On a Journey for Homeschool Encouragement

Waking up late, finding the living room a mess from toys that the younger children have been playing with this morning, and needing to clean up everything before we can even start homeschooling... Oh, and I didn't get a chance to pull out all the work that our teen needs for his homeschooling week this weekend because it was a non-stop weekend of errands and events. What will we do?

This was the world of a few years ago as I was homeschooling three children. Materials and resources everywhere, six people living in our small house, and handling my mom's illness and all the tasks that accompanied it. It would be so easy to give up, wouldn't it? 

One Step At a Time

I could have let everything overwhelm me. There were multiple possible outcomes. Give up for the day and say no school. Or we could delay our homeschooling plans and take it one step at a time. 

We decided to start homeschooling our kindergartener and second grader later that day. Our teen did not get a chance to start his homeschooling work until at least lunchtime. But the beauty of homeschooling is that we have flexibility. And almost everything can be turned into a lesson. By pushing forward on the journey, I was able to teach our children about perseverance and encourage them too. 

Our younger children playing together with their toys encourages teamwork and cooperation. Or perhaps conflict resolution as they argue over character choices and decisions. Our teen learned that things do not always happen according to plan. He can also adapt and work during non-normal school hours. Changes and distractions don't have to be roadblocks to our homeschool lifestyle. 

What Brings Me Encouragement?

At times, when things seem overwhelming, such as the years after my mom moved in with us and was diagnosed with dementia, it is easy to take a woe-is-me attitude. But there is so much encouragement to be found. Whether I seek that homeschool encouragement from fellow homeschool moms online or in person or I look to God, there are so many ways to make the journey a positive one. 

Sometimes, encouragement comes from our younger son. A few years ago, when he was in second grade, he handed me back a book in which I asked him to read two chapters and said, "I finished it by mistake because I was enjoying it so much." I love seeing when the light bulb turns on for our children. What a wonderful homeschool mistake to make! 

Being able to look back and reflect upon our homeschool journey also brings encouragement. That day I shared earlier in this post? That day was not a normal homeschooling day for us even when we had to switch things up regularly. Even when the days became very difficult while taking care of my mom and then after her death, our children were still learning. They were seeing kindness and grace in action through my husband and I caring for my mom. They learned about how we find encouragement from the Bible as we moved through the year after her death. And our younger two, who are still homeschooling, are still thriving as we continue to homeschool. 

Everyone seeks and finds encouragement in different ways and places. Perhaps you attend conventions to listen to homeschooling speakers. Or maybe listening to homeschooling podcasts is your jam. I like to look to my God, my family, and my network of homeschooling friends. Where do you go for encouragement?