Hi friends!

Gasp! Did I just write that title? Some of you may even be shaking your heads! But today I am going to let you in on a not-so-secret secret. From mom, the homeschool flows. Yep, mom is the key. Just as the saying goes “if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy,”  well that couldn’t be truer! If mom isn’t taking care of herself, everyone suffers somehow. Whether it’s our bad attitude, our unhealthy habits, or something standing in the way of us being our best selves we won’t serve our family well.

The Key to a Healthy Homeschool: Make Mom a Priority

There is nothing selfish about making yourself a priority, quite the contrary. If mom is well fed spiritually, mentally, and in great health; everything around her can flourish. She can pour into others, focus well and have productive energy levels. But sometimes we think we are serving our family well by burning the candle at both ends, and that is counter-productive.

We can’t serve our family well if we don’t feel our best, and your family deserves the best you that you can be. So how do we do that? Make Mom the Priority. Period. That can lead to your best homeschool yet! Let’s talk about some ways to do that.

1. Spiritual. Spend some time with God. I have littles, and I understand how hard it is to find time alone with God. You have to carve out time, even if it is in small increments. You don’t have to have an hour of Bible time when you wake each day, for me that’s impossible my kids are up as soon as I wake. So I have to get creative about my time with God and the bible; it may be at bedtime, I use the bible app often, and my time may not be all at once. I just have to make it happen whenever and wherever, this season will be gone before I know it.
2. REST. I can not tell you how many times I have tried to cheat time to get more done. All that happens is that I can’t focus at my best levels, I get irritated easier, and then I lash out or breakdown. You can get more done in a shorter period of time if you are well rested.
3. Self Care. Ok, this one is tricky, I know we are limited with time as moms. But, I feel better about myself if I look presentable. No, I don’t get dressed or put makeup on every day. But I do try to make myself look decent enough that I don’t self-loathe every time I look in the mirror each day. That is different for each woman, but most of us have better inner happiness if we are happy with ourselves. So that may mean fixing your hair, getting dressed, or putting on mascara each day. Whatever it means to you, take a few minutes out of the day to feel good about yourself so that it shines through your attitude.
4. Leave. Don’t feel guilty if you get a chance to go out alone or with a friend for a bit. It recharges you. Go for coffee, a dinner date, or get your hair cut. Whatever it is, get out every once in a while. If you never leave you can become resentful for not having any alone moments. Every time I leave I can’t wait to get back to my kids, it’s good for me to miss them a little.
5. Marriage. I said earlier that from mom the homeschool flows, well from your marriage all else flows. If you and your principal aren’t solid, that affects you and how you do your job as a mom, even how you treat your children. It’s important to take time to focus on your marriage, choose a date night or spend some time together alone at home.
6. Health. I recently did a 30-day detox for my health, I had never lost the baby weight from my last 2 children, and I was unhealthy and unhappy. That bled over into my marriage, how I interacted with my children, and I was exhausted all the time. My eating habits were poor, and it was showing up in forms of irritation, exhaustion, and I honestly couldn’t keep up with my kids. Losing 12lbs made a significant impact on how I felt, and I couldn’t be happier that I did it. My family deserves my best me.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how to make you a priority, but do whatever works for YOU! That may mean a good cup of coffee, reading your favorite book, or taking a beautiful walk. Whatever it is just do it! Your family will thank you for it.

But our homeschools are just extensions of our homes, and if mom is happy then our homeschools are usually healthy and happy too!