Yesterday was a traumatic day for a lot of parents in and around Columbia, as we were thrust back into the chaos that is eLearning. For many of us, the day brought back horrific memories of throwing tantrums, slamming doors, and cussing, and I’m only referring to my own personal behavior.

To be fair, Jackson’s eLearning experience in 2020 wasn’t completely scarring. He was in the third grade and could do a lot of his work independently. But Reeves’? Reeves’ experience made me wonder how early was too early for a mimosa.

I felt like every day with Reeves was a disaster. Because he was only in first grade at the time, he needed a lot of help, and understandably so. Problem was, so did the 85 students on the other end of my own Teams meetings, and since I couldn’t figure out how to balance teaching and parenting, most days Reeves just rolled around on the floor, did handstands on the furniture, and made 12-foot long snakes out of tape and construction paper. Let’s just say, it wasn’t quite the standards-based experience I was hoping for.

By mid-September, I was so stressed and frazzled, I lost my temper and yelled . . . a lot. And neither did much to help nurture a little boy who wasn’t really a fan of school to begin with. Just when I thought I couldn’t do it anymore and had resigned myself to the fact that we’d have a first grade drop out in the family, the clouds parted and a nearby private school opened another first grade class. Reeves got a spot where he could go to school face to face every day and run around on the playground with his friends. He also got a teacher who saw him in person in the classroom for seven hours a day and who started asking good questions about his attention and his work habits.

What we would soon discover is that Reeves has ADHD. The past two school years have been full of ups and downs as we have returned to our original elementary school and have worked to help Reeves rekindle his love of learning and figure out how he can be successful in school. Yet, even though this year has been his best year by far, I was still apprehensive about returning to a virtual system that brought back so many bad memories, even if only for one day.

So imagine my surprise yesterday morning when I walked into the kitchen and saw Reeves sitting at the table, calmly filling out his weather observation chart, completely unprompted. The sight literally stopped me in my tracks. It was a total 180 from where we were two years ago.

Now, I know that two years can make a huge difference in a student’s life, especially when it involves learning to read independently. And I also know that medication and therapy have done a lot to help Reeves maintain his focus and lessen his anxiety.

But I’d be lying to myself and to you if I didn’t acknowledge the part God played in all of this. He has blessed us with the right schools at the right times, with teachers who encourage all of us daily, and with friends who have prayed with us through the trials and the triumphs.

As I stared at Reeves in awe, I couldn’t help but think of one of my favorite Bible verses. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

It’s hard to remember this truth when we’re in the weeds of parenting. When it seems like every day brings a new challenge, a new struggle. I’ll be honest, I have wanted to throw in the towel more than once over the past two years. There were days I felt like therapy was a waste of time and of money. We tried four different medications before we found the right one. Nothing was a quick fix. But God knows parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. He’s in it for the long haul, and He knows raising children is going to take time. I guess that’s why he gives them to us for 18 years instead of just eight.

Whatever parenting struggle you’re facing, keep going. Whether it’s helping your teenager manage peer pressure and friendships or constantly reminding your four year old that hands are not for hitting, keep fighting the good fight. Keep leaning into God and putting faith in His promises. Seeing Reeves happily working away at the table was just the reminder I needed that the harvest we long for is worth the wait.