might discover it has nothing to do with what we thought. It just might be for a little boy to spend more time with his grandfather. Will that be revealed on test scores? Not on certain test scores, but the test that matters, you bet ya.

I need to make sure I do not implement hard and fast rules such as not answering the phone during teaching times. I need to be led. Talking with this woman felt as if I had called 1-800-testimony!