Don’t Forget To Take Care of YOU as You Homeschool Your Children…
It is easy as a homeschool mom to get so busy with schooling, home care, providing meals and just the daily task of living and then to put yourself on the back burner. Many moms even let themselves go while thinking, “What is the use, it doesn’t matter anyway, I’m too busy to care about myself.”
Today, I want to share just a few tips on ways to make sure you are taking care of you. We’ve all heard many times that you can’t take care of others unless you are first taken care of. You begin your day by making sure everyone has everything they need. When you make your list of daily to do’s, I’m sure it is filled with all the things that everyone is needing from you, right? Unless, of course, you have all this figured out. I didn’t really have it figured out when my kiddos were young and we were in the world of homeschooling and ministry. My life seemed to revolve around what everyone needed from me. It took me a few years to get my thinking straight and realize that I had to have my stuff together or I wasn’t going to make a difference in anyone’s life. Please don’t think that I would have the thought that I ever have all the answers. What I am sharing through this homeschooling series, are things that I learned many times the hard way. They are my experiences and all I can do is share what I know. I don’t have a degree in child education and psychology. I’m a mom who loved her children with all her heart and desired to have a home that was a safe haven for her family. I love my husband dearly and was and still learning daily how to be a better wife. Nope, I don’t have a degree in marriage relationships, but I do know that after 37 years of marriage, how to make it work. When I married, I knew NOTHING about marriage. We will just have to talk about that another time. That will have to be a series in itself!
Okay, back to my tips on how to take care of YOU as you care for and homeschool your children.
*Stay in God’s Word! Find a time daily to spend alone in prayer and in Bible reading. I always heard that getting up at 5 a.m. was the best time for so many moms to spend time with the Lord. How many times did I try that? Too many to count. I finally discovered that was not my time. Oh, how I wish it were, but it wasn’t. My time was mid-morning. I did spend time in prayer in the morning as I always wanted to give thanks for each day and to give my day to Him. I need His help and guidance in every step I take each day. What better time than first thing in the morning.
If you have the opportunity to participate in a Bible study with a group of friends or your church group, you are blessed. Always be growing in your Faith. Don’t let your personal relationship with Christ falter while trying to build your children’s up. Your faith walk will speak louder than your words.
*Keep your relationship with your husband as it should be. If you are having issues in any area, then take care of it. I’m such a great counselor, aren’t I. Just fix it! You don’t have time to have a marriage that is not where it should be. There are many books on marriage and how to love and accept your husband. Read them! Your marriage will speak volumes to your children. What good is it to keep your children at home and educate them and then have a marriage and home life that is miserable. Your a wife first. Your husband comes before your children. Make sure you have a healthy, strong and godly marriage. Build your husband up to your children.
*Love your children individually. Take the time to spend with each one. Build a strong relationship with each child. Let them know they can talk to you about anything at anytime. Be a mom before you are a teacher. Moms are teachers in every way, but don’t think you have to be constantly teaching a lesson. Have some downtime and fun with your kiddos!
*Practice hospitality. Invite people into your home. Let your children learn from you how to love other people and entertain in your home.
*Attend a good solid church with people that are interested in growing in their faith. As a homeschooling family, you may have found out that there are actually some churches that frown on the homeschooling world. But, there are many that love homeschoolers and treat them the same as a child that attends a public or Christian school. Find a church that you can call home and you and your family will grow strong in your faith and service to others.
*Be organized and run your home smoothly. If your house is a wreck and you have no order and nothing is planned for dinner, you are going to be a wreck. In taking care of yourself, you must have order and a plan. You will be much happier, I promise.
*Get dressed up each day. Yes, dressed up! That might mean different things for different people. Me? I have to have a shower, hair done, face done and dressed before I face the world. I feel better about myself. If I have an off day and I don’t do anything but brush my teeth and put on sweats, I’m going to feel like death. Seriously. Oh, and as soon as I do that, it will be the busiest day of the year. My doorbell will ring with someone just in the neighborhood or an emergency will happen and I have to run out and take care of things….all while looking and feeling like death….ask me how I know this. Just do it; get dressed up for the day, you will be glad you did. So will your kids. Your husband, too. Okay, your neighbors will appreciate it as well.
While we are talking about getting dressed up each day. You will do yourself a huge favor if you are in tune with your clothing style. When you know your style and what looks good on you and even the best colors for you, it will change your world. Your closet will be fun to go in and get dressed because everything in your closet is what you love, can wear and looks good on you. You don’t have time to stare into your closet wondering if something will fit or look good on you. Keep your close it perfect working order!
*Speaking of your husband. When it’s getting close to time for hubby to get home, take a few minutes to spruce the house up, make sure your hair is combed. Get the kids excited that Dad is about home. Many times when dad walks through the door and the kids run and give him big hugs, it’s usually because a mommy got them excited that daddy was coming home. It’s time to put the books away and have family time.
*Take care of your health. Stay on top of health issues. Our goal should be to be as fit and healthy as possible in order to take care of our family. It takes lot’s of energy to keep up with kiddos and a husband, so you might as well get yourself in gear and be as healthy as possible. One of my biggest regrets while raising my kiddos was by not losing the weight I needed to. After our second baby was born I didn’t lose the weight like I should have and I had gained almost 60 pounds with him. When he was 14, I decided that I couldn’t use the excuse of baby weight anymore. I got to my goal weight and oh, my goodness it changed my world. Oh, how I wish I could have done something like that when my kids were little. So, now I can encourage you to get fit and healthy while your babies are little, you will be glad you did.
So much more I can say, but I’m going to end on this one:
*Know yourself. Know who you are and why you are the way your are. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Do you have lot’s of baggage from your past? It’s time to fix it. We will always have baggage, but we can either let it destroy us or we can be stronger because of it. Set your standards for what you will allow in your life and what you won’t. Trust me, everything in the world will be thrown your way, so you better have an action plan before it is thrown at you. We could go into so much right here, but we will stop for now. I think you get the idea, right?
All that to say….take care of the things that are important to you. Be organized and orderly. Know your purpose in life. Keep your marriage and family life God centered. When you take care of all those things and then take care of yourself by loving yourself enough to be the best you can be…nothing more…nothing less…….life will be fabulous. Okay, maybe not that fabulous, but, if I were you I would at least strive for fabulous!
You are a wife and mom before you are a teacher! You just have the honor of educating your child and being a part of an amazing plan of helping to design their future. What an awesome job you have. It will be so worth it to take excellent care of yourself. Do I dare mention that you will have another season after your children are grown, so yes, take care of yourself NOW. Life is good and God’s got a plan for you in every season!
Don’t forget about the fantastic giveaway at the end of this series. Each time you leave a comment, your name will go in a drawing for the following:
A Prayer Calendar/Journal and a year subscription to Family Magazine. You will love these items! I’ve read this magazine for several years and the journal is new this year. I’m loving it!
Click on these links to read previous posts on the subject of Homeschooling:
Do You Know a Homeschooling Family?
Homeschooling..First Things First
Linking up with A Wise Woman Builds Her Home.
