Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart". Each part of this spoke to me about the homeschooling journey. I'm seeing so many moms post about not looking forward to the coming school year for so many reasons and it has me pondering why. So many times we speak about living in the present moment, which really is important. With homeschooling, however, we sometimes need to take a step back and look at the big picture. I think that is one of the keys to homeschooling for the long haul and not letting the short-term setbacks set you back and ruin your enthusiasm. Let's unpack all of that, shall we?
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Do Not Grow Weary in Well-doing
Homeschooling is our effort of "well-doing" in the education of our children. Growing weary is something we have to fight against all the time. We have a good year and we're on a high. Then something happens and we have a string of bad days, or weeks or months.
At that point it is so easy to grow weary in this endeavor. So many times we feel like we are doing our children such a disservice by homeschooling them. There are a few things I'd like you to remember:
- God loves your children more than you do and has a plan for them, regardless of how you think you are screwing it up. Trust that He will see them through as long as they are striving to do His will.
- You love your children and want what is best for them. Spending time with someone who loves them will still be better than sitting in a classroom with 30 other kids, no matter what you do.
In Due Season We Shall Reap
To that end, I'm currently reading a book called "Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover. It is completely fascinating. She was raised in a very unconventional, and at times dangerous, "homeschooling" family. Let's just say book learning wasn't their strong point. Tara finally got away from her survivalist family because she wanted to go to college and ends up getting a PhD from Cambridge University.
See what I mean? Her parents did very little to educate her in the way that most people see education. However, God had a plan for her and she now has her PhD.
Don't think that one or two "bad" (in your opinion) years of homeschooling will mess up your kids for life.
Look at the big picture and trust that God will make good come from your efforts. It just might take a long time. Like 12 + years.
If We Do Not Lose Heart
Here's where a strong prayer life comes in handy! Weary is one thing. We can overcome weary by taking a break or getting more sleep and exercise. Losing heart is a harder thing to overcome because it means we're losing hope.
Don't let setbacks cause you to lose heart in your homeschooling journey.
There are some big hurdles out there to tackle when it comes to homeschooling your children for the long haul. There are also a lot of resources to help you, so make sure to hunt them down and take advantage of them.
Making sure you have a solid prayer life is key to not losing heart. By praying often, you will be guided by the Holy Spirit down the path that God wants you to go. Following those inspirations will always bring you hope.
If you're weary and losing hope before this school year even begins, take some time now to dive into prayer and see what God is trying to tell you.
Get to daily Mass, weekly Adoration and pray the rosary. Dive into that before the school year really gets going and see what new vision God is trying to give you.
Homeschooling for the Long Haul
Here are some key points to remember:
- Live in the present moment, but always take a few minutes to look at the big picture in regards to homeschooling success.
- Trust that God sees your efforts and will make up for what you are lacking.
- Beef up your prayer life if you are growing weary and/or losing heart.
- Remember that God has a plan for your kids that is bigger than your ability to screw it up.
If you're feeling like you're messing something up, let me know if there's anyway I can help. Leave a comment below and I'll be happy to lend some encouragement, a prayer or a resource that might help.
Oh, and grab that book I mentioned. Trust me, you'll feel like a great homeschooler after reading it!