Encouragement for Homeschool Moms

Do you know what the most common thing I hear moms say when they give a reason why they can’t homeschool? “I can’t do it.”

It comes in many forms. Many mothers say:

• “I don’t have enough patience”
• “I’m not organized enough”
• “I’m not smart enough”

So often we think we are not enough.

I get it. I have those days, too. Teachers are expected to never lose their cool. Moms? We lose it all the time, or so the meme-mill says. Teachers have organizational tools galore to keep all 20 kids’ stuff ready and available for use. Moms? Some days we are lucky to find our keys before we’re late to story time at the library.

Still, at the end of the day, I do think we are enough, even if we aren’t “super homeschool moms“. I do think that most children, and I know there are exceptions, are best suited to learn at their parents’ side. I think most parents care so much about their child’s future that they will move mountains to find the resources their child needs to learn, and to be prepared for this big world of ours.

Sometimes we need to hear that we are enough, or to be reminded that we are doing a good job, or even that others are having the same struggles we are.

Sometimes we just need to talk to like-minded folks in the trenches with us.

I hope this round up of resources can help you in that, in sha Allah.

Encouraging Books for At-Home Moms

I’ve already raved about Gift from the Sea, and I realized it also comes as an audio book for us moms where that is more convenient or realistic. This book was such a breath of fresh air for me when I was struggling with being over scheduled and lacking sleep.

Ameera Rahim has two books: Thoughts of a Domestic Darling, and Spirtuality in Homemaking. I’ve come to know Ameera through online exchanges, and she is such an inspiration. Her books give light to your homemaking journey with practical advice. In sha Allah she’ll be rewarded greatly for her efforts. You can email Ameera for a PDF copy of her books for $5 each, if you prefer.

Big Book of Homeschool Ideas is a treasure for homeschool moms of all ages and stages! Filled to the brim with practical advice, tips, and tricks from managing your home to choosing curriculum, and everything in between. It’s your go-to resource for your homeschool journey.

I contributed to this book, along with over 50 other iHomeschool Network bloggers. Really, keep this right next to your desk so you can open it up to the chapter that concerns you in the moment!

And the newest iHomeschool Network book (I contributed to this as well, mashaAllah), What to Do When You Want to Quit.

I can’t tell you how motivational these ladies are to me. So many of them have years on me in terms of homeschool experience, and they are so amazing. I am so honored to be in a book with them again, alhamdulilah, and in sha Allah bringing relief to homeschool moms through these books.

Blog Posts for Encouragement

Every Star is Different shares how her family keeps moving forward, even when life is hitting them hard. She shares the basic work they can pick up and do even if she doesn’t have her montessori shelves cycled out. I love some of these ideas, and it helps me plan ahead for my littles when they’re older and completing school is required.

We’ve felt the pang of homeschool stumbling blocks, and oftentimes I wondered if I was a homeschool failure. I hope you find this useful. I know sometimes I come back to it to remind myself, too.

Natural Beach Living shares her rhythm for a typical homeschool day, and it sounds perfect. I know part of my stress when I try to complete lessons or do activities is that we do not have much of a rhythm right now. The kids don’t know what to do! Getting more ideas on how to make our day flow better is a breath of fresh air.

Now that I’ve sent my oldest off to community college, I shared with you the lessons I’ve learned, and reflections on how homeschooling went for us.

Sallie has many gems on her site that she gets her own list!!

• Mom-friendly homeschool focuses on making sure your homeschool style doesn’t wear you down prematurely. So often we focus on what works for the kids, but we need to figure out a balance of what works for the kids and what works for us moms!
• Overcoming homeschooling stress is a series that can take you from frazzled to taking a deep breath, ready to give it another go. I know the post about feeling inadequate hits home for me as I was homeschooling though middle and high school, and even now as I’m supporting my college student!
• Saying “no” to burnout is part of Sallie’s larger Saying “No” series, and I know a lot of moms can relate to this! I completely burnt myself out a few years ago, and I finally, 2 years later, am feeling like I’m winding down and recovered from the severe hate of being busy. Anyway, read on, even if you aren’t burnt out yet, just as a precaution.
• The need for more margin feels like my mantra for the last year. We need time to do fun things, or be able to handle emergencies, or just to veg out from time to time and regroup. I’m not sure why we feel the need to stuff every spare moment with something, but I love Sallie’s take on this important issue.

In a link-up with iHomeschool Network, I shared how we keep our sanity homeschooling high school. Check out the end of the post to see other sanity-saving posts!

And one more awesome link-up with iHomeschool Network on what advice I’d give to myself in the beginning years of our homeschool journey. The other posts you can find via the link at the end are such a breath of fresh air also.

Sometimes we need to remember that we are enough, in sha Allah. Sometimes that means finding a new homeschool method, outside resources, or even using public school as a resource or full time.

Whatever your path, remember that Allah gave you this child as an amana (a trust), and He knows you will keep working to give this child the best.