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Dear Homeschooling Mom (or Dad),

You are tired: not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. I believe you’re discouraged: left wondering can I really keep doing this homeschool thing? Feeling doubtful: does all of this even matter…am I really making a difference in my kids’ lives?

Do you remember when you had those thoughts? Do you remember those days when you wanted to give up on homeschooling entirely? Are you having one of those days even today? If you are, or if you ever have in the past, I want to tell you that you should not give up; you are making a difference; you can keep doing it!

A THANK YOU LETTER FROM A HOMESCHOOLED DAUGHTER

It’s a great gift to receive encouragement from people who are “in the trenches”, as they say, right there with you, experiencing the same struggles, emotions, and doubts that you are.

Well, I’m afraid that the encouragement I offer today is not from the homeschooling trenches alongside you. Rather, I offer encouragement that comes from the reason you’re in the trench, to begin with, …a thank you letter from a homeschooled daughter if you will.

A thank you to parents who didn’t give up on it for her.

What if your kids could be the ones to encourage you to keep going…to not give up on homeschooling for them? Would that encourage your heart on a whole new level?

I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your kids probably won’t encourage you in that way today…or tomorrow for that matter. But the reason they won’t encourage you or thank you is not that what you are doing doesn’t matter or isn’t worth the effort – or the tears – that you are putting into it.

The reason is that they are not yet at the end of the journey; they can’t thank you yet because they have not yet seen the place your hard work is bringing them to.

As with so many things in this life, if only we could see the end result, we would be bolstered enough to continue on the journey to reaching it.

If your adult homeschooled daughter could talk to you where you are today, however, here are some things her thank you letter might say:

Mom, Dad: thank you for training and discipling me in the ways of the Lord.

If you are anything like my parents, the unique opportunity that homeschooling provides to shepherd and disciple your children was one of the leading motivators of your decision to homeschool. I cannot thank them enough for that.

I truly believe that I am not the woman I would be today if I had only received “regular” education, whether private or public.

This is not to say I would be a train wreck by any means; this is just to say that I can see the way that the focused discipleship my parents gave me (through homeschooling) has grounded me more firmly and shaped me more fully into a woman, wife, and mom who desires to walk with and honor her Lord.

So, on those days (is it today?) where you feel as though you have accomplished nothing of academic value because all you’ve done was talk about your child’s behavior, again and again, take heart.

Those times that might distract from the textbook for a few moments will be used to shape your child’s character and love for the Lord in an immovable way.

Those are actually kingdom moments, and parents to need to refocus themselves on that fact again and again. Invest in those moments! Shove the academic aside because future generations depend on how well we are training our children today.

I cannot thank my parents enough for the focused way they taught my siblings and I to be godly men and women.

(For some inspiration and help in how to do that, check out The Keepsake Notebook, a customizable curriculum for training biblical sons and daughters. Also, take a look at volume 1 and 2 of The Way I Should Go, character stories for teaching young children.)

Mom, Dad: thank you for valuing me enough to keep me with you every day…voluntarily!

I have not missed the fact that my mother (and father) gave up a lot by homeschooling. No parent will ever deny their love for those precious, few (quiet) moments when their children are, well, gone.

This reality in no way diminishes the amount of love you have for them, but in all seriousness, kids are a lot of work! And even though the work changes with each stage of their lives, it’s always still there in some form or another.

So let’s be honest, there’s a perk in sending your kids into the traditional classroom…and that perk is the fact that they’re gone for 6-7 hours every weekday! Well…not so for the homeschooling parent because, hey, those 6-7 hours get to be spent with you! In addition to all the other ones!

All kidding aside, you have made a big sacrifice in homeschooling your children. But instead of looking at it as a loss of so much precious time away from them, motivate yourself into viewing it as receiving so much more precious time with them.

You get time with your homeschooled children that other parents miss out on experiencing, so treasure it.

Remember that these days actually go fast (yes, mom, with the steam coming out of your ears, I’m talking to you!). They are, believe it or not, going to be all grown up one day, away from you in homes of their own, so enjoy this time with them.

And then one day, they’re sure to look back on all this time you’ve invested in them (like me) and say, “Wow. My mom…she was amazing!”

Mom, Dad: thank you for investing yourself in my learning.

It’s no easy undertaking to say that you are going to be in charge of your child’s academic learning. There were times when I know my mom questioned whether she was adequate enough to give her children a full and rounded education.

When those doubts arise, be encouraged with the knowledge that you are providing more than just academics.

Most people would understand the word homeschool to have a very basic meaning: school that happens at home. I think the term has so much more meaning than that, however.

It’s not just school that takes place in the home, it’s where the home and school come together.

Are you interested in your child’s academic learning? Of course! (That’s why you’re so frustrated when it feels like those ingrates you call your children are preventing any meaningful academics from taking place!)

But you’re interested in more than just academics.

You’re interested in every aspect of your child’s learning, maturing, and training – and seeing those academics shaped and nurtured by the home. Home not simply as a physical place, but as a source of primary influence. The home is the center of all that’s taught.

Mom, Dad: thank you for not giving up on my learning. 

Picture this: you’ve tried countless times to help your child understand something, and they are still struggling to get it. You’re at the point of doubting that anything will ever work and you’re considering just throwing in the towel.

Stop. Breathe.

When your child is grown and they look back on this, yes, they’ll remember the struggle of learning it, but they’ll also remember the parents that walked alongside them and never gave up on them. And that will actually mean a whole lot more than the thing you were so concerned that they learn.

Mom, Dad: thank you for a family that sticks together like glue.

I have no doubt in my mind that the closeness my siblings share with each other and our parents is largely due to homeschooling.

Remember that the home is more than just the location you’ve chosen to do school in…it’s a shaping force in the life of your children.

Don’t let those difficult days overshadow the fun and meaningful ones you experience with them. Stay focused on the long term goal of what you’re doing and the rewards that are in store.

So, please, though you are weary today, keep going…do not leave the trench. Not because it won’t be difficult anymore, but because you care about more than just today.

One day you may receive a thank you letter from your homeschooled kids. And on that blessed day, what you’re feeling this day simply won’t matter anymore.

In closing, I would like to speak for all of your children who are too young (or immature, or stubborn, or whatever it is) right now to understand or appreciate the sacrifice you’re making for them or the gift you’re giving to them.

So, on behalf of all the homeschooled kids of the weary parents reading this, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for investing in your kids and in our future generations.

With love,

Michelle – a grateful homeschooled daughter
www.keepsakecurriculum.com

*****

Michelle Jansma is one half of the mother-daughter team at Keepsake Curriculum. She and her mom, Cindy, desire to help parents raise up a faithful generation. Children are a keepsake entrusted by God, and if we are to “keep” the next generation, we need intentional parenting. It’s the goal of Keepsake Curriculum to have academic and spiritual training come together in that task. Michelle taught kindergarten at a Christian school for five years before having the blessing of becoming a mother. When her first son was born, she joined Cindy at Keepsake Curriculum. She now has two little boys. Cindy homeschooled her five children over a span of fifteen years and is the proud grandmother of five (soon to be 6!), grandchildren. Cindy now has the privilege of helping to homeschool her grandchildren!

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Whether your family follows a curriculum or a particular homeschooling method, does your own thing or unschools; we all have days of self-doubt.  You know, those days when you think you’re ‘not doing enough’ in your homeschool.

When we are (pretty much) our children’s sole educators we alone are shouldering the responsibility for their education and that can be a daunting task.

For this reason, I know many families prefer to use a bought, pre-made curriculum so they can check the boxes someone else made for them and feel like they are doing what they are supposed to.

It helps remove some of the feelings of responsibility and overwhelm.

No matter what method of homeschooling you have chosen for your family for this stage of your life, no matter how certain you are of it some days, the self-doubt is still able to creep in at times.

HERE’S HOW TO HANDLE ‘NOT DOING ENOUGH’ IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

Over the last few years, our homeschool has changed a lot.

A number of years ago I graduated university with a teaching degree, only to spend a few years in the school system to realize how much I disagreed with the system. Even though I knew that wasn’t the kind of environment I wanted to work in or have my children educated in it still took me a while to shed my idea of what homeschooling should look like.

Our first few weeks of homeschool definitely looked quite a bit like “school at home” but it didn’t take long and we were slowly making adjustments to make it suit our lifestyle.

Then we arrived at where we are today: viewing homeschoooling as a lifestyle.

Even though I have a degree in education and feel comfortable in our homeschooling style, I still have days of doubt, days where I wonder if I am doing enough, and I know you do too.

Let me come beside you today, mama, and tell you: you are doing enough in your homeschool

There is so much your children learn by being around you all day, even when you are not intentionally teaching them.

WHEN YOU TAKE CARE OF THEM WHEN THEY ARE SICK, they learn about compassion and servanthood first hand.

BY PLAYING A GAME TOGETHER, they learn how to win and lose with a good attitude.

BEING ASKED TO DO THEIR CHORES,  teaches responsibility and how they contribute to the family.

TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS, they learn that they matter.

ALLOWING THEM TO BAKE AND COOK ALONGSIDE YOU, they not only learn math but also how much love goes into preparing their meals.

BY TAKING THEM TO THE LIBRARY, they learn the importance of being a lifelong learner and how to find answers for themselves.

WHEN THEY SEE YOU SERVING OUTSIDE THE HOME, they realize that others are important as well.

While we do want to teach our children reading, writing and arithmetic I feel like my role as a homeschool mother is more geared towards character formation and teaching my children to be lifelong learners.

They may not remember the math equations we learn (how many do you remember from school?), but I do hope they remember how fun it was to learn and discover together.

But sometimes when you don’t feel like you’re doing enough in your homeschool, that feeling can last for awhile causing you to feel like you are in a funk.  I just wanted to share five ways I like to step away from this feeling and get back on track.

FIVE WAYS TO BREAK OUT OF A HOMESCHOOL FUNK WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE  ‘NOT DOING ENOUGH’ IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

GO ON AN ADVENTURE

Adventures don’t have to be grand or far. You can do something as simple as going for a walk in the back alleys around your house, taking a magnifying glass with you to see the world from a different perspective.

This spring I have plans to take my kids to the small town where I grew up and take them on a walking tour, showing them my old house, where I went to elementary school, how I lived just a couple of houses from my best friend on one side and my grandma on the other and all the sights I haven’t seen for so long. The town is really close to where we live now but not a place where we regularly go so it will be a fun little adventure.

MAKE A CRAFT OR PROJECT

This is one of my daughter’s favorites.  Quality time is her love language and she loves working on a craft together. Pinterest and YouTube are great resources if you need some inspiration.

PLAY A GAME

Games are not only fun but also educational, win-win! We play a lot of games together as a family and have quite a few favorites, many of which the kids play even though they are years below the recommended ages. It just goes to show that kids are smarter than you think!

GO TO THE LIBRARY AND GET BOOKS OUT ON A TOPIC OF INTEREST

If the kids keep asking questions about a certain topic or show interest in something I love going to the library and getting a stack of books out on the topic and going through them together.

SPIN A GLOBE AND LEARN ABOUT THE COUNTRY YOU LAND ON

Geography is one of my favorite subjects and we love spinning our globe and seeing where we land. You can take it a step further and learn a bit about the countries you land on; look up their flag, the language they speak, the currency they use, foods they eat, etc, feel free to go as deep as you want!

So, whether you are just in a homeschool funk or are struggling with self-doubt for a day or a season, please remember, you are teaching your children in everything you do and you are doing enough.

*****

Chantel is an INFJ, a rebel and an introvert. She lives in the Canadian prairies with her husband and two children, where they explore locally in the warm summer months and spend the long winters doing lots of read alouds, playing games and dreaming of warmer places. You can find her over on her blog An Intentional Life and sharing lots of pictures over on Instagram.

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I think most of us have in mind a homeschool journey that is full of serene, orderly days when we first start out. We plan for smooth schedules and obedient, enthusiastic children. But, as we try to teach them, we keep running up against something.

• You ask your daughter to read a paragraph and she has a meltdown.
• Your son gives you an attitude when you explain another way to work out a math problem.
• Your kids start fighting over who’s going to do which part of the science experiment.

Or maybe you have lofty goals of your children becoming world changers, but you seem to be stuck in a never-ending loop of correcting the same behaviors.

If homeschooling isn’t going to “fix them”, then why bother?

Too many moms give up on homeschooling or are reluctant to even start because their relationship with their child is fraught with tension, and only exacerbated by the demands of home education.

We begin to think they’d be better off being taught by someone else. I believe that, underneath it all, what we’re really saying is, “This is HARD!”

Should that come as a surprise though?

Home education is messy. It is dealing with and confronting the effects of the Fall head-on, up close and personal.

Brokenness is felt keenly every day in my homeschool, and there is no 6-7 hour per weekday escape from it. No reprieve from the sinful behavior my kids’ display and the sinful responses they provoke in me.

Comparatively, it can seem far, far easier to send children away to be taught by others. It involves less time, less trauma, less turmoil. 

It would temporarily solve the discomfort of having to deal with your kids’ actions, but it would also bypass the sanctifying work of struggling through those problems with your child.

So when you want to quit homeschooling, do these 4 things instead

1. Pray

There’s nothing too hard for God.

When we quit homeschooling our children because of difficult relationship issues, we’re essentially saying that this is an area where He doesn’t have control.

If I’m at a loss about how I can help my kids, or how to reach them, I can seek God in prayer to receive these answers. After all, He knows each one intimately and is, therefore, able to help me discover their needs and how to train them as He intends.

He says to us, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Invite Him to step into that difficult situation and give you insight into your child’s behavior.

2. Adjust your expectations before you quit homeschooling

While the Lord is certainly able to change a landscape by storm in an instant, He often works by growing trees over a century.

We get so discouraged when our efforts don’t seem to be producing the fruit we want. But moms, it’s not time to reap yet.

Those first glimpses of the harvest will come into view if we do not give up.

Your daughter will eventually read through a book without pictures on every page, though it may not be on your timetable.

Your son will figure out long division, but it won’t necessarily be a result of that tried-and-true-works-for-everyone method.

All those teachable moments about kindness and self-control will begin to pay off.

For now, our job is to keep ensuring that the soil we’re raising our children in provides all the nutrients they need.

We need to tend to the “weeds” that pop up to allow them to grow towards their fullest potential.

And we keep praying and pressing into God.

3. Put aside academics for a season and focus on character

It’s hard to teach a child spelling or algebra if you haven’t first addressed character issues beneath the surface.

Their resistance to persevering through a tough subject, or receiving constructive criticism reveals a deeper heart issue.

I’ll be honest, though. I don’t like interruptions in my days.

It’s much easier to just ignore the disrespect, laziness, and whining so I can continue on with my agenda and mark everything “done” for the day.

But our job is to train and discipline our kids, no matter how hard or frustrating it gets.

Character cannot be sacrificed at the expense of academics.

Use these struggles to shape their character, and point them back towards scripture. Using God’s Word to discipline is instrumental in developing internal motivation, along with the fruits of the spirit.

These, in turn, will help your child put forth their best efforts in their school work!

So much of home education involves teaching those things which are not strictly academic.

4. Change your own heart

We can be our child’s best advocate sometimes, or their worst enemy.

When we recognize that our frustration and impatience during the school day is getting the better of us and contributing to the problem, this is a perfect opportunity for sanctification. 

The Bible says we shouldn’t exasperate our children (Colossians 3:21) or provoke them to wrath (Ephesians 6:4).

We’re often quick to assume that homeschooling has to go, though.

We believe that by removing it from the equation, that will restore peace. But this is only an external factor. In the meantime, we’ve failed to work on our own hearts.

It’s possible that we are short-circuiting the work God wants to do in us through our children.

Our child’s behavior could be triggering something in us from our past that we never dealt with. Or their behavior is a reflection of our own, reminding us of our weaknesses and failures.

Homeschooling cannot replace the true, life-altering change that comes only through personally knowing Christ, but it can be a tool that He uses to refine us.

Instead of quitting homeschooling, pause and ask yourself what God may be trying to teach you through this difficult season. Ask for Him to increase your self-control with regards to your tongue and temper.

Surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit. He gave you these children, and He will give you the power to change also!

Remember these 4 things and do them the next time you want to quit homeschooling.

****

Marisa is a homeschooling mom of two and author of Bucking The System: Reclaiming Our Children’s Minds For Christ, published in January 2016. She writes to encourage women to find purpose and joy in their God-given calling as mothers, helping them raise children with a biblical worldview. She relies on Jesus and coffee to get her through the day, and loves marveling at the cultural differences between New Jersey where she grew up and Oklahoma where her family has been transplanted! You can find more of her writings over at Called To Mothering.

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There are many things pulling on the homeschool mom’s mind. From what methods to use, what curriculum to buy, how to balance it all with all the kids and how to be a one-teacher classroom. And though I understand the temptations my biggest homeschool encouragement is to stay heart focused.

What if Mums were to pause and think about what they really wanted to achieve in their child’s life by the time they leave homeschool?

Most people who answer this question answer with things like:

• I want my child to be a follower of Christ
• To be responsible and be able to work
• I want them to stand strong for what they believe
• My desire is for them to be a good friend, be loyal, patient, kind
• To handle money wisely
• I want them to care for people and the environment
• For them to be good friends with their siblings

Though each of the above is a practical life skill, it is driven or motivated by a heart focus.

As homeschool moms we start to plan lessons, write up routines and spend money on resources to give our children knowledge.

We give very little thought to the heart beliefs and values that will motivate our children to truly learn the skills that will help them be the people we want them to be by the time they leave school.

5 KEYS TO BEING HEART FOCUSED IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

What is the “heart”?

When the Bible talks about the heart it is talking about the core of us that processes our beliefs and values and determines our will.

There is a Bible verse which I am sure you are very familiar with: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Prov 4:23 (NIV)

Everything we do comes out of what is in our heart, which makes putting stuff into the heart pretty important.

As a parent, we are to ‘put into’ our kids’ hearts beliefs and virtues that will enable them to make wise choices in their life, now and for their adult life ahead.

The caution is that teaching our child’s heart is not like teaching knowledge. It isn’t about giving a lesson on kindness and then moving onto math.

No, heart lessons need time to be rooted in the heart.

Because what is in the heart isn’t just a belief – it is a belief that is lived out. The beliefs and values held in the heart dictate the choices we make.

So it takes time to get heart lessons from the head to hands to heart. It isn’t something we can rush.

Arranging our Homeschool to be Heart Focused

As soon as we take on homeschooling our parenting focus gets clouded by math, science, learning to read, and keeping up with everyone else.

When we focus on those things we struggle to find the time to teach our kids about God, and how to live a life of good character.

A lot of the choices we make actually come from our heart.

Read More: Preparing your Heart for a Heart-Focused Homeschool” a free resource to help you keep your own heart-healthy as you homeschool.

Though academic studies do have to happen they can be a distraction from the heart lessons, our ultimate goal for our kids.

Making the time to be heart focused in our family and homeschool starts with being comfortable with having different priorities than others.

If we are going to take time to pursue God and relationships then there is going to be less time to pursue chemistry, geography, and literature.

I know that sounds scary.

But if you look back at your list of what you want for your children by the time they reach 18 then you will see that you have to make time for those things to be taught and practiced and established in your child’s life.

We can’t have it all. We have to choose our priorities and pursue them with conviction.

How to be Heart Focused in your Homeschool

1–Put Relationships First

In our family relationships first means that anything to do with our relationship with God and our relationship with each other takes priority over everything else.

It means that when there is a glitch in our relationship we will put aside our activities (whether it is Math or English or a family picnic) and get things right.

Sometimes that takes a decent amount of time. There is no expectation on how quickly we need to get our heart or relationships right – the important thing is that we get there.

2–Intentionally Teach Character

Through our homeschooling years, we took one character trait each month and discussed what this would look like in our life.

We then gave ourselves some challenges during the month so that we had the opportunity to choose to put that character trait into practice.

Though we had these intentional lesson times I also found everyday life applications. I gave each member of our family unplanned challenges to practice how to live a life of character.

3–Give Priority Time to Bible Study as a Family

In a sense, this comes under “Relationships First” as studying the Bible is about getting to know God. But I list it on its own because it made up a big part of our homeschool day.

We would do a Bible study (interactive and age-appropriate) first up most mornings. I tried not to restrict this time by looking at the clock.

I wanted our children to delight in God’s word and not see it as a school subject to tick off their day’s list.

4–Take any opportunity to teach a life skill

One of the mantras that undergirded our homeschool was: Life is our homeschool. This meant when something needed doing we did it.

We made time for the practical things of life. Whether that was in the home or in the community.

As our children engaged with people and circumstances they learned to live out relationships first, reflect and represent God in all their choices, and always live out their values (character).

Of course, this was a learning process – but one we valued, so we made time for it.

5–Teach the values behind the choices

As our children have grown older I’ve been very aware that our children are good at remembering but not so good at interpreting.

That is, they will remember what we did but not so much why we did it.

This is why it is so important that we tell our children the value or virtue behind the choices we are making as a person, or as a parent.

They need to know what makes this activity the right choice.

• What makes helping this person the right thing to do?
• Why is picking up the toys the right thing to do?
• Help them understand why banking our money the right thing to do.

As we answer this question we are teaching them values and virtues behind the actions – the true definition of a heart focused lesson.

Homeschool Encouragement: Stay Heart Focused

Does this ring true to you?  If so can I encourage you to pick one of two steps to start with?

1– Write up a list of what you would like your child to be like by the time they are 18.

2– Look at your daily life (routine) and see where you need to tweak things so you have time for heart-focused time with your kids.

Which step towards a heart focused homeschool will you take today?

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Belinda blogs at Live life with your Kids – where she encourages families to be intentional and relational as they build a strong family. Belinda is married to Peter, lives in Australia and homeschooled their 4 kids – Joshua, Jessica, Nomi and Daniel. The youngest has just graduated but Belinda continues to encourage the hearts of mums and dads with writing, speaking at conferences and coaching one on one. Other than that Belinda is learning to balance her time between redecorating (after homeschooling for 20 years), scrapbooking and sewing, connecting with women in her home town. But of course, it doesn’t matter how old your kids are – they always come first.

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The long and cold days of winter take a toll on all of us.

For some, they get to enjoy the weather by building snowmen, sledding and having snowball fights. For others, the weather is just too brutal and they are confined to just watching the arctic blast from inside their home.

There are often “cold days of winter” in our homeschool year.

There are times where excitement peaks, or the times when attention spans start to dwindle, more homework fights start and evidence of mom burnout is on display front and center for our families to see.

Once this starts to happen, the days can start to become really challenging.

Rather than get discouraged, I want to encourage you to not give up. There are things that you can start to do that will help make your homeschool days easier and more enjoyable again.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE 3 WAYS HOMESCHOOL INSPIRATION CAN HELP YOU FINISH STRONG

Change the Look of Your Classroom.

Sometimes a fresh perspective is what’s needed during challenging times to get those homeschool inspiration juices flowing.

It doesn’t have to be anything earth shattering. Even the smallest changes change make a huge difference.

What can you do to breathe new life into your homeschool days as the year winds down?

When the weather allows it,  consider moving the classroom outside of the four walls of your home once in a while.

Make a picnic lunch and take it to the park. You can do some of your lessons outside.

The kids can go exploring on nature trails and find some cool things to share with your family.

This will likely prompt more questions and more learning!

If you are a mom that is homeschooling preschoolers, the different atmosphere will do wonders for the kids and your spirit too mama.

Trust me, I am speaking from experience on this one. The kids love being outside.

And you know, taking in the beauty of flowers, bird sounds and sunny days does wonders for me too.

My mood changes, my spirit is refreshed and I am able to embrace each homeschooling day with a new outlook.

Homeschool inspiration can be shared with friends.

Need some homeschool inspiration?

Check with other homeschooling friends to see what they are doing.

You don’t have to compare what you are doing to what they are. (Don’t fall into the comparison trap and start feeling like you don’t measure up.)

The point of this is to not make you feel inadequate about what you are doing. But you may find some other ideas that would work great for what you want to incorporate also.

One thing that we started doing recently was getting together with some friends in the neighborhood for a garden club. Embracing other homeschoolers in the community has been a fantastic way to get the kids together and let them do some hands on learning.

They enjoy getting dirty (of course) but the awesome thing is that it won’t be long before they start seeing the results of all of they hard work.

Even though all of the children may not eat tomatoes, I am sure there will be plenty of squeals once they see them starting to grow from what they planted.

Try a new learning style.

How would you describe your homeschool? Are you a Charlotte Mason fan? Maybe you are a fan of unit studies or do some online learning.

Interest led learning has been a huge source of homeschool inspiration for me. My boys are young and are learning basic fundamentals. But interest led learning has breathed new life into our homeschool.

Both of my boys have a very strong interest in STEM-related activities.

Because of these, field trips and hands-on activities have been a way to incorporate lessons into our days without them fully knowing that they are actually “learning.”

I just love that!

When homeschooling gets challenging, some families choose to embrace a more relaxed style of learning.

An eclectic or unschooling type of homeschool may best serve your family and prove to be beneficial during these harder times of year.

The ability to incorporate different styles and strategies has been such a great source of homeschool inspiration for me.

”Embracing a new learning style can be a great source of homeschool inspiration for your family. New activities and a different classroom setting can breathe life into your days.” Click To Tweet

One of our favorite things about homeschooling is how flexible it is.

We recently had to take a road trip to take my eldest son back to ministry school out of state.

His school is very close to the ocean so you can imagine the surprise when we all got out of the van and our youngest boys saw the ocean for the very first time. They were in absolute awe of just how large it is.

However, one of the best things for me was that they remembered some of the things they had already learned about different types of sea animals based on some video learning that we had incorporated before and our many trips to the aquarium.

My friend, take heart, and don’t stay in those “cold days of winter” in your homeschooling!

Take some time, pray and allow some homeschool inspiration to encourage you to keep on and finish your year strong.

*****

Angel Penn is  a deeply devoted follower of Jesus Christ, wife to James, mom to three princes & a ministry speaker. This counselor turned homeschool mama loves to provide daily adventures for my boys while encouraging them to learn about the big, busy world around them. With a cold latte in hand and my latest read under my arm, she is  usually seen looking for monster trucks and chasing her little people. In her spare time, you will catch her spending time with family and friends, at live music festivals and on the hunt for a new favorite dessert. Angel blogs at Angel Penn.

*****

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April boasts one of the most dreaded of “Days” for many Americans: Tax Day. Maybe it has something to do with our historical roots of “taxation without representation” but I don’t know of anyone who looks forward to it.

Ultimately when we are taxed, something is taken away from us and is out of our control. And even if we get a return, there is much more that isn’t 😉

I think we all feel the government spends a lot of time taxing us in as many ways as possible.

But there is another definition of taxing that has nothing to do with the government. Taxing means “physically or mentally demanding.”

I like how vocabulary.com describes it:

“Taxing things are stressful and difficult. Climbing a mountain is taxing, and so is spending an entire day babysitting an unruly toddler.

Things that are taxing wear you out, either physically or mentally (or both). You may think of physical jobs like construction work as the most taxing kind of employment, until you realize how emotionally taxing it would be to care for sick patients as a nurse, or how mentally taxing you might find working as an accountant. This adjective comes from the verb tax, which means “to put a strain on.”

Let’s consider the definition of taxing when it comes to homeschooling.

At times is it…

• Stressful? Check
• Difficult? Check
• Physically demanding? Check
• Mentally demanding? Check

And did you notice the last part?

Taxing comes from the verb tax which means “to put a strain on.” Yes, it is safe to say that homeschooling can be more than a little taxing. At times it puts a strain on us physically, mentally, and even financially.

But that doesn’t mean you have to be overwhelmed, stressed, and tired all the time.

Although homeschooling can be taxing, you can still choose to become an untaxed mom!

5 WAYS TO BECOME AN UNTAXED HOMESCHOOLING MOM

1. Rest in the Lord.

As homeschooling moms, I think we need to realize that rest isn’t necessarily about getting more sleep. There are seasons when we will be physically tired or even exhausted—our sweet babies aren’t always cooperative! But rest is so much more than a physical thing.

Rest has to do with our mindset, our attitude. It is possible to be at rest in the middle of chaos even.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)

Notice what it says to do. Come to me, take my yoke, and learn from me.

When you are feeling exhausted (or better yet before you are), spend some time with Him in prayer and in Scripture. A yoke joined two animals together to bear the load together.

I can’t think of anything better than yoking ourselves to the One who never wearies.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28–31)

2. Know your strength comes from Him.

There is a popular saying: You are enough. I get the idea behind it, but it just isn’t true.

We are not enough and praise God we don’t have to be! Why? Because He is enough. And in my opinion that is much more encouraging.

His wisdom is boundless, His love perfect, and His plan is for our good.

So we don’t have to think about whether we are enough or not; we don’t have to wonder “Am I doing enough?“

Instead, we can say as Paul did,

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

3. Make relationships more important than academics

Obviously academics are important, but they are not more important than your relationship with your children.

Make time to build into those relationships, to encourage and support your children. They are much more likely to give their best effort when they feel secure.

They need to know they are loved for who they are, not what grades they get.

4. Find joy in the journey

As much as possible, find a reason to laugh every day. Life is difficult. There is evil in the world around us and negativity seems to be the norm.

Let’s create a place for our kids to find joy and wonder. Maybe that will be through allowing them to dig deeply into a subject they love, or maybe it will be to slow down and not rush through the days moving from one activity to another.

Plays some games, take walks, pet a dog. Let the simple things in life be a part of your homeschool journey.

5. Fill up your cup

We cannot give from an empty cup.

What brings you refreshment? Is it some time alone, or do you feel more energized by going out with a group of friends? Do you have an activity or hobby you enjoy?

Think about the things that make you feel refreshed and then do them.

Yes, you may have to get creative to find the time, but we tend to make time for the things that are most important to us.

Evaluate where you are spending your time right now and see if there is a way to replace some good things with the best things.

Perhaps it’s time for an audit.

Audit: A systematic review or assessment of something.

When you get a notice from the IRS that they want to audit you, it isn’t generally considered good news. But an audit of your homeschool, of your life-style of learning, may be just what you need.

So take some time to assess where you are right now.

Spend some time in prayer and ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I getting the rest that I need physically, spiritually, and emotionally? If not, why? What can I do to be more rested?
• Do I rely on God for strength, or do I try to figure life out on my own? When we face difficulties in our homeschool do we seek Him first?
• Have I been more concerned with my children’s academic success than with building a solid relationship with them? How can I make our relationships a priority?
• Do we laugh during our homeschooling days? Do we take time for the simple things in life?
• How can I fill up my cup? What brings me joy? What can I do to incorporate something into my life that does?

Then take your answers and make a plan. Perhaps you need to have a family meeting and put your heads together.

Decide what you want your homeschool days to look like and proactively make it happen instead of being reactive. Choose to live as an untaxed homeschooling mom.

*****

Kay is a retired homeschool mom of two sons who are now in college. She blogs at Cultivate: Heart-to-Heart Homeschooling. She loves to encourage and equip Christian, homeschooling moms to thrive as they nurture faith, deepen relationships, and simplify homeschooling. She is also the author of the Middle School Extensions of the Trail Guide to Learning series and Content Coordinator for Homeschooling Today Magazine.

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When I was a little girl, my dreams of growing up never included the need for homeschool encouragement. They never included motherhood, a family, or a home with a white picket fence.

I never dreamed of homeschooling, or of being responsible for someone other than myself. I surely never expected (or wanted) to be a working mom.

Mothering is challenging, and homeschooling is hard work.

Making a living and running a business while mothering and homeschooling is pure insanity, and this is where the need for homeschool encouragement for the work from home mom comes from.

HOMESCHOOL ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE WORK FROM HOME MOM

When it all seems impossible.

Fourteen or so years ago, we decided to homeschool. My husband and I were working 12-ish hours a day, and we lived paycheck-to-paycheck.

In our minds, homeschooling our (then) four kids would have required every second of my time, and every bit of my attention.

However living without a paycheck wasn’t an option then, and still isn’t today.

Five years ago, however, we took the plunge, and I quit my job.

Within six months, we realized that not working was still not an option. In a very short time, our hefty savings account was completely depleted. We were in trouble.

We were at a crossroads, and a decision had to be made.

I would (a) place the huge financial strain of raising and providing for a family of 8, solely on my husband, or (b) I would go back to work, and enroll my kids in public school.

Both were paths I was not willing to take, yet God made a way.

My previous employer offered me a job with the opportunity to telecommute 95% of the time.

That’s when I became a homeschooling work from home mom.

This path is bumpy. It’s never comfortable no matter how flexible our jobs might be. After all, we are juggling motherhood, wifehood, housework. homeschool, career,  and everything else thrown in our direction.

One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn as a mother is that I can’t do it all.

I’ve tried doing-all-the-things, and I’ve managed to survive doing-all-the-things, but I’ve never managed to stay afloat for very long. Working from home adds another strain to our already insane lives.

The best thing we can do, for ourselves, and our family, is to ask for help and encouragement.

I’m not the best at asking for help, but I’ve finally learned to recognize when I’m in over my head.

Here are 10 signs you’re in way over your head as a homeschool work from home mom and you’re in desperate need for help:

1. You’re behind on work deadlines.
2. You haven’t had a home-made meal in over six months.
3. School work hasn’t been graded this semester.
4. You’ve been out of mascara since the new year.
5. You forgot to assign independent reading this school year.
6. Your high schooler keeps asking you what you thought about their last essay, and you keep avoiding them because you have no idea where you left it, and therefore haven’t read it.
7. The kids have to remind you to do your laundry.
8. Your kids beg you for a home-made meal (insert-face-palm-here).
9. You confuse your clients with your kids.
10. You ask your husband to email you his work schedule.

Once you’ve realized you can’t do it all, remember that God sees you.

To the mom working in the middle of the night, while the kids sleep… be encouraged, don’t give up.

For the mom who gets up before dawn, to log in some work hours while everyone sleeps… be encouraged, don’t give up.

You, Mom, holding a crying baby, while over-seeing copy work, and while helping customers online… be encouraged, don’t give up!

Embrace the Proverbs 31 woman you are called to be, the woman your daughters and sons will rise up and call blessed.

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
Proverbs 31:14-18 (NIV)

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Proverbs 31:27 (NIV)

I know you’re tired. I am too.

Remember you’re not alone. I’m walking this path alongside you, as so many others are.

The lessons your children will learn by watching your diligence and your willingness to work and provide for their needs will leave a lasting impression in their hearts. Be encouraged.

*****

Tatiana is a follower of Jesus, married to the love of her life, and mum to one boy and five girls. Her mission is to inspire, encourage and equip mothers, to raise children who long to walk with Jesus by giving them the tools and resources to teach their children to defend their faith, and to reach the next generation with the power of the gospel. She blogs about focusing on God’s word, embracing Proverbs 31 and homeschooling at The Musings of Mum.

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In order to avoid frustration or discouragement, it’s important to surrender expectations in your homeschool!

Homeschooling is a journey unlike any other. Being a mother is challenging in itself but when we decide to make the jump and educate our own children, in addition to every other responsibility, that journey becomes just a little more difficult.

Okay, some might say significantly more difficult.

Perhaps it has been trying, and tumultuous at times.

Maybe your expectations are being left unmet and your children aren’t grasping things as you had hoped. Maybe you have altered your schedule and curriculum three times already but see little improvement.

And maybe, just maybe, you are experiencing a lack of homeschool encouragement causing you to feel overwhelmed, defeated, and reconsidering this choice of homeschooling your children.

I am here to tell you, it’s time to put down that white flag!

HERE’S HOW TO SURRENDER EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

When our family started this homeschool year, I had expectations that we were all going to get through our lessons smoothly.

After all, I had planned and scheduled our curriculum, I had researched and prepared labs and experiments, I had outlined each month and prepared every week a month in advance in order to leave room for the necessary alterations.

I even brainstormed and altered my life in order to promote a smoother homeschool day as well as become the best homeschool mom that I could be.

My expectation was that we were going to get through this year with no obstacles. Oh my, how naive and wrong I was back then.

You see, here we are six months later and I find myself asking, “what were you thinking!” And this isn’t even our first year as a homeschool family.

It began before the holidays- life happened.

Our family was forced to take three unexpected weeks off of lessons and by the time we tried to resume where we left off, life happened again.

When the new year came around, it was a struggle trying to get back on track.

Sure, work was getting done, but we were just going through the motions and no one was happy.

I was constantly discouraged and beginning to feel like I just wasn’t fit for this job; I wasn’t fit to teach my children. But just as I told myself, I am here telling you… You’ve Got This!

There is a reason why you chose to homeschool your children. Remember that!

I am sure that when you first considered homeschool you asked yourself: “Can I really do this?” And I am sure that you knew this journey would not be the easiest of journeys.

Do you remember that? Can you recall every fear and worry that has ever crossed your mind during this adventure?

Now, remember every heart-warming moment when you witnessed firsthand your child improve in something!

If you are anything like me, a struggling mom trying to do her best, then each of those moments made everything worth it.

There are a few things, dear mom, that I want you to keep in mind during those trying times; those times when you want to wave that white flag and give up – it’s time to surrender your expectations.

1. Seek support.

I am sure many of you already have a support system when it comes to homeschool. Whether it be with a co-op, a local church group, friends who homeschool, or even online homeschool groups.

Whichever it is for you, I encourage you to reach out.

It isn’t always easy putting our struggles out there, however sometimes the best advice, support, and understanding are from those who are walking in similar shoes to yours.

Even the mothers who seem to have things down have experienced what it feels like to be defeated by expectations, so you are definitely not alone.

I have found that some of my greatest homeschool encouragement has come from online groups. There are so many women willing to lift one another up through every tough time.

These women know what exhaustion feels like and they have all experienced homeschool hardships and bounced back, just as you will.

2. Take a break.

It’s that simple. When exhaustion and stress kick in and your lessons aren’t going right and the kids just aren’t responding, take a step back and take a week off.

Life happens all of the time and it is okay to need a break. This allows you and the kids to get time to regroup and refresh yourselves.

Taking a break doesn’t have to mean you don’t do anything either. It is the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and explore.

Maybe this opens time up to take on a new hobby together or binge watch something fun on Netflix. Whatever you choose to do, a break may be just what you need to rejuvenate your mind and body.

3. Just do it.

Sometimes we just have to fight that slump and force ourselves to jump into the lessons. I am not saying that it is easy, but after a few days, that slump fades as success grows.

You may not even complete everything but all it can take is a little bit of forward movement to feel accomplished and give you the boost you need.

Many times when I am feeling discouraged and lacking motivation, my homeschool encouragement comes from me saying: “Just do it!” and by the end of the day, I am thankful that I did.

Just remember that no matter what you are going through and whatever it is you are feeling you are not alone. The slump you are feeling will pass, just as they always do, and things will go back to normal.

That homeschool slump happens to us all; it seems to come with this journey.

You just have to dig up all of the encouragement you can and carry on with it; knowing that when it passes you will be thankful that you put down that white flag. Because you’ve got this.

*****

Hello friends, I am Nikki G. from Life & Lovely Chaos.I am a homeschool mom to four little beauties. When I am not working with my children on their lessons I am battling the chaos of motherhood, finding new adventures outdoors, or slaving away in my favorite place- the kitchen. I hope to inspire women & mothers to embrace their chaos, focus on the beauty of life, and to regain their strength (and sanity) by sharing my own lovely chaos.  Come follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

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