Why Every Overwhelmed Mom Feels the Same Way

Here’s a simple math problem that might sound familiar:

3 kids x 5 lessons a day x 5 days a week = 75 lesson plans every single week. No wonder you feel like an overwhelmed mom who can barely keep up.

But here’s the thing. Most moms aren’t struggling because they’re doing too little. You’re struggling because you’re trying to do too much and following the wrong model. Let’s fix that today!

Without even realizing it, you recreate the school system we walked away from. You were trained on the factory school model — the one where every child moves down the same assembly line from first grade to twelfth, tested the same way, learning the same things. That model teaches us that education must include multiple-choice tests, many subjects every day, textbooks for everything, worksheets, and constant grading.

When you leave that system, you somehow carry it with you. And then you wonder why you feel overwhelmed.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10

The Problem With Doing School at Home

That traditional system wasn’t built to raise thinkers. It was built during the industrial revolution to produce workers — people who follow instructions and don’t ask questions. It teaches kids what to think, not how to think.

That’s the conveyor belt. And many homeschool families are still riding it without knowing it.

Thomas Edison is a perfect example of what happens when a child gets off that conveyor belt. His teacher called him difficult. His mother pulled him out of school and homeschooled him in the 1850s.

Yes … homeschooling in the 1850’s.

She focused on reading, curiosity, and experimentation. Edison went on to develop the light bulb and earn over 1,000 patents.

He later credited his mother with giving him the freedom to explore ideas. One devoted parent focused on curiosity can outperform an entire traditional school system.

What Every Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom Needs to Know

This doesn’t mean doing less education. It means doing less conveyor belt education and more intentional learning — the kind that gives your kids the freedom to pursue what they’re called to do.

Abraham Lincoln had less than one year of formal schooling. He educated himself by reading a small number of great books deeply and repeatedly. He didn’t skim through dozens of subjects. He went deep into fewer ideas. Then, Lincoln became one of the greatest leaders in American history.

Depth creates REAL learning.

The brain builds strong connections when ideas are explored fully rather than quickly skimmed. That’s what we want for our kids.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

5 Practical Ways to Stop Being an Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom

1. Focus on the Big Three

You don’t need to overhaul everything. Start with this one question: If my child mastered three things this week, what would they be?

• Write them down.
• Focus there.
• Keep it simple — reading, thinking skills, and character.

Those 3 things will produce strong, capable leaders more than any packed schedule ever could.

When you’re an overwhelmed mom trying to do everything, you end up doing nothing well. Pick three things that matter most and do them excellently.

2. Use the Three Question Filter

Before you add anything new to your homeschool, run it through these three questions:

• Does this help my child love learning or think deeply?
• Does this strengthen their character or wisdom?
• Does this move them toward becoming an independent learner?

If the answer is no to even one of these, it might just be busy work. If it’s busy work, let it go.

3. Let Your Child Go Deep (Not Wide)

Pick one subject this week and let your child dive deep into something that genuinely interests them. Your child picks that topic, not you! Follow their curiosity instead of the checklist. Read a short passage about it, ask what they learned, and have a conversation.

You’ll see more real learning happen in 20 minutes of good discussion than in two hours of worksheets.

4. Stop Comparing Your Homeschool to Anyone Else’s

Every overwhelmed homeschool mom has scrolled social media and seen the perfect craft projects, the organized bookshelves, and the smiling children in matching outfits. Stop right there.

Your homeschool doesn’t need to look like hers. Your kids don’t need to be on the same timeline as theirs. God gave you YOUR children for a reason. Focus on what He’s called you to do with them.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

5. Create Margin in Your Schedule

If you’re scheduling every minute of every day, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. Build in free time. Allow for boredom. It’s the beginning of creativity. Let your kids play, explore, and create without your instruction.

Some of the best learning happens when kids have the freedom to follow their own curiosity without a lesson plan telling them what to do next.

Stop Being Overwhelmed. Start Creating Space.

When you simplify your homeschool, you create space for what actually matters — a love of learning, thinking and discussion, character building, and leadership development.

That’s what homeschooling is really about. You don’t need 75 lesson plans a week to raise a great kid. You need depth, curiosity, and intention.

If you’re an overwhelmed mom ready to simplify, that’s the perfect place to start.

“Go Behind the Scenes” with our FREE Masterclass, 4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool.

STOP the overwhelm in 2026 & follow a proven plan for success in your homeschool.

When you follow a proven plan, you can get rid of everything that doesn’t matter. Since most kids will grow up to lead their families as moms & dads, they need leadership skills taught to them in homeschooling.

You’re lucky to be here, because I will show you a proven strategy to homeschool and give your children leadership skills at the same time.

I invite you to come to our free masterclass this May 2026 & sign up in the link below.

Mother’s Day $500 Giveaway

I’ve teamed up with other bloggers to give 5 moms a special Mother’s Day gift. Each of our five moms will receive a $100 gift card. Winners choose the store. Enter below.

Giveaway ends May 8th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Winners will be drawn and emailed the following business day, Monday, May 11th. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim the prize. By entering this giveaway you will be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers. You must live in the United States or Canada to be eligible to win. Must be 18+ to win. Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions upon entering the giveaway.

The post Overwhelmed Mom: 5 Ways to Simplify Your Homeschool appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

The Power of a New Name

In Revelation 2:17, Jesus says something amazing.

I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

He promises to give you a white stone with a new name written on it. This name represents our true identity in Him. In ancient times, a white stone meant acquittal or victory. That’s what God offers you—a fresh start and a new identity. . . even when you feel like a failure as a homeschool mom.

You can walk in newness of life. Leave your past in the past and walk in who God says you are. That’s what I want for you, Mom. That’s what I want for your children as well. But how?

Can You Really Hear from God?

A lot of believers say God is powerful and can do miracles. Too often, we don’t really believe we can hear from God. If we don’t believe that, we believe in a weak God. Personally, I believe that I can hear from God. If He can speak to a Muslim man named Hamza in the Middle East who faced death for his faith, He can speak to you, tired homeschool mom, in your minivan or at the kitchen table.

Jamie Winship, author of Living Fearless, teaches that we’re asking the wrong question. Instead of asking God, “Why is this happening?”, ask these two different questions.

• “God, what do you want me to know?”
• “God, what do you want me to do?”

This is how I start my day, asking those questions and waiting for an answer. I set a timer for two minutes, listening to God. The thoughts that run through my mind are ones from God, speaking to me.

My Story of Speaking Truth Over Lies

About ten years ago, my husband left after 31 years of marriage. I felt totally rejected. I’d never felt depression before. I felt hopeless. I could have walked in those lies. I probably did for a while.

I began praying for him every single day. I made a covenant with God, not a contract. God’s never broken His covenant with Israel. He’s remained faithful, even through discipline. I decided that is what I’m going to do. I will remain faithful to our covenant.

The question isn’t “Why, God?” It’s “God, what do you want me to know? What do you want me to do?” I need to focus on me growing with God, and I’ll let God deal with Steve. Over time, I’ve learned who I am. I’m a warrior on my knees. A teacher. An encourager. An entrepreneur. A faithful daughter of the King of Kings.

I’ve been rejected multiple people since Steve left, but I keep going back to God. He’s the one that’s will move me forward. I know He will meet you in your homeschool . . . in your family, in your home, in your marriage, and in your heart.

Simple Steps to Speak the Truth

Your child melts down over math. The old question is “Why is this always happening? What is wrong with us?” The new question is “God, what do you want me to know about my child? What do you want me to do?” Maybe it’s time to comfort your child, pause, change the approach, or even stop doing math for a while. I did that for a whole year with my daughter. She stopped doing math in seventh grade.

Here are simple steps to get unstuck from lies:

1. Name one lie.
What false belief are you carrying? That you’re a terrible mom? That you’re failing your kids? That homeschooling was a mistake?

2. Ask the two questions.
God, what do you want me to know about this? What do you want me to do about this?

3. Find a truth.
Write down a Bible verse or truth that counters that lie. Put it somewhere you’ll see it every single day—your bathroom mirror, kitchen sink, or car dashboard.

4. Speak the truth out loud every single day.
Say it aloud. Then start acting as a confident homeschool mom and not that frazzled failure.

5. Do this with your kids.
Once you’ve done this for yourself, work with each of your children. What is the lie they are believing? Help them write a truth down and say it out loud, maybe at the breakfast table or before they start their homeschool work each day.

Walking in Your True Identity

When you live from what God says you are, you will become more creative, more resilient. You’ll find more peace, even in the hard circumstances. I am a product of that.

I wouldn’t wish my life on anyone. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am closer to God than I have ever been. If I have the Holy Spirit inside of me, I have the power of God inside of me. I can overcome any trial because God never leaves me, never abandons me, never fails me.

This is true for you. If you’re walking through hard times, feeling like you’re failing your kids, you can overcome.

Start today. Pick one lie. Find one truth. Speak the truth over yourself and your children. Watch how God meets you right where you are.

Need help?

Grab a copy of our Prayer Pack. Inside these printables, you’ll find verses to pray over yourself and your kids. Pick one of the verses to be your truth for this month. Then, speak the truth over yourself and your kids.

The post 5 Simple Steps to Speak the Truth: You’re Not Failing Mama appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

Click on any image below to get the instructions.

Let’s start with an overview of your heart and the circulatory system.

The crystal heart is super-easy with lots of Science concepts to learn. It is similar to our Candy Cane Experiment. Go ahead and grab our Candy Cane Experiment printable to explain the Science in this activity. The printable is free for you when you sign up below.

Our kids loved any activity that involves food. These graham cracker heart models would have been fantastic. I don’t know about you, but when my kids saw food, they paid more attention. They learned many ideas when I used food to teach.

How do you use songs to teach?

I’ve used songs for a wide variety of concepts, starting with learning our Bible verses. Then, we started learning our Grammar, Geography & Math tables with songs. That’s why I love the song above, as it explains the blood flow in the body.

Discover more about the heart with the inflatable heart Science lesson. Thisi si a simple activity for your kids to complete and learn at the same time.

I remember making life size models from Kraft paper when I was a child. Wow…that was 55 years ago with a heart Science activities for kids. Let your children discover more about the circulatory system by drawing on their “body” on Kraft paper. When they have fun, they will remember more and enjoy what they are learning.

Get rid of busy work in your homeschool with these Anatomy Notebooking Pages.

If you’re doing these Science experiments during February, you might want to check out our Family Valentines Day Ideas and our Daddy Daughter Dates.

Question: What science activities are you doing this week? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

The post Heart Science Activities for Kids appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

What?

That doesn’t happen in your home!

 About 15 years ago, I did take a picture of my kids sitting by the fire as we read aloud. I thought I should capture the memory so I know it really happened…ONCE!  Only thing now is I can’t find the photo. It was a real photo, not digital.

You can still have fond memories of reading during winter time.  Make everyone some hot chocolate and read one of your favorite winter books for kids . . .

Our Family Favorites

Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen

Get our Owl Moon Phases of the Moon Free Activity Guide by leaving your name & email below. For a limited time, you can get our Oreo Moon Phases of the Moon Guide ($10) for free. Simply, enter your name & email below. We’ll send it to you immediately.

It includes several youtube videos to teach & remember the moon phases, as well as questions to discuss with your kids.  We also have a 1 paragraph writing assignment in this guide.   Simply enter your first name & primary email below and we will send it to you … for FREE!

As I said a few days ago, my absolutely favorite book to read in winter.  I still love reading it & can’t wait to read it to my grandkids.

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

The Hat by Jan Brett

The Mitten by Jan Brett
Compare & Contrast the above 2 books by clicking here or here

Or try this fun Unit Study: Unit for The Mitten

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Mr Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
Classic, chapter-a-day read aloud!

Or let your up & coming reader try this one on his own.

Did you know???

In 1932, Richard Atwater and his wife, Florence, took their two daughters to see a documentary film about Richard E. Byrd’s Antarctic expedition. Mr. Atwater was very impressed by the movie, and he decided to write a book about the penguins from Antarctica.

When one of his daughters objected to children’s books about history, he started to write a magical story about a group of penguins, which would later become Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

Other Books You’ll Enjoy

Many of these are Caldecott winners!

Geraldine’s Big Snow by Holly Keller
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Little Penguin’s Tale by Audrey Wood
Little Polar Bear Finds A Friend by Hans de Beer
Snow! by Uri Shulevitz
Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

Animals in Winter

Why not start with a cool photography book introducing your family to animal life in winter? Sans and Stoick are a husband-wife team & professional photographers to boot.  You’ll love these books!

Winter Friends by Carl Sans & Jean Stoick (Board Book)
Stranger in the Woods by Carl Sans & Jean Stoick   This is GORGEOUS
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft (Level 1 Reading)   Perfect for Beginning Readers

Books Just for Fun

Clifford’s First Snow by Bob Barkly

Curious George in the Snow by Margret Rey

Curious George Snow Day by Margret Rey

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

Snow by P.D. Eastman

Fancy Nancy: There’s No Day Like a Snow Day by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser

For Older Readers

Mr Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Winter Days in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

To help you get started reading aloud, here is our Read Aloud Magic Ebook. You’ll discover how to use read alouds with your kids, as well as our family favorites. Each child listed their top 10 read aloud books.

Grab our family’s favorite “33 Read Aloud Books List”, when you enter your name & email below. We will email it to you. 

Question: What are you reading to your kids this winter?
What’s your favorite winter books for kids?
You can leave a comment by clicking here.

The post Winter Books for Kids appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

Understanding What Is Advent

The word “advent” carries two powerful meanings: arrival and anticipation. When we ask what is advent, we’re talking about the coming of Jesus Christ. There are actually 2 comings of Jesus that Advent helps us remember. The first coming already happened when Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. The second coming is still ahead, when Jesus will return to take believers to heaven.

For 400 years before Jesus was born, God was silent. Can you imagine not being able to hear from God for that long? The people were anticipating year after year for the Messiah to arrive. Today, we should be anticipating Jesus’ second coming with that same hopeful expectation.

The History and Structure of Advent

Historically, Advent has been celebrated since the fifth and sixth centuries. The season traditionally lasts four weeks, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The first two weeks focus on reflection and confession. Families spend time doing an inner housecleaning of their hearts, just like you would clean your house before guests arrive.

The last two weeks transition to celebrating Christ in the manger. This becomes a time of feasting, thanking God, and worshiping Him for coming to earth to save us from our sins.

Making Room in Your Heart and Schedule

Too often, we celebrate a “Christless Christmas.” We forget the guest of honor, who is Jesus, while rushing around buying gifts and decorating. There’s nothing wrong with those activities, but they should be secondary. The primary focus should be remembering Jesus and bringing glory to Him.

Ask yourself: Is there room in your family, in your home, in your schedule for Jesus? Just as you prepare for houseguests by cleaning rooms, arranging furniture, and getting rid of clutter, we need to prepare our hearts for Jesus during Advent.

We may need to rearrange the rooms in our hearts. We might need to confess our sins and get rid of spiritual clutter. Psalm 27 says the one thing we should seek is to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze upon Him. That’s what we should be doing in Advent—cleaning out our hearts and focusing on Jesus Christ.

The Hope Candle: Starting Advent Right

On the first Sunday of Advent, we focuses on hope. In America, we often use “hope” to mean a wish, like “I hope it doesn’t rain.” But in biblical times, hope meant confident expectation. When we put our hope in Jesus, we’re not just wishing—we’re expecting Him to keep His promises.

The Christmas carol “O Holy Night” captures this perfectly: “A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”W hen Jesus comes to earth, He gives us real hope. Our hope is in Jesus because He saves us.

Practical Advent Activities for Families

Advent Wreath and Candles: Set up a wreath with four candles representing hope, joy, peace, and love. Light one candle each week while reading Scripture together.

Read Advent Books: Books like “Jotham’s Journey” follow the Advent calendar and relate to the true Christmas story. This particular book is set during Jesus’ birth time and is perfect for elementary-age children and up.

Sing Christmas Carols: Use hymns like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” for copywork and discussion. This carol beautifully expresses Israel’s 400-year wait for the Messiah and our own waiting for Christ’s return. You can even use our Christmas Carols Copywork. It’s in our Christmas Celebration Bundle.

Family Nativity Set: Provide a child-friendly nativity that little hands can touch and play with. This helps children engage with the Christmas story throughout the season.

Schedule Gratitude: Make time for family gratitude sessions. As you light the Advent candle each evening, have everyone share what they’re thankful for.

Study Christmas Around the World: Learn how different cultures celebrate Christ’s birth, expanding your children’s worldview while keeping Christ at the center. Kids love learning & reading about Christmas around the world.

Reprioritizing Your Schedule

Sometimes we need to schedule Advent and gratitude into our daily routine. If we don’t intentionally make room for these practices, they simply won’t happen. Consider reprioritizing your schedule so you’re seeking first the kingdom of God. When we do this, everything else falls into place.

You don’t need all the physical gifts and decorations to have a meaningful Christmas. What you need is to make space for Jesus in your heart, your home, and your daily activities.

FREE Christmas Unit Study

Our family began a Christmas tradition of integrating Christmas and Advent into our homeschooling and being more intentional during the Advent season with fun Advent family ideas.

There are so many ideas to integrate Christmas into your reading, writing, math, history, science and other homeschooling. Use Christmas as your central focus all month-long. I have many ideas for you in our Christmas Unit Study.

If you would like our complete list of Christmas & Advent activities, enter your name & email below. I’d be happy to send our Christmas Unit Study to you at no cost for the next few days. This offer expires in December. After that, it will be $9.97.

The post What Is Advent: A Guide for Homeschool Families appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

This year has brought me much grief as I lost a job and ministry that was emotionally invested in. Up until the day we separated ways, there I experienced much turmoil and conflict. Covid 19, political unrest and social injustice were the least of my concerns. Not to say they were completely unimportant, but my trials came from deep grief.

Maybe you’ve experienced turmoil, conflict, grief this year and think peace is impossible.

• Conflict in your marriage
• Loss of job
• Loss of other income
• Health problems
• Attacks from those you love
• Fear of the future

The second Sunday of Advent looks at peace. Peace ONLY God can give you and me. Remember that peace is NOT the absence of conflict or tension. It is the presence of Jesus

Let’s look at God’s peace and then see how you can discuss peace with your kids as one of your Advent traditions. Jesus says,

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27

God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. The world believes peace exists when there is no conflict, no trials. God tells us that in this world, we will have trouble, but we don’t need to be afraid of our trials.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Other translations say, “in this world you will have trouble”. That about sums up 2020, wouldn’t you say. God guarantees us trouble here in the world, but He has overcome the world. Jesus conquered all the world throws at us, including sin and death, by raising from the dead.

Because of His victory over death, Jesus offers life-giving peace. If we want true peace, it is only found in Jesus Christ. His peace is an inner peace. A peace we experience, even when our life may be falling apart. Or maybe it isn’t falling apart right now.

This week, as you light your the candle for the second Sunday of Advent, read the verses above. Ask your kids the following questions.

1. What is God’s gift to us?
2. How would you describe God’s peace?
3. What does Jesus say we will have here in the world?
4. How should we respond when we have troubles and trials?
5. In whom do we find peace?
6. Who overcame the world? How so?

If you want more verses to read this week, head over to our How to Homeschool private Facebook group. If you’re not a member, you can join here. Once you’re in, find the popular post topics in the right sidebar. You’ll find a topic called Advent daily verses, where I’m sharing a verse & questions each day of Advent. Please leave a comment (here or on Facebook) and let men know if this is helpful to you.

How will you celebrate peace this second Sunday of Advent?

Before I close, one of the best pieces of advice I received the first year I homeschooled was to take a break during December. A friend of mine who had kids the same ages, but had homeschooled since Kindergarten, told me she “quits” formal homeschooling.

What you might say? Quit homeschooling for a month.

Well, not really!

From this piece of advice, our family began a Christmas tradition of integrating Christmas and Advent into our homeschooling.

There are so many ideas to integrate Christmas into your reading, writing, math, history, science and other homeschooling. Use Christmas as your central focus all month-long. I have many ideas for you in our Christmas Unit Study.

If you would like our complete list of Christmas & Advent activities, enter your name & email below. I’d be happy to send our Christmas Unit Study to you at no cost for the next few days. This offer expires in December. After that, it will be $9.97.

Discover the meaning & get Advent activities for kids for all 4 weeks in Advent

• 1st Sunday in Advent
• Second Sunday in Advent
• Third Sunday in Advent
• 4th Sunday in Advent

The post Second Sunday of Advent appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

Do you even have an advent wreath?

If you’re shopping online you can get a wreath here. If you’re shopping in stores, head over to your local craft store with the weekly coupon for 40-50% off. That will be much cheaper and quicker than ordering online.

Advent week 1 is the candle of “Hope”.  Spend this week discussing hope from the Bible.

Where is your hope?
In whom is your hope?
What verses talk about our hope?
What does hope mean in the Bible? (Hint: it does not mean you wish something will happen)

My only hope at this time of my life is in Jesus Christ. I can actually say that is true because many others have let me down.

Free Advent Calendar for 1st Sunday in Advent

Many of you have received our Advent Countdown with 25 ideas for you to prepare your heart & your kids’ hearts for Christmas. If not somehow you missed the FREE Advent Calendar Countdown, click here and sign up for our 25 daily email ideas.

There are many ways to use advent calendars and advent wreaths to prepare your family for Christmas.  Start today – the first Sunday of Advent by reading Isaiah 40:31. Then, discuss hope from the Bible.

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Finally, get out your advent calendar and open the first door. Be sure to choose one that works with your family’s priorities. In other words, make it, buy it or create it! Don’t feel guilty if you go buy one and use it.

If you want to use an Advent calendar year after year, I recommend a wooden one like this one.  Click here to read more and get your own.

When you use one like this beautiful wooden box, you can change what’s inside the doors every year. Make it appropriate for your kids during that year.

If you have younger kids, they will enjoy this Christmas tree advent calendar. Again, you can add your own advent ideas to each piece, using it year after year.  If you want more info on this Christmas tree advent tree, click here.

If you want to make an Advent calendar, this is super-easy. All you need are 25 gift bags, twine and gift tags.

Gift Bag Advent Calendar {2 versions of Gift Bags}

1. Buy 25 paper gift  bags in a variety of prints. Hang with clothespins on twine. Fill with treat or daily Advent activity to prepare for Christmas
2. Use holiday fabric to sew up rectangles to make gift bags. Hang on twine with clothespins. Attach number. Mix up the numbers, if you like.NOTE: If you are going to have hot chocolate, include the hot chocolate mix in the bag. Or, include whatever you need for that daily activity.

Advent Pocket Calendar

Made from paper & fabric scraps, ribbon, ric-rac, stickers, die-cuts, chip board or any other “stuff” you have around the house. Inside each pocket include a tag with your daily Advent activity.

Mini Muffin Advent Calendar

You’ll need 2 mini muffin tins for this calendar. Punch 24 circles from kraft paper or a brown grocery bag. On the front of each circle print the numbers. On the back write the activity. Tie a festive ribbon on the top. Display on a picture frame holder.

Be sure to grab our Advent Calendar Countdown with 25 email ideas for you. It’s free for you when you enter your name & email below:

What are you using for an Advent calendar this year?

Discover the meaning & get Advent activities for kids for all 4 weeks in Advent

• 1st Sunday in Advent
• Second Sunday in Advent
• Third Sunday in Advent
• 4th Sunday in Advent

The post First Sunday in Advent appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

It’s our job as parents to respond correctly. It is our job as parents to respond correctly. Instead of being disappointed, frustrated, or critical, we need to be observant, inquisitive, and intentional. My daughter experienced what many children struggle with each holiday season, ingratitude! The combination of overwhelm, high expectations, and a little consumerism makes it easy to lose sight of the spirit of giving.

Gratitude must be cultivated, nurtured, and practiced.

Build a Legacy with Gifts of Gratitude

We created a few fun activities for the kids when they were little that helped get them in the right mood for giving and receiving gifts of gratitude. As we head into the holiday season, I wanted to share them with you.

Make Giving a Whole Family Affair

Before the holiday season, we would go through the house and choose items in good condition that the children wanted to re-gift to their cousins or friends. We discussed making room for new items and how much fun it would be to watch a younger cousin enjoy the toy they had outgrown.

PINIMAGE

We asked the children to share experiences surrounding their toys. They discussed who had given them the toy and shared their favorite memories. This storytelling helped shift their focus away from the physical item and onto the experiences and people they interacted with.

When our child focuses on the fun experiences and interactions, they are keeping the best parts of the gift forever. This helps them anticipate that the receiver will do the same.

Involve Your Child in Gift-Giving

We have a large family, so gift giving was always a strategic practice at our house. No matter how little we had, we found ways to involve the children in giving gifts of gratitude to each other.

Create opportunities for autonomy and choice for little ones

When they were small, we would take the kids to the dollar store. They had $5 to choose a gift that they thought best represented their sibling. We picked names from a hat to pair off teams. Some years, we chose a list of family friends to draw names from.

The children had a grandfather who chose to send us a cash gift for Christmas each year. We chose to divide that gift and allow the kids to shop for their siblings when they were old enough to be in a store on their own.

Create your own fun covert operation

They asked questions and studied each other to come up with the perfect gift. We would all go to a large store, and they would sneak around it, avoiding each other until they could get to the checkout. They were thrilled to surprise their sibling with just the thing they had been hoping for.

I am aware that a considerable amount of back-door negotiations took place during that season. This helped ensure that the kids gave as well as they received. They learned some important lessons about cooperation and teamwork!

Listen to Their Ideas

There were several years that I used Christmas to give items I thought the kids would like. Sometimes those were huge wins, a few times, it was a big fail!

Consider the receiver over the giver

Now, I always include something from each child’s wishlist and make it the main gift. Giving is about the person on the other end, and we want to show that we are paying attention to their words.

As homeschooling parents, we have a greater temptation to maximize our budget and create learning opportunities. That is great, but don’t forget the little hearts that you are caring for. Show them that their wishes matter.

Create Simple, Homemade Gifts for Others

I need to be reminded that giving is not always tied to financial resources. Children often have little to no money, so they can feel that giving is not something they can participate in. By creating gifts of gratitude with our time and resources available to us, we can show them that everyone can be a giver.

Think about items you have shared with others

We grew the ingredients to make homemade salsa. Then, we canned mild and hot salsas for friends and family with the kids’ help. We have made wild plum jam with fruit the kids picked. We’ve sent pictures, letters, and homemade goodies to our friends near and far. Show your kids that free gifts of gratitude count.

Give Time Together as a Family

As a family, we have also involved our kids in giving our time. Food pantries, cookie drives, church outreach parties, and many more opportunities are available to demonstrate that time is the most valuable resource to share with others.

Find ways to serve others as a family

Visiting the senior center or a shelter kitchen for the first time can be uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but these visits create opportunities to discuss empathy, kindness, and compassion.

Our gratitude is amplified with each of these actions, and our children will steadily grow into grateful adults who appreciate how to give good gifts to others … service ideas to others.

Gifts of Gratitude Build Legacies

Remember that disappointed little eight-year-old?

By practicing these giving habits, she is now a generous-hearted fifteen-year-old who is always cooking up something fun with her friends. She sets up birthday parties for her friends and doesn’t come home from a shopping trip without a treat for her siblings. Gratitude is learned and practiced as you lead your family by using these ideas

How will you incorporate your kids into giving at your house this year?

You can get the Gratitude Workshop and Guide Book by leaving your name & email. We’ll zip it on over to your inbox.

Amber started her first writing project in 2008, with a personal blog. When questions about homeschooling poured in, she began 200 Fingers & Toes. As a speaker and author, she serves the homeschooling audience with practical tips, actionable ideas, and enthusiastic encouragement. You can get more homeschool help from Amber on the In Due Season Homeschool Podcast

The post 9 Ideas Gifts of Gratitude: Build Gratitude Legacy appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

A way to make Christmas homeschool curriculum simple, peaceful, and actually enjoyable—without the guilt of falling behind?

The Christmas Break Mistake That Changed Everything

My friend, Kelly Warner, tells a story that makes every homeschool mom cringe. One of her first years homeschooling, she was so worried about being “behind” that she made her son complete schoolwork through Christmas break while the rest of the family celebrated.

“I was sucking the joy right out of it,” Kelly admits. “I thought the holiday breaks started when the work was done, rather than when we wanted the breaks to start.”

She learned something crucial that year.

Her wrong motives almost destroyed what the holidays were supposed to be. The pressure to do better than public school “no matter what” damaged her relationships with her children and spouse. She even quit homeschooling temporarily because she was approaching it from the wrong direction.

Your Christmas homeschool curriculum doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s rules. It can look however it works best for your family.

Christmas Homeschool Curriculum Options

I highly recommend taking a break from Thanksgiving weekend until New Years Day. During our ten years of homeschooling, our kids never got behind. However, some families thrive on routine and structure. If your child needs that order, keep a loose schedule during the holidays. Maybe you curve back from your normal 9-to-1 day to just 9-to-11. Some children do better with systems, and taking them out of that routine causes more chaos than peace.

Other families, like ours, take the entire season off from traditional schoolwork. Kelly did this one year—no assigned math, history, or reading in December. Instead, her kids did topic studies. One studied hunting and learned about guides, rules, and animal behavior. Another studied radio history, which naturally led to learning about podcasting.

Both approaches work. The key is knowing what your family needs and giving yourself permission to choose that path.

Make Christmas Homeschool Curriculum Relative to the Holidays

Personally, I believe the best Christmas homeschool curriculum connects to the holidays. A few ideas you might consider . . .

Baking, Math, Science

Baking cookies for neighbors teaches measurements, budgeting, and serving others. When Kelly’s 11-year-old daughter wanted to start sourdough at 9 p.m., they had an impromptu lesson on ratios, flour-to-water measurements, and rising times. The holidays provide many Christmas math activities.

Service Projects

Christmas service ideas offer incredible learning opportunities. Shoveling snow for elderly neighbors, delivering welcome baskets to families facing food insecurity, or participating in Operation Christmas Child shoebox programs—these activities teach lessons your children will carry into adulthood.

Our family hosted a Mom’s Day Out by in inviting their preschool & elementary kids over for an afternoon. The moms had 3-4 hours to themselves to get things done.

Our kids’ favorite tradition is selling pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies to make money. They used their profits to buy Christmas gifts for an overseas missionary family. This helped have kids Christmas that is others focused. I described our kids Christmas process here. You can also get our Christmas Baking Sale Guide by leaving your info below.

This service project took our eyes off ourselves and put it on serving another family. We also had many opportunities for math, science, budgeting, and other real life skills for kids.

Read Alouds

Reading Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and comparing it to the movie version creates natural opportunities for copywork, author studies, and exploring different time periods. Reading through the book of Luke as a family in December, one chapter per day, allows for open discussions without the pressure of tests or worksheets.

Not everything in your holiday homeschool has to end with a test. Many of the best lessons allow for real-life application instead. Plus, your kids will probably learn more from those natural applications.

Why Rest Matters as Much as Busyness

“Rest needs to be as much a part of our homeschooling as the busyness.”

American society trains us to go-go-go constantly. We talk about time hacks, efficiency, multitasking, and doing more. We’ve focused on productivity to a fault. Our children aren’t robots. They need natural times of rest to decompress and allow their brains to process what they’ve learned.

God created rest in the beginning. On the seventh day of creation, God rested. He gives the earth a natural rest, too. Winter allows the earth to rest before it begins to bloom in springtime. As days get shorter in thew winter, it is our signal to slow down too.

When kids are stressed and everyone’s under pressure to learn, is anyone actually learning? Another example, Kelly shared with me was when her daughter raced through Central American countries, mispronouncing every name because she just wanted to finish quickly. Slowing down and making learning fun works better than drilling through worksheets.

The Mindset Shift That Sets You Free

If you’re struggling with guilt about taking time off or worried about falling “behind,” listen closely.

It’s going to be okay if you get to May and you’ve only done 30 weeks of a 36-week program.

You can still be done with your school year at 30 weeks and pick up with week 31 when next year starts. That’s exactly what we did during our 10 years of homeschooling. Now, all my kids are adults and leading their family in the Lord.

I was a public school teacher for six years and I rarely finished a textbook—even in math—because mastery mattered more than completing pages. You’re putting artificial pressure on yourself when you compare your family to social media posts.

The best thing you can do is say, “I feel guilty, but I’m still going to pause because I know it’s what’s best for my kid.” As you teach yourself to rest, your kids will learn to rest, as well. You’ll go through the holidays and arive in January, realizing nobody missed out on anything.

When Peace Becomes the Priority

Is your priority doing better than the public school? If so, your kids suffer. Consider shifting your priorities to peace over perfection.

When peace becomes the priority, the atmosphere changes. Kids know someone will help them clean up spilled milk instead of lashing out. Families can have breakfast brownies just for fun. Parents connect with their children instead of just checking boxes on curriculum checklists.

Jesus never hurried in His ministry. He knew He had just the right amount of time. Yet our world tells us to rush through life and perfectly prepare our kids academically, and we miss their hearts in the process.

This mindset shift is especially necessary during Advent and Christmas. The enemy wants you to rush through holidays, race through lessons, hurry your children along, and stress over imperfect candy cane cookies.

Tell him NO!

No is a complete sentence and your best defensne against outside pressures.

To help you integrate Christmas into your homeschool, I have a unit study for you. Discover how to integrate Christmas into your reading, writing, math, history, science and other homeschooling. Use Christmas as your central focus all month-long. I have many ideas for you in our Christmas Unit Study.

If you would like our complete list of Christmas & Advent activities, enter your name & email below. I’d be happy to send our Christmas Unit Study to you at no cost for the next few days. This offer expires in December. After that, it will be $9.97.

The Goal: Enjoyed Not Survived

Raising children is a season of life we need to enjoy, not just survive. We need systems, tools, and support to handle chaos without letting it overwhelm us. When we remain centered on Christ and focused on our families, we can actually reach January with peace instead of exhaustion.

Your Christmas homeschool curriculum can include loose schedules or complete breaks. Topic studies or traditional lessons. Service projects or cookie baking. Reading Luke or studying Christmas around the world. All of it counts. All of it matters.

The most important thing?

Choosing what’s best for YOUR family and releasing the pressure of perfection.

• Rest is biblical.
• Connection matters more than curriculum.
• And at the end of December, the goal is joy—not just completion.

The post Christmas Homeschool Curriculum: Peace Over Perfection appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.

Jamie Suel, artist and mom of five grown kids, shares beautiful advent family ideas that focus on preparing your heart—not just checking off more boxes.

Slowing Down Your Calendar AND Your Mind

Slowing down for Advent isn’t just about your schedule. It’s also about calming your mind.

Jamie said no to a conference she really wanted to attend busier,” she explains. “So I have to be more intentional bout what can I calm in November and December?”

Going beyond the calendar, there’s the mental piece. Not everything is urgent. Not everything is priority number one. The question becomes: how do I engage my mind in keeping my eyes on Him?

When you’re intentional about slowing down both physically and mentally, you create space to prepare your heart for celebrating Jesus—which is what Advent is really about.

Creating Physical Spaces That Point to Jesus

After her kids went to bed, Jamie would sit by the Christmas tree lights and just be still. Sometimes only for five minutes. But those quiet moments created space to breathe and encounter God.

Other advent family ideas she suggests include cozy book corners with Christmas books, soft music playing in the background, and even fireplace apps on the TV. (Her kids laugh at her for this, but she keeps it running all day because it reminds her to calm down!)

The goal isn’t perfection.

Instead, she was creative with what they had. “How can I take what I have and make it a little more meaningful?” she asked herself.

Read-alouds became one of their most treasured traditions. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” still makes Jamie cry every year, even with her grown kids. They ask her to readthe book at Christmas because it reminds them why Christ came and how He loves everyone—especially the hard-to-love.

These traditions aren’t just activities. They’re cornerstones that help kids remember what matters most.

Advent Family Ideas: Renew Your Mind When Life Feels Hurried

Romans 12:2 talks about being transformed by the renewing of your mind. But what does that actually look like during the busiest season of the year?

For Jamie, it starts with awareness.

She catches negative thoughts as she’s saying them. “Every time you say that, you’re reinforcing that belief,” she told her daughter recently. “That’s not what God says about you.”

Think about the verse in Song of Solomon: “Catch the little foxes for us, the ones that ruin the vineyard.” You have to catch those thoughts and cut them short. When you become aware of negative thoughts, think to yourself, “oh, that’s a lie, that’s not how God would talk to me”. Then, speak the truth out loud instead.

Why out loud?

Speaking God’s truth aloud interrupts the anxious mindset and helps you think more clearly. It replaces your negative thoughts with God’s truth. When you calm down and fix your eyes on Him, you’re are able to make better decisions.

But let’s move forward to know what is true about you, what God says about you. In order to know this, you have to spend time with Him. You have to be in His Word, hearing His voice, listening for Him. You only get to know someone through time spent.

Beautiful Advent Family Ideas Using Visual Reminders

Jamie created beautiful Advent cards featuring her original paintings based on the four Sundays of Advent and the four names of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6.

The first Sunday focuses on hope, represented by a Christmas tree—the anticipation of the season. The second Sunday is peace, painted as a dove with calming green tones. The third Sunday celebrates joy with a festive wreath for the shepherd’s candle. The fourth Sunday honors love, showing the light of the world.

Each card includes brief devotionals, scripture, reflection questions, and worship prompts. They’re intentionally short because Jamie wanted them to be easy-to-use for busy families. Engage with your family and the message on the card on Sunday. Then, let the card sit somewhere visible all week as a reminder.

One creative way to use these advent family ideas.

• Print the cards each year
• Have your kids write on the back what hope, peace, joy, or love means to them that year.
• Save them as keepsakes.
• Imagine reading together years later what your four-year-old said about peace!

Another idea: shrink them down and print multiples so each child can collect their Advent cards every Sunday and keep them in their room.

Jamie encourages you to show your kids how to start with a few deep breaths before each devotional. “Every time I come into my time with the Lord, I take some deep breaths,” she explains. “It’s trained my brain so when I sit down in my chair, I automatically get calm.”

Process Over Perfection – That’s You Mom

If Jamie could talk to her younger self as a young mom, here’s what she’d say.

“Your kids don’t need you to be perfect. They need you to show them what it’s like to be an imperfect person walking with God—receiving forgiveness, learning, growing. They need to see your process.”

Jamie Suel

She spent years trying to do everything perfectly. Now she wishes she’d just brought her kids along in her journey.

Here’s the truth.

You can’t give away what you don’t have. If you spend this Advent season stressed and overwhelmed, that’s what will spill over to your children. But, if you create space to encounter God yourself, the peace in your heart will spill over to your kids, your husband, your family, and your friends.

These advent family ideas aren’t about adding more to your plate. They’re about making room—in your calendar, in your home, and in your heart—for what matters most.

Making Advent About Jesus

Most kids wait for Christmas wondering what gifts they’ll get under the tree. Our job is to help them wait well—to focus on Jesus instead. To use Advent, which means anticipation, to change your family’s focus.

Visual reminders help. Whether it’s Advent cards, Advent candles you light each Sunday, cozy reading corners, or fireplace moments, these simple traditions become anchors that bring your family back to the reason for the season.

Advent is about preparing your heart to celebrate the coming of Christ. It’s about slowing down when everything around you speeds up. It’s about catching the lies, speaking truth, and spending time with God so you know His voice.

God loves you and wants to be with you. This Advent season, engage it for yourself first. Make space to encounter Him. The rest will flow from there.

Before I close, one of the best pieces of advice I received the first year I homeschooled was to take a break during December. A friend of mine who had kids the same ages, but had homeschooled since Kindergarten, told me she “quits” formal homeschooling.

What you might say? Quit homeschooling for a month.

Well, not really!

From this piece of advice, our family began a Christmas tradition of integrating Christmas and Advent into our homeschooling and being more intentional during the Advent season with fun Advent family ideas.

There are so many ideas to integrate Christmas into your reading, writing, math, history, science and other homeschooling. Use Christmas as your central focus all month-long. I have many ideas for you in our Christmas Unit Study.

If you would like our complete list of Christmas & Advent activities, enter your name & email below. I’d be happy to send our Christmas Unit Study to you at no cost for the next few days. This offer expires in December. After that, it will be $9.97.

The post Advent Family Ideas: Creating Space to Encounter God appeared first on How To Homeschool My Child.