Homeschooling is a wonderful option for bringing your family together. As a homeschool parent, you naturally have more time spent directly with your children throughout the week. While I see homeschooling as a privilege, it can also lead to burnout. Here is some encouragement for homeschool moms to read on a difficult day or during a challenging season.
Be Who Your Kids Need
One of my favorite homeschooling authors, Ainsley Arment, said in her book The Call of the Wild and Free, “Let’s stop striving to be good moms by other people’s standards and start becoming the mothers our children need.”
Thanks to social media, we get a small glimpse into parts of people’s lives that would otherwise be unknown. While this can build connection it can also lead to comparison.
There are so many opinions about what it means to be a good parent or the “right way” to parent. However, our children are unique individuals whose needs may or may not fit into the mold that society creates.
You were chosen to be your child’s parent for a reason. Be the parent they need, even if it doesn’t make sense to someone else.
A Drive to Learn Can Be More Valuable than a Teaching Degree
I have my degree in elementary education, but I have honestly been unlearning much of what I was taught working in a public school. While I am still applying what I learned about phonics and growth mindset, I now resonate much more with educators like Charlotte Mason and Maria Montessori than the traditional approach used in many public schools.
If you have a love for learning and a desire to help your kid reach their full potential, you are capable of teaching them. Yes, you might have to outsource or get support for certain subjects or in certain circumstances, but in general–you can learn and teach your child even if you don’t have a teaching degree.
So many curriculums are specifically-designed for homeschool parents and will walk you through how to teach a concept. If you can read, you can research and learn strategies to help your child, in turn, learn.
Encouragement for Homeschool Moms: Everyone Has Hard Days
Everyone, and I mean everyone, occasionally has hard days. It is human nature to experience doubt, comparison, discouragement. If you are having a hard day as a homeschool parent, know that you are not alone.
Memories Matter
Some of my favorite memories from my childhood include playing outside with my siblings, going on family vacations, and reading books with my parents. Your family culture and effort to create a sense of belonging will go far.
Cookies and a Good Book Go a Long Way
If you are struggling with student engagement, take a break from the curriculum, bake some cookies, and cozy up with a good book. Although you will eventually need to get back to your lessons, reading is far from a waste of time.
Charlotte Mason said, “Thought breeds thought; children familiar with great thoughts take as naturally to thinking for themselves as the well-nourished body takes to growing; and we must bear in mind that growth, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, is the sole end of education.”
Listening to stories builds comprehension, strengthens bonding, and increases listening skills among other benefits like the ones mentioned above. If you are looking for some other ideas for how to engage students in learning, check out this post.
Encouragement for Homeschool Moms: Play is Learning
Fred Rogers said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning.” If your kids would rather play than do school, sit back and observe.
While there is definitely a time and place and need for instruction, there is a place for play too. You’re not failing if your children would rather play than sit down and do lessons. Play is learning.
God is in Control
As a mom, it’s so easy for me to worry about my children. I worry about their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I am learning that there are so many things outside of our control as parents. We can try to do everything right and go above and beyond for our kids; however, ultimately, God is in control.
He loves our children even more than we ever could.
Tomorrow is a New Day
Sometimes, I get to the end of a hard day and ruminate on what went wrong or what could have gone better. But I know that we can’t change the past.
Instead, take a few extra minutes to prep for the next day. Brainstorm ways to improve difficulties. If today was hard, kiss your children goodnight and tell them that you love them. You have a new start tomorrow!
Encouragement for Homeschool Moms: It’s Okay to Try Something New
If a curriculum that everyone raves about just isn’t clicking for your kid, try a new one. If doing school first thing in the morning isn’t working, try mid-morning or early afternoon. Just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean it will for you. It’s ok to try something new!
Growth Mindset is for Parents Too
Teaching kids to have a growth mindset means to teach them that just because they can’t do something yet doesn’t mean that will always be the case. I have to remind myself to have a growth mindset–as an adult, teacher, parent–as well.
If something is discouraging or hard as a homeschool mom, give yourself empathy and model a growth mindset for your kids. You might not be there YET, but you can keep going. You are doing a good job, mama. Keep up the good work.
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