Time · Friday May 4, 2007 by Abbie
I seem to be having more difficulty in doing the blog this time. I really enjoyed doing it last time, and was looking forward to doing it again, but somehow, I am just not getting the time.
Time is one of the things that are often a problem for home educators. When we are with our children all the time it doesn’t always give us time on our own. Then when things come along that require our time, we have to shift things around to accommodate them.
Two things that have been happening lately that have required more time are the activities of our Local Authority, and the Disability Living Allowance form.
There is no set way for LAs to deal with home educators throughout the country. Some LAs are great. They really understand how home education works and are there when you need them but don’t impose on families. But then there are others that don’t understand so well, and for some reason think that they have every right to enter someone’s home and life. There is of course protection in the law, but some authorities don’t seem to understand that and need to be told what the law is.
Then there is the dreaded DLA forms. I am in the middle of doing a renewal, and I just don’t seem to get time to sit down and do it. I have already spent two and a half hours with an advisor from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau but I still had to write it up on the form. I am about half way through, but every time I sit down to do it I get called away.
Of course that isn’t all that is taking my time. I still have to see to Ram and some days he is self contained and just wants to sit on his own in front of the TV but mostly lately he wants me to be with him. I think the Dxh got a bit of an insight the other day when he was here. I was on my computer and Ram was playing the Popcap game Bookworm Adventures. Every minute or two he either asked me how to spell something or asked me to use the anagram searcher on my computer. All I was trying to do was to read an email but each time I read a sentence I then had to go to another programme, and by the time I got back I had lost my place. Dxh commented that he could see how I would never get anything done!
I think one of the things I miss is having a second adult around on a more frequent basis, even if it would only be each evening. There are so many little things that can be done so much faster when you have two working on it. For instance the Dxh could be with Ram while I water the garden, or make some phone calls. I could be with Ram while the Dxh takes care of the car (it took me months to install the new windscreen wiper that was in the back of the car) or do the dishes, or even fill out the DLA forms!
So it isn’t the Asperger’s Syndrome that is taking all my time, nor even the home education. It is doing it all as a single parent!
