Rest in the Homeschool Trench

How will your family spend this summer? Maybe you're already on a break. Maybe you're pressing on a little bit longer. Maybe you school year-round. Today, I want to share a few ideas for a summer where you can truly rest, refresh, and replenish so you're ready for a strong start in fall.

At the end of April, homeschool life can be very busy. So I have a very simple reminder for us today.

Do your homeschool days end up being a constant tug-of-war to get your child to complete assignments? It's a common issue for homeschool families. Let's think about some ways to release the tension and approach lessons without so much struggle.

I don't usually like to say that you should do something. But today is my second recent episode that starts with "why you should do" something. It's not that you should do this particular thing, but I want to share an idea of something that I've been doing in my life that's brought a lot of rest to my life. So today, let's talk about why you should watch some birds.

If you're homeschooling with chronic illness, you probably have a long list of things you just can't do the way you want to, and you probably struggle with the effects your illness has on your family. Let's look at some practical strategies for homeschooling with chronic illness.

Gardening advice is not what you want from me; but today I want to suggest you should plant some daffodil bulbs. Why do you need some daffodils? It is not just about gardening. It's a reminder for your heart. 

If you're homeschooling with chronic illness, you're probably struggling with a wide variety of issues. They tend to swirl in your mind. It's hard to discern what to do when you can't even figure out what is going on. So let's start unswirling those struggles so you can think of your next practical step to take.

What do you do first in the morning? How do you prepare yourself for the day? There are many things we put on ever day, mostly on the outside. Let's think about some things we need to out on inside ourselves as we begin each homeschool day.

If you don't like the reality of how you speak and act during your homeschool days, it might be wise to ask yourself if you have any underlying doubts about your faith. Today, I'm sharing parts of my story, of my doubts, and how I came to this place of complete confidence.

Do you know that you know that you know? Is God really real? Is the Bible really true? Is your salvation a true reality? If you're not completely confident, fully assured, of your relationship with Jesus, you might not like the reality of how you act and speak with your family on a daily basis.

On your average homeschool day, would you say your homeschool is united in love? It's easy to focus on changing outer behavior, but it's really a matter of our hearts. Let's look at two ways we can practically pursue a more loving homeschool.

One of the hardest parts of being a mom is letting go of our children. It's one thing to trust God with our own lives. It's another layer of faith to trust Him with our children. Let's talk about letting go and trusting that God's got them.

A few weeks ago, I unintentionally made a misleading promise in Episode 57 (Redefining Homeschool Success). So today, I want to go back and clarify a few ideas. 

What are you aiming for in your homeschool? Is there ever a nagging voice in the back of your head telling you you're failing? Maybe it's time to redefine what homeschool success really is.

Are you one of the many moms homeschooling with chronic illness? If so, you might wonder if you can still successfully homeschool. Maybe you even wonder if you should give up homeschooling so your children can have something better. I've been there. So today, I want to share with you part of my story of homeschooling with chronic illness.