The more things stay the same, the more they change!

We have found a wonderful Waldorf boarding school that works with special needs children only. We are waiting to hear from them about whether or not they will accept our daughter. We are on pins and needles, and the wait is hard.

OK, so I’m the big “homeschool your bipolar child” person, and I still believe this. But, we have reached a point where my daughter needs more help than I can give her. I am humbled to admit this. I didn’t want to admit this. It pains me to admit this. But there it is.

I love her with all my heart and this is why I am choosing to send her to a boarding school. It’s MY sacrifice……to not have her at home. She is excited (most days). This school works deeply in Waldorf, special dynamics, movement, academics, etc. She will have the opportunity to “get better”, perhaps to lower her medicine (a lot). I believe in my gut we are doing the right thing, and I think she knows this.

I thank God that I do not have to send her off to school not wanting to go…..so far she wants to go. It’s an adventure, but she also knows it’s a chance to get better.

I have given her all I have to give……and it isn’t enough. She and I have come to an impasse on her school work and her basic life skills learning.

While she goes to this school I will be auditing the Remedial program at Rudolf Steiner College (and perhaps some of the foundation year also). That way, when she comes home, I will be better prepared to help her.

Lest anyone think I am selling out…..I’m not, I’m giving her a gift of a chance to get better, learn to get along, and do it in a beautiful Waldorf setting on a farm, with just a few other kids (only 18 in the school and only 6 who are boarders). She will continue to have the one-on-one attention she gets from me. But they have a staff of people who can help her, and I am but one.

Karen, bittersweetness lingers in our home right now.