5 months with Cameron

I've thought about homeschooling Cameron before...just to give him a jump start to reading, math and other topics of disinterest to him. However, Richard and I both know that when Cameron came to our home he needed a whole lot of jump starts and academics just wasn't at the top of the list. We were SUPER BLESSED with two FANTASTIC teachers who jumped in, loved Cameron and all his energy, and caught him up with other kids his age. His third teacher liked Cam, but didn't care much for the amount of socializing and visiting he could do. So he kind of just sat back, tried not to get "clipped down" and kept to the opinion that he wasn't smart and couldn't get "clipped up" unless he was going to not talk at all...which is all but impossible. We agreed.

Last summer we pulled out some workbooks, reviewed topics, read Bible stories and books together, but the root of Cam's academic issues remained...he really doesn't care about school. And I get that...I mean, if I tell Cameron he needs to have good grades so he can have a good job and not flip hamburgers his whole life he'll just look at me and say, "I like hamburgers." And if I say, "They won't let you play sports if you don't make good grades," he'll think, "I can't play sports now, I'm in 3rd grade, and I've already lost my karate privileges here...and I can play in the driveway anytime!"

I'm just saying, motivating a third grader to WANT to learn is hard when they have no TANGIBLE reason for it. And quite frankly, we don't feel like we should use candy bars EVERY SINGLE DAY to get his best work. (although that would completely solve this problem.)

We're going to do something hard. I'm going to get out of Bible Study, give up my part time job with Rhea Lana's and put my head down focusing on Cam. I need to stay at it. I know some days will be hard...or most days. But I BELIEVE he is smart, capable and that GOD has put this on my heart. After all, I don't pick hard things to do for myself.