ForgottenWoman

Overwhelmed; but Why?

Warning: This may offend some and that is NOT my intent.

I am a mom of 9 and have finished the journey of homeschooling my own children – and may have a perspective that needs to be heard. As a Grandmommy of 6, I do get to be a part of their lives and sometimes their schooling as well. Hopefully, I can be an encouragement to their parents along these lines.

I keep reading, seeing, hearing moms of a few, moms of many and moms who have chosen to homeschool speak of being overwhelmed, barely keeping their heads above water and feeling fatigued and unable to keep up with the house, the activities, the schedules; etc.

I am going to say this as gracefully and kindly as I possibly can. CALM DOWN!

A few things to remember:

You are NOT going to do it perfectly (no one does)

You are GOING to have difficult days (maybe 5 in a row)

Your house doesn’t belong in Homes and Gardens (it is supposed to be a place filled with joy and love for those humans you call family)

Your kids are learning so much about LIFE by doing it WITH you. (much more than any curriculum will ever teach them) This is true whether you have chosen to homeschool or whether your children are in a formal schooling setting. You are STILL their main resource.

You do NOT have to bake your bread, grow and can your food or make everything from scratch to be a good mom.

Focusing in the wrong areas will steal your joy. Don’t let it!

Focus on moments together. If there are struggles academically, make it more fun! Get creative. Don’t make learning a negative.

Whether you follow a strict academic program or a more unschooling approach: it is the relationship between you and yours that will foster a love for continuing to learn after 18!

Don’t miss the moments to laugh. When something appears disastrous: LAUGH until you cannot see straight and then figure out how to fix the problem. When the house looks like a tornado hit it and you are coming unglued, call a QUICK PICK! Count to 100 as everyone runs through the house putting things away. Then observe how quickly that happened and REJOICE!

We are blessed beyond measure. Don’t let anything steal the joy of daily life with these people God has given you! If you are having an incredibly bad day: give everyone a book and lie around reading. Littles too young to read? Read to them; without thinking about what you have to do next.

I wish I had learned all of this in the beginning of my journey.