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Have you experienced any of these as a homeschool mom?
Do you feel lack-lustre about your homeschool?
Are you reacting to your kids with yelling instead of responding calmly?
Are you beginning to resent homeschooling?
Do you feel disconnected and isolated?
Whether you’ve just started homeschooling or have done it for a while, homeschooling can feel lonely. And loneliness can affect us emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically.
Loneliness doesn’t necessarily stem from not being around people because surely your kids are at home. But loneliness stems from a lack of connection and community. It’s that feeling that you’re doing something on your own and don’t have support, anywhere to ask questions or have someone cheering you on.
Effects of Loneliness
What we do in terms of our behaviour stems from our heart.
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV says,
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Or another way to put it from The Passion Translation of the Bible is:
So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.
If in our heart we feel lonely, our kids will feel the effects of our loneliness as a result of our behaviour and they’ll know something’s not right.
What you fill yourself with will overflow to your kids.
If we desire for our kids to handle their life challenges in a healthy way, we too must develop healthy habits and watch what we’re putting or not putting in our hearts.
And here’s the thing: nobody’s going to do it for you. YOU need to take charge of you so that what you experience out of life, homeschooling and your family comes out of healthy responses from you!
Your first thought might be… “How can I create time for me when we need to homeschool?”
Here’s the thing, homeschooling will get done, I promise. But, if you leave yourself for last, your homeschooling efforts will suffer. Scheduling time for you is a non-negotiable and should be part of what you do as a lifestyle as a homeschooling mom whether you’re experiencing loneliness or not.
What To Do About Loneliness
Below are 8 ways to begin filling yourself with connection, encouragement and joy in your homeschool and life again:
Read Books – there’s power in reading books written by homeschool moms. You are gleaning nuggets of wisdom, fresh ideas and encouragement that can really fill your cup!
2. Local Homeschool Support Group – if you have a local homeschool support group, join it! There are other homeschool moms where you live that likely feel just like you. This connection can bring a sense of community and belonging locally.
3. Listen to Podcasts – this is such a great way to hear from authors, speakers and other homeschool moms where you can grab a cup of coffee and feel like you’re sitting across the table from such wisdom.
4. Social Media Posts/Lives – often homeschool moms, authors and speakers write on their social media platforms or go live on Instagram or Facebook. Hearing from (or seeing) another homeschool mom can bring such a refresher to the day.
5. Blogs/Websites – reading various blogs and websites can also bring connection as you feel you’re interacting with someone like you.
6. Homeschool Mentorship – if you’ve looked up to someone that you know has homeschooled their children, get connected with them. Invite them into your home (or go to theirs), have coffee with them and ask them all the questions you can about homeschool, life and healthy habits to mine out their wisdom.
7. Homeschool Sisterhood – This is a new way to get connected to a community of homeschool moms. There’s nothing like having someone in your corner cheering you on helping you with:
CLARITY (clear goals/plans)
CONTENT (right resources/tools for YOUR family! Each one is unique with different needs)
CONSISTENCY (This is BIG key for success)
CONTENTMENT – (rather than wishing things were different, be content and trust God with the rest)
COMMUNITY (real support & encouragement without comparison or judgement)
CONFIDENCE (another HUGE ONE! And that’s because they lack some other Cs)
CELEBRATION (progress, not perfection) Experience an online sisterhood that’s from the comfort of your home while giving you all that you’re looking for. Check it out here.
8. Homeschool Conference – these days, you can attend a homeschool conference (if it’s workable with your schedule and finances) or join one from the comfort of your home! This is such a great way to learn about homeschool materials, hear from authors and homeschool moms to be encouraged. If you’re looking for an online homeschool conference, you’ll want to check this one out!
Don’t let homeschool loneliness have its place in your heart. You need to make the time for yourself to be refreshed and rejuvenated. Your kids will be thankful for a mom who’s made time for herself.
And I hope that you’ve found encouragement here! Serving you and helping you in this homeschool endeavour through what has worked for us in our journey of homeschool and life is been my prayer.
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Homeschool mom burnout is real.
We get tired and weary with all that we do, because homeschooling isn’t easy. We lack motivation and inspiration. We can even react with anger or harsh words towards those we love, only to feel regret later on.
And then there’s the questions that start to come up… can I really teach my children? Will I fail them?
There’s so much weight and responsibility in educating our children. We fear that we’re missing something and that our kids won’t “turn out”.
Will they be socialized?
Have friends?
Will they want to learn and remember what they’ve learned?
Ultimately, we start to wonder if our kids will look homeschooled? What does that even mean?!
We have so much that we’re thinking about, that it’s not even about exerting physical energy; instead it’s the mental and emotional capacity that starts to wear thin.
All of these thoughts run rampant and they can especially come when we’re starting to feel tired, worn, weary or even burned out. This is a tactic and tool of the enemy because he wants to get you to doubt what God said to you instead of trusting Him. The enemy wants you to question your ability to homeschool your children so that it becomes more about how you feel and less about God’s direction for you and your children.
If you’ve been feeling a little tired, worn or on the brink of homeschool mom burnout, consider taking a look at what you can do to empower yourself to make changes.
#1: Acknowledge What You’re Feeling
There can be freedom in stopping and acknowledging what you’re feeling. Some of us don’t want to admit that we feel tired, worn and weary, but there’s nothing wrong with sharing what you’re feeling. The important thing is to SEE it. And if you don’t, you’ll start to supress your feelings making things be what they’re not.
There is nothing wrong with how you’re feeling. You’re not the only one feeling the way you do. In fact, most homeschool moms experience being tired, weary or even burned out.
What tends to happen is our thoughts spin like a hampster wheel. We repeat our thoughts over and over again, but the more we do, we cause worry, stress and anxiety.
The opportunity to acknowledge what you’re feeling empowers you to change it.
PLAN OF ACTION: Write in a journal what you’re feeling and how you’re feeling. By writing your thoughts you can see what you feel and this becomes the starting point for making changes.
#2 Cast Your Care On The Lord
The Lord cares for you.
His calling on you to homeschool is not because He thought you could do it alone; it’s because He wanted to work and partner together with you knowing that His grace and strength would be enough. He wants you to seek Holy Spirit concerning the efforts of homeschooling, because with Holy Spirit, we would be drowning in a sea of ideas and opinions not knowing where to go.
We all have areas that we can worry or stress about when it comes to homeschooling because of the ages and stages of our children.
Maybe you’re experiencing (what you feel like) is some learning challenges with your kids. Perhaps it’s behavioral. It could be that the curriculum is just not working. Maybe you worry about your children’s future.
Whatever it is that you’re taking the care for, it roots itself in the spirit of fear where out of that is stress, anxiety, worry and so much more. Often times, we need to remind ourselves that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.
PLAN OF ACTION: In your journal, identify and write the things you keep thinking about over and over again. By doing this, you’re getting off the hamster wheel of thoughts that aren’t moving anywhere but are consuming space in your mind. Take these areas and surrender them to the Lord, casting your care over to Him.
#3 Remind Yourself Of Why You’re Homeschooling
Sometimes we get caught up in what homeschooling should be or look like based on what others are doing. We can forget why God called us to homeschool in the first place.
PLAN OF ACTION: Remind yourself of WHY you’re homeschooling. What did the Lord say to you about it? Was homeschooling supposed to look a certain way or are you putting those self-imposed expectations on you and your family?
#4 Change Up Your Homeschool Routine or Take Time Off
One of the biggest things you can do is to change up your homeschool routine or take time off of homeschooling.
Whether you choose to homeschool mornings only for a length of time, maybe you need a few days off, weeks or months from homeschooling (this is why we don’t homeschool over summer), there is no right or wrong answer.
In order to prevent and overcome homeschool mom burnout, you need to give yourself space and time to heal. It doesn’t do anybody any good when we’re burned out, exhausted and feeling low.
The kids may think they have some extra freedom and time. And this is great! Often times a break for children means that there’s a whole lot more natural learning going on and you’ll be surprised that all while you took time off of your homeschooling schedule, they’ve actually been learning all along.
PLAN OF ACTION: Look at your homeschool routine and change it immediately.
#5 Ask For Help Or Ask For “Me Time”
I’m one of those parents that rarely asks for help or “me time”.
First of all, I somehow think that I should be doing it all. This is certainly my perfectionist and high-achieving personality that I’ve been working through.
BUT, I’ve been learning that homeschool moms should not balance it all and asking for help is good for me and my children. Not only that but when I do have “me time”, I remember why it’s important to my mental and emotional health. I feel like a better me who has more energy and sustain the demands of life again.
PLAN OF ACTION: Ask a friend for help or ask your hubby for a slotted “me time”. During this time, be intentional. You could go to your favorite coffee shop. Enjoy a stroll at a local park. Pick up a new book at a bookstore. Get a manicure or pedicure. Drive to a favorite spot and journal. Go to a thrift store and check out some deals. Whatever it is, make sure it’s YOUR favorite thing to do and that it fills your cup.
#6 Recommit Yourself To The Lord
There’s nothing more reviving than digging into the Word of God with your own eyes. Being present with the Lord and sensing His presence is so overwhelming and supernatural for our soul.
Holy Spirit breathes life back into us when we pray, meditate on God’s Word, and hear from Him.
When we don’t spend time with the Lord like we should, it’s like eating junk food all the time. It can satisfy us for a while, but we’ll experience highs and lows. This cycle repeats itself and it’s so unhealthy if we don’t put anything nourishing in our bodies. The Word of God is our bread and nourishment. Without it, we really can’t live and function like we’re designed to.
PLAN OF ACTION: Spend time with the Lord in the mornings before your kids get up. Ask the Lord to refresh you and revive your heart concerning this homeschooling family lifestyle. Consider a homeschool prayer journal with prompts and space to write.
#7 Take In A Conference, Convention, Book or Support Group
A great way to prevent and overcome homeschool mom burnout is to hear from other homeschool moms. It’s often reassuring just knowing that you’re not alone, and in fact, that they experience the same things you do.
The perfect homeschool family doesn’t exist. We often need the reminder from others that how we feel is okay, and these things will pass.
I also like to dig into good books to revisit the expectations I set on myself or my kids, and then look at my philosophy of education and what God is saying to me about it.
Lastly, if I’m doing some research where I’m looking for ideas, I’ll ask homeschooling families around me, post a question in a Facebook homeschooling support group or email another homeschooling blogger.
PLAN OF ACTION: Take in a Homeschool convention or online conference. Read a book, ask questions from another homeschool mom, post a question in a homeschool support group on Facebook or email a homeschool blogger.
Often we put too much pressure on ourselves as homeschool moms to do it all. To prevent and overcome homeschool mom burnout, let’s take the time we need to nourish ourselves properly again and care for ourselves.
Feel free to share a time when you experienced homeschool mom burnout or weariness and what you did to overcome it. Let’s encourage one another!
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Having a strong bond with my children while raising them to love God is important. But that alone isn’t enough; it takes work and effort.
There’s no rule book telling us what to do in every situation as parents; we’re often learning right alongside our children as they grow. But, one thing that can help us wade through the waters of parenting potentially avoiding some of the parenting mistakes, is to lean into those who have had already gone through the trenches.
Parenting Mistakes That Push Your Child Away
In the book, Parenting Mistakes That Push Your Child Away, Kathie shares her wisdom in what she’s learned are the common parenting mistakes we make that can lead our kids to rebellion and what we can do to build heart-ties that create a strong relationship with them.
We need to regularly examine whether we are teaching kids to simply appear and act right or are we teaching them to love God and know Him personally?
I eagerly devoured every page.
Kathie leaves you feeling that you’re never too late at the age and stage your kids are at and that you can begin to carry out her actionable strategies right away.
Always keep in mind that you don’t want to just manage behavior but monitor the heart.
Parenting Mistakes That Push Your Child Away is a quick read. I sat down one morning hungry to digest it and was left ready for more only because it was so impactful. I couldn’t help but write down the golden nuggets within these pages that struck a chord in me.
Perhaps it’s Kathie’s amazing ability to communicate or just knowing that she’s had 8 children and homeschooled for 31 years that there is so much wisdom to draw from.
About the Author
Kathie is the owner of The Character Corner, wife of Alan for 40 years, and mother to eight children. She is also a veteran homeschooling mom of 31 years. Not only is she passionate about her family, but she also has a passion to encourage and inspire women in their daily lives as moms, wives, and homeschoolers.
Her goal is to be transparent and honest about the struggles and challenges of parenting and homeschooling, as well as the blessings that come from being faithful to that calling. She loves to share insights from her personal experiences over the years of raising and teaching her children. You will find that she gives many practical, encouraging tips you can use in your own home. Find out more about Kathie here.
*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure policy.*
As parents, we can so easily think that our kids should just listen to us; we’re the parent’s after all. But, that’s not the case to winning your child’s heart as I’ve so quickly come to learn.
The Importance of Winning Your Child’s Heart
In the book The Importance of Winning Your Child’s Heart, Kathie writes and shares in such a way that it creates a safe and honest place where you’re not judged. I’m impacted by her ability to communicate what we all feel and experience. And then I feel such a sense of empowerment when she shares a statement like this:
Authority and rules aren’t the answer to successful parenting. Influence is the key, and that influence comes when we have their hearts.
As a parent, who hasn’t heard or used the phrase, “Just do what I say!” and expect our children to be obedient and follow thru because “I said so!”
I’m so guilty of this.
I want my children to know that they can come to me with anything, but do they really feel like they can when phrases like this are used?
As parents, we tend to use our authority to motivate and include threatened consequences, when instead, we could warn of the natural consequences such as pride, immorality and disobedience.
The goal of gaining their hearts is not so we can control them, but rather gain the opportunity to pour into their lives, shape their values, and teach them to love God and His Word.
I love good tips that are easy to implement and create lasting change. Kathie shares loving affirmations and tips that you can start to do practically this moment with your children to begin winning their hearts.
I read The Importance of Winning Your Child’s Heart in no time at all. Because you feel like you’re connecting with someone who has so much wisdom to offer and the impact it makes as you dive into these words, you can’t help but keep reading.
Kathie is the owner of The Character Corner, wife of Alan for 40 years, and mother to eight children. She is also a veteran homeschooling mom of 31 years. Not only is she passionate about her family, but she also has a passion to encourage and inspire women in their daily lives as moms, wives, and homeschoolers.Her goal is to be transparent and honest about the struggles and challenges of parenting and homeschooling, as well as the blessings that come from being faithful to that calling. She loves to share insights from her personal experiences over the years of raising and teaching her children. You will find that she gives many practical, encouraging tips you can use in your own home. Find out more about Kathie here.
*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure policy.*
Navigating this life and life’s decisions can be tough as we all face different circumstances. Since not any situation is the same, an unconventional and unnatural wisdom, Godly wisdom, might be just what we need.
What is the wisdom of God?
In the new testment, the greek word for wisdom is sophia (source), which is: supreme intelligence, such as belongs to God.
Another way of describing wisdom (sophia), is insight not naturally obtained. (source)
Scroll down for your FREE 30-Day Wisdom Scripture Challenge
Created for relationship
God created us to have a relationship with Him and Him with us.
We’re not meant to live this life on our own, doing our own things, and relying on our own strength. We’re meant to live and abide in the secret place of the Most High having a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord.
Through a personal relationship with the Lord, we get to know His heart, His ways of doing things and His thoughts. The Lord also wants to reveal mysteries to us, but only if we’re seeking Him.
Godly Wisdom is accessible!
The adversary, the devil, is roaring around like a lion seeking whom He may devour. His tactics and devices aren’t unique, but distorted.
He wants us to look at the storms in our lives so that we can be filled with hopeless disengaging from our relationship with the Lord.
The world also has a way of operating and doing things which is fear-based.
So how we do live in this world, but not of this world? We need Godly wisdom; the Spirit of wisdom to help us, guide us and lead us as we make decisions. And it’s accessible!
Human wisdom vs. God’s wisdom
Human wisdom (natural, conventional wisdom)
Can you honestly say that you know what to do in your life at all times? Is life full of clarity and easy to navigate?
I think we can all agree that it’s not.
So the question is, what do you start to do when you’re in need of advice or help in a situation? Who do you turn to? What do you turn to?
Do you start turning to friends, family, or co-workers for advice? Do you post a question in a trusted Facebook group or do you do a search in Google or Pinterest?
Often the reason we’re asking people for advice or searching social media platforms is because we have an answer in mind, but we want others to give us validation so that we can move forward.
This type of validation masks itself as receiving wise advice, but it is still just human wisdom. And human wisdom is NOT Godly wisdom. God’s wisdom is unnatural and unconventional.
Godly wisdom (unnatural, unconventional wisdom)
Wisdomisthe principal thing; thereforeget wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 NKJV
The Word of God is clear that we all need to get wisdom. And not just any wisdom, Godly wisdom.
So then, if Godly wisdom is insight that’s not naturally or conventionally attained, we are in need of God.
We need wisdom beyond our own human understanding where the ways of God interfere with our natural world. They are often ways that make no sense to the human mind.
So dealing with life and life’s affairs requires Godly wisdom.
Who asked God for wisdom in the Bible?
A great example of someone who asked for wisdom in the Bible is Solomon.
The Lord asks Solomon in a dream at night, “Ask! What shall I give you?”.
Solomon says to the Lord,
“You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 1 Kings 3:6-9 NKJV (Ephasis added)
Solomon recognized that as king he needed Godly wisdom to discern between good and evil. The opposite is then true, that he felt that he wouldn’t be able to discern between good and evil without the Lord’s wisdom.
What the Lord said in response to Solomon is powerful:
The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and havenot asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,behold, I have done according to your words;see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.And I have alsogiven you what you have not asked: bothriches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. Soif you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments,as your father David walked, then I willlengthenyour days.” 1 Kings 3:10-14 NKJV
FREE 30-Day Wisdom Challenge
How do we get Godly wisdom?
James 1:5 NKJV says,
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
According the Word of God, getting Godly wisdom is simple:
Recognize that you need the wisdom of God
Ask the Lord for wisdom
Although getting Godly wisdom is simple, it’s not magic.
God knows us better than we know ourselves. He wants our hearts FIRST and FOREMOST.
If you’re in a place of needing Godly wisdom, it’s important to ask God for it, but it’s more important to have a relationship with Him first.
Out of a relationship with Him, we love, trust and surrender our lives to the Lord where He can give us wisdom knowing it won’t be used for selfish gain, but for the glory of the Lord.
Continue to seek the Lord and ask for wisdom. Through prayer, reading the Bible, meditating on the Word, and praise and worship, you’ll get to know God’s heart more and become more intimately acquainted with Him.
*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure policy.*
I’m guilty. At times, I’ve let learning the Bible with my kids slide in our home. But, there are ways to make the Bible fun for kids and to get them excited about God and His Word!
The Word of God should be of utmost importance in our families.
But how often do we take time to intentionally and purposefully be students of the Word? Do we dive into the Bible with our kids? Or make learning about God a real thing?
We are blessed with so many great resources to help our children engage with the Word in a fun and practical way.
Fostering a love for God in our children
God is not just Someone we learn about on Sundays; He wants a relationship with us AND our children every day, all day.
As parents, WE are responsible for cultivating and fostering in our children a love for God.
But, at times, we don’t know what to do to help our children learn about God.
Some of us have had experiences where learning about God is dry and boring. Or we’ve grown up in a religious home where our life is about works and our salvation is constantly on the line. Maybe you’ve just never grown up in a loving Christian home, and have no idea where to start helping your children learn about God.
Whatever your reason is or experience, you have a choice you can make today for the sake of your family. You get to bring light (the Word of God) into your home.
So where do you start?
Below are some ways to make the Bible fun for kids with a variety of engaging tools and resources.
As parents, we cultivate and foster in our children what we want them to know, love, believe and value about God, family, themselves, church, and the world around them.
Our investment in our children is crucial and a matter of their destiny.
Among these ways to make the Bible fun for kids, which ones will you implement (or have you implemented) in your home? Share with me in the comments below.
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