The other day, I shared with you my updated Weekly Cleaning Checklist (of course I had a free printable for you).

Today I’m sharing my Monthly/Quarterly/Annually Cleaning Checklist with you. These are things that I add to my cleaning time when appropriate. I keep these checklists handy because let’s face it – I have “Mom Brain.” I doubt any of these things would ever get done without an actual checklist for me.

Monthly Checklists

• Clean/Change Out HVAC Filter
• Clean Kitchen Sink Disposal
• Clean Range Hood Filter
• Inspect/Replace Fire Extinguisher(s)
• Clean Out Closets For The Season (this is for the beginning of each new season/quarter)

Quarterly Checklists

• Test Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Test Garage Door Auto-Reverse Feature
• Check Water Softener, Add Salt if Needed
• Deep Clean House  –  Move Furniture
• Vacuum Refrigerator Coils
• Clean Windows (Outside Weather Permitting)

Annual Cleaning Checklist

• Winter Cleaning/Maintenance Checklist
  • Tighten Any Handles, Knobs, Racks, etc.
  • Check All Locks And Deadbolts On Your Doors And Windows
  • Remove Showerheads And Clean Sediment
  • Deep Clean And Inspect The Basement
• Spring Cleaning/Maintenance Checklist
  • Check The Exterior of Your House And Drainage
  • Clean Out Gutters
  • Get Your Air Conditioning System Ready For Summer
  • Clear Dead Plants/Shrubs From The House
  • Check Trees For Interference With Electric Lines
  • Inspect Roofing For Damage, Leaks, etc.
• Summer Cleaning/Maintenance Checklist
  • Check Grout in Bathrooms, Kitchen, etc.  –  Repair as Needed
  • Inspect Plumbing for Leaks, clean Aerators on Faucets
  • Clean And Repair Deck/Patio as Needed
  • Clean Out Window Wells of Debris
  • Check/Clean Dryer Vent & All Exhaust Vents to Exterior of Home
  • Clean Garage
• Fall Cleaning/Maintenance Checklist
  • Flush Hot Water Heater And Remove Sediment
  • Winterize Air Conditioning System
  • Get Heating System Ready For Winter
  • Turn Off And Flush Outdoor Water Faucets
  • Get Chimney Cleaned
  • Test Sump Pump
  • Check Driveway/Pavement For Cracks

Combine these with your Weekly Cleaning Checklist and your home will run like a well-oiled machine!

I’m sharing my personal Monthly/Quarterly/Annually Cleaning Checklist PLUS a blank set for you today! Play around with it.  See what works best for your family. Let me know how it works for you! Enjoy!

Have you downloaded this free printable?  How’s it working for you?  I’d love to hear all about it!

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

In 2015, my husband and I finally purchased our home, after years of moving from state to state to state. All the excitement that comes with the wonderful feeling of settling in inspired me to create a Weekly Cleaning Checklist and share it with all of you!

Well, I thought it was time to update them and give a new look to organizing our lives in 2024!

I’m not someone who likes to spend an entire day getting all of my cleaning done. I really don’t have time for that. So I divided up my house by 5 days and clean a room or section of the house each day to have my house clean and organized. If I “plan” to do it all in one day I will never clean anything.

Below you will find not only my checklist but also my personal schedule that’s working wonders for our family. I’m a wife, mother, homeschooler, co-op director, and youth group leader, who also works from home. So I really need to have this whole cleaning thing down to a science.

Monday  –  Bathrooms  (upstairs bathrooms)

• Scrub Shower/Tub
• Scrub Toilet
• Clean Counter & Sink
• Clean Mirror
• Change Out Towels
• Refill Soap & Toilet Paper
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Laundry Room

• Declutter & Organize
• Vacuum Out Dryer Lint Trap
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Tuesday  –  Bedrooms

• Dust
• Change Out Bedding
• Organize Toys/knick-knacks
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Wednesday  –  School Room/Office/Hallway

• Organize All Books & Papers
• Refill  Supplies For The New Week
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Thursday  –  Kitchen/Dining Room/Front Entry

• Clean & Organize Refrigerator and Pantry
• Wipe Down Appliances and Cabinets
• Clean Countertops
• Scrub Sink
• Refill Soap & Toilet Paper
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Bathrooms  (half bath)

• Scrub Toilet
• Clean Counter & Sink
• Clean Mirror
• Change Out Towels
• Refill Soap & Toilet Paper
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

Friday  –  Family Room

• Dust
• Wash All Throw Blankets
• Vacuum & Mop Floor

I have found that by organizing my cleaning routine this way I can accomplish so much more in my days. How do you clean? What’s your routine?

I’m sharing my personal Weekly Cleaning Checklist PLUS a blank Weekly Cleaning Checklist for you today! Play around with it. See what works best for your family. Let me know how it works for you!  Enjoy!

Let’s get organized in 2024!

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

What are my plans? How will I adjust my focus? What will actually come my way in 2024?

I think I finally figured out my “word of the year” for 2024 – purpose. This year had its ups and downs like any other year. Maybe a few extra tough patches. Those difficult times made me think, why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing with my life? What is my purpose?

PURPOSE: n. The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. A person’s sense of resolve or determination. v. Have as one’s intention or objective.

Origin: from Old French porpos, from the verb porposer

Synonyms: aim, intention, dream, ambition, aspiration, design, objective, target

Antonyms: doubt, weakness, ignore, dislike, discard, stop

Scripture:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Knowing God has a purpose for each of us, and it’s different for each of us, should be reassuring. He has a plan for us. I love knowing this. It takes some of the “stress” of trying to figure it out away. But…for some of us, the not knowing what His plan, causes a bit of stress.

So now what?!

I chose “purpose” as my word of the year to remind myself to keep digging into Scripture. Stay in conversation with God. Spend time in worship. Talking with God and asking Him to guide my path, is the only way to find the purpose He truly has for my life.

How else could finding & focusing on your purpose help you in your walk with the Lord?

Your family?

Your homeschool?

A project you’re working on?

Fitness/Weight Loss goals?

Your mental state?

The possibilities are endless. We tend to forget at times that God literally touches every corner of our lives. He wants that relationship with us. He wants to walk with us hand in hand and help us in our life. Why not invite Him in?

Did you choose a “word of the year” this year? I’d love to hear what it is.

How are you going to allow this word to change your life?

Love Life, Love God, and Live For HIM…

Why is this so difficult? Waiting on the Lord…We know He shows up and shows out! He’s proven this time and time again in our lives. When the moment we feel the wait, we begin to doubt.

Recently, I had the absolute privilege of speaking at my church’s women’s breakfast. This event is very special to me. It’s the first event I attended at a very “new to me” church. I believe we had only been to 2 (maybe 3) Sunday services, and each time the pastor mentioned the upcoming women’s breakfast, I felt this tug. “You should go. Get plugged in! Make some new friends.” Then I had the social media stalking come (finally in a good way, not the “remember that sweater you thought about buying? Here it is!”), and the post the church shared about it seemed to be in my feed daily.

But how intimidating. Showing up to a breakfast, full of women I don’t know, who are all the best of friends already. So I can what, sit in a corner by myself eating a muffin?? But that small voice got louder. Pushier. And I didn’t feel I could ignore it. That voice, God, telling me it was time to expand my “friends zone” outside of my awesome homeschool mamas. This church was our new home and I needed to make it “feel” like home and this is where it would start.

So I went. When I tell you these ladies were the warmest group of women, I think I’m underselling them. Women, of all ages and backgrounds, talking with me, sharing with me, as if we’ve been friends for ages. I’ve never felt this instantly. When I walked in the door after our delicious time together I said, this church is truly our home.

That was just over a year and a half ago and I haven’t missed a breakfast since. So, when the organizers asked if I would be willing to talk, share my story or just a topic I feel close to, I didn’t think I could say no. Scared again. But couldn’t say no. Not to these ladies.

God’s Timing – Not Mine

Now, what do I actually have to share about? My life is my homeschooling and this group of women, I believe only 3 or 4 of us homeschool. So that’s boring to everyone else. I don’t think my life is exciting or flashy. But just a few days later, God through another one of His “stop trying to control this and listen for me – wait for my timing” lessons in my life. I thought this is what I share. My life is a series of learning to wait on God’s timing. I’m very hard-headed, a planner, and let’s face I do like to have control as often as possible.

I started with my journey so far. How, in a 10-year time period, we lived in 6 states in seven years, had 2 children and 5 miscarriages, and began homeschooling. I shared that none of this was “my timing” and in fact, much of it was not something I ever saw myself doing EVER!

I spent a lot of these times pushing back at the Lord. Questioning whether He really did love me. Did He hear me at all? Did He even like me?? Why wasn’t He listening? He knew what my plans were. I thought they were Godly plans. He should have been blessing them, not squashing them.

As difficult, and angry, as those times were to go through, I can now look back and see God’s timing in all of it. His perfect plan for me. I am so grateful He doesn’t just say yes to all of my plans. I see what He has done in my life, my family’s life, people around me. He truly is awesome and His love for us is evident when we are willing to open our eyes and hearts to Him and let Him lead.

I also shared my “top 5” Bible Verses when I struggle to remember to wait on Him. I thought I would share them with you as well.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him. It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26

What is impossible with man is possible with God.

Luke 18:27

But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Micah 7:7

These speak to me. They work as beautiful reminders of God’s love for me and that He doesn’t need me to be “in control” and running the show. He needs me to let Him show off and show His absolute love for me.

If you’d like to keep these verses close to your heart. I did create a little printable for the women’s breakfast, with these verses on cards (and of course something to color on the backside because of my love for all things coloring pages). If you’d like to download the pdf please do! They fit nicely inside your Bible, on your fridge, nightstand or desk. Anywhere, for personal check-in with God throughout your day.

I skipped it 2020 was such a mess of a year and, quite honestly depressing, so I wasn’t in the right mind frame to do it. You really can’t be in a truly negative space and choose a word of the year wisely. As for most of us, 2021 really didn’t get much better. In fact, it may have felt a bit worse because of how everything has drug on way longer than anyone thought it would.

In 2022 life moved forward but at a slower pace than I would have liked. But at least it showed progress, right!?

I decided 2023 needed to be better. It just has to. But I definitely need to help it along. Wishing for my life to resemble what it used to isn’t just going to happen on its own. So…I am starting with my word of the year again.

THRIVE: To grow vigorously, flourish. To gain wealth or possessions, prosper. To progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.

Origin: Middle English “thriven from”, Old Norse “to seize”

Synonyms: achieve, attain, flourish, prevail, prosper, succeed, win

Antonyms: be defeated, come short, fail, fall short, lose, miss

Bible Verses:

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. – 2 Corinthians 9:10

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. – 2 Peter 3:18

Putting my focus on one thing, thriving in my walk with God, is where I’m starting. Getting right with Him and leaning on Him to guide my path is how I will thrive this year. He can’t guide you if you aren’t studying His word and talking with Him daily.

What else could change in your life if you place your focus on thriving in your walk with the Lord?

Your family?

Your homeschool?

A project you’re working on?

Fitness/Weight Loss goals?

Your mental state?

The possibilities are endless. We tend to forget at times that God literally touches every corner of our lives. He wants that relationship with us. He wants to walk with us hand in hand and help us in our life. Why not invite Him in?

Did you choose a “word of the year” this year? I’d love to hear what it is.

How are you going to allow this word to change your life?

Love Life, Love God, and Live For HIM…

As a mom, one of the hardest things to do is rest. There is always someone who needs you. Someone who needs your attention and needs it right now! Taking time to just rest ourselves can feel next to impossible. But it’s something we absolutely NEED to do!

I’ve struggled with this for years. Taking that little bit of quiet time for myself seems impossible most days. My days consist of teaching my girls, making dinner, dance classes, grocery shopping, running errands, laundry, cleaning, working from home and anything else that needs done for our family. When do I have time to rest? In fact, we’ve lived in our home for over 3 years now and I have yet to use our beautiful soaking bathtub!

School is getting ready to start back up again for us and that means my “me time” will shrink dramatically. So, I thought I’d share how I plan to make sure I don’t miss a little time of rest each day.

Top 5 Ways to Take Time to Rest:

• Schedule Down Time With Your Kids: Why not use this as a learning experience for your kids too. Each day take 30 minutes of down time. No phones. No TV. And NO shenanigans. Everyone can read or maybe color or even take a nap. Just something to unplug and take some down time to chill.
• Take a Nice Soaking Bath: Pamper yourself! Maybe a nice warm lavender salt bath is just what the body needs.  Read a book and maybe have some classical music playing. Lotion up and get snug in your bed with your book again. Because this just might be one of the most relaxing 30 minutes you can take for yourself. I use my Young Living Lavender Hand & Body Lotion along with their lavender salts.
• At Home Spa Treatments: This has become my favorite time of day! My evening routine: Apply my mask to my face and neck (because I don’t want an “old lady” neck), write in my journal to remind myself of the good points of my crazy day, and then finish up the rest of my regimen to totally make myself feel truly pampered. I use my Young Living Art Beauty Mask twice a week.
• Schedule Down Time For You: I quite literally write this into my daily planner. In the past, I never used to write it into my schedule and that meant I never did it. I always filled my “me time” with errands & tasks that needed tackled. I mean that blank space was just waiting to be filled right!? Once I started actually blocking out 30 minutes for me to just chill, I actually did it. And I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve even been known to set an alarm on my phone for 30 minutes and just nap. Oh, those are some beautiful days!
• Take a Walk/Hike: Getting out for some fresh air and exercise is amazing for you to clear your mind and feeling refreshed. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy. Just some time up and moving outdoors. Plus, this is great for the whole family to join in!

Do you take time to rest?  Do you do it daily?

In the past I’d never taken the time to really give myself small breaks in my days. You know, we’re still in the middle of it all and it’s super easy to get caught up in the craziness. But it takes a toll on us and eventually our families.

Mamas, we’re the glue. We’re the ones keeping it all together. If we get stretched too thin – it snaps (and so do we). Take time to rest, just 30 minutes a day, and soak it all in. One day our kiddos will be grown and we want to look back at our time with them and remember it all with a smile. Taking just a bit of time now to rest, will help us in the long run. Truly.

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. ~ Acts 6:4 ESV

I’ve been a Mom for over 16 years now, so it makes sense that prayer would be very important to me. With the blessing of having my children, and the stresses known to come with them, I pray WAY more now than I used to.   
As a Mother of two girls my priority is to raise my girls to become strong Godly Women – Proverbs 31 kind of women. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I have prayed that the Lord would work through me for Him. Make me the Mother they need me to be, so that they may become the people He wants them to be.

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ~ Deuteronomy 11:18-19 ESV

I recently came across this Bible Verse and it made me think. Yes, I’m teaching my children to study the Bible. It’s a huge part of our school day: Bible, Reading, Writing, Science, etc. But, am I really teaching my daughters how to pray? I mean, she knows the Lords prayer. She knows to begin her prayer by thanking God. But does she know HOW to pray for others? Does she truly know the power of prayer?

And when they prayed, the place in which they were gathering together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. ~ Acts 4:31 ESV

WOW! This visual is what I want for my family! This is what I pray my children learn and desire to become – True Prayer Warriors For HIM! After reading each of these verses I started feeling that I needed to show my girls how I pray for them. Show them how I ask God to move in their lives so that He may shine through them. I want my girls to hear me ask God to create a desire in each of them to become great Women of God. I believe there is power in their knowing that I am praying this – for them!

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 15:5-6 ESV

The moment I read this verse, I claimed it for my family. “That together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are one voice! When we pray together I want to shake it up! I want my family to be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak the word of God with boldness! I desire for us to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of His word! And I will start by teaching His words to my children and guide them to see the power of prayer!

Can I get an AMEN!!!
What are your prayers and desires for your children?

Do you share them with your kids?

How are you helping your children/family become Prayer Warriors for HIM?

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

You just never know what you’re going to learn when you’re homeschooling your kiddos.

1. I’m actually capable of teaching my own children!

When my husband and I first began talking about homeschooling this was my biggest concern. How am I going to teach my kids anything? I’m not a teacher. I never went to college. I wasn’t the best student when I was in school. How am I going to teach my girls and not hold them back? I’ve learned that you really don’t need to know everything to homeschool your kiddos. There are amazing courses out there just waiting for you to pick up and learn with your children.

2.  It’s okay to admit I don’t “know” something to my girls.

Yes – When my girls come up with a question and I have no idea of the answer (or even when I’m not totally convinced my thought is correct) – saying/admitting “I don’t know” is a totally legitimate answer to your kids! As long as your next response is – Let’s go look that up together and find out! My girls love being a part of the research team.

3.  Patience is NOT a gift I have been given.

I would love to say that being patient with my girls was something that came easy to me or I was even good at it. I am no Michelle Duggar. I wish I was some days. So calm and soft-spoken with all of her kids! But God is always working on me and helping me see that this is an area I need to work on in my life – for myself and for my family. Since homeschooling, I have been more aware of just how much I need to work and concentrate my effort on being that patient soft-spoken mom when my children need that from me.

4.  I cherish my quiet time.

So many homeschool moms are so quick to say they “homeschool because they love being with their kids“. It’s very true, I absolutely LOVE being with my girls – LOVE these times together! But that doesn’t mean I don’t need some quiet time to myself. I believe we need that quiet time to dig into God’s Word and replenish ourselves as Moms each day. I work on my blogging and VA work at night after my house is quiet and sleeping. But I have found it is so important to ME to wake an hour earlier than my girls to study God’s Word and talk with Him about my day to come. I feel a calm that I just can not describe when I began my day with my quiet time with the Lord.

5.  Showing love to my girls is the only way to teach.

Teaching through love (with a loving heart) is the only way you are truly going to reach your children. If you just stand there and recite what your teacher’s books tell you to teach – you are going to have a very long and unremarkable homeschool experience. Teaching from my heart with love, excitement, and passion for what we are learning has brought our homeschool to life.

6.  Becoming “crafty” is something you can learn.

I still do NOT consider myself to be a “crafty mom.” I’m not creating fabulous projects on my own or anything like that. But Pinterest has made me realize that you can learn to be crafty. There is so much to learn from all of those wonderful bloggers who have been blessed with this gift and are sharing their step-by-step process. I may not be creating something unique but my girls are finally having craft time (and fun while doing it).

7.  My addiction to school supplies is worse than I thought!

I may need some sort of “group therapy” for my over-the-top LOVE of school/office supplies! Honestly – my hubby has needed to “ground” me from these stores on a regular basis. If we go over budget one week you can be sure it’s because I was caught in the school/office supply aisles in Target and couldn’t control myself. I always knew this was a problem for me BUT homeschooling my girls makes me feel like I have a legitimate reason to own it ALL (whether I actually do or not).

8.  Having a written schedule helps keep ME and my girls focused.

I love having a schedule!  I feel like my day flows right when I know what’s coming my way next – I am not very good at “flying by the seat of my pants.” But I’ve noticed my girls are the same way too. They tend to stay focused better if they see the checklist and know what they need to accomplish during that specific day. We recently switched to Homeschool Tracker and I am loving that I can have it all on my laptop and I can just check it off right there as we go!

9.  Making things pink & purple with glitter, rhinestones, and feathers really does help you learn better.

I have never been a girly girl! I have always liked more earth tones and casual clothes and decorating. So it was a huge surprise to me when I had not one but TWO super girly girls! I’m talking princess gowns daily, tiaras, rhinestones, and glitter EVERYWHERE! My home has become a sea of pink and purple glitz! Do you know what? Having that tiara on and hot pink wig really does make you learn so much better – well as long as you have a tutu on as well!

10.  Teaching my girls from a Biblical Worldview is the most precious gift I can give them.

The longer I homeschool my girls the more I see and feel the importance of teaching them from a Biblical Worldview of Truth. When I first began homeschooling I knew I would include a Bible course to start our day. But as I teach History and Science (especially) I started thinking – Why am I still using books that contradict the Word of God? Once I started incorporating courses from Bob Jones University I saw how my oldest was no longer confused by learning one thing for “school” but trusting the Bible for truth. She was only 7 years old and it is just amazing to see her bringing what she learned in her Bible Study time into her History and Science lessons. She is learning that the Bible speaks truth and how to see through the lies that are out there.  This is the most important gift I can give my girls – Truth!

What have YOU learned while homeschooling?

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

As Mom’s we tend to take pride in how well we take care of our families. I believe that as Homeschool Moms we may take a little more pride in the fact that we teach our children as well. It almost becomes this “badge of honor” we carry around with us.

There is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with having a deep desire to take care of your family and to do it well! Let me make that perfectly clear. YOU were given your family to do just that – love on them like there is no tomorrow (and as a Christ follower show them the love of Christ)!

So why do we think this means that we have to lose ourselves in this?

Are you not a part of your family? Would you choose to love one child and neglect another? Of course not! So why do we neglect ourselves? And even worse, why do we shame another mother for taking time to attend to her own needs?

Ladies, I love social media. I said it. I truly do love it. We keep up with family all over the world. See how friends from our school days are doing and how their kiddos are growing. Not to mention all of the amazing speakers, authors, conferences and yes, let’s not forget the recipes!!! I have found so many wonderful ideas for my home to keep things organized and our homeschool. I do really love social media.

But the dark side of social media can make me feel like shutting it all down.

Friends verbally attacking each other over political views. Shaming each other over parental choices. Passive-aggressive posts hoping the person you’re upset with reads it and knows it’s about them. I’ve even seen comments left on others posts just to make them feel they are inferior for a choice they decided to make.

When did we begin feeling so free to tear each other down?

Social media can be a wonderful tool for communication in your life. Yet more times than not it seems to be used just to make others feel “less than.”

Stop using it to tear down others (and yourself when you’re busy seeing how much better friends children behave) and start using it to be real!

No more posting that perfect photo of your family so no one knows that to get that shot you spent an hour yelling at all of them!

Stop hiding the fact that you are exhausted and need to spend some quality time taking care of YOU! We all need it, we’re just too busy trying to keep up with everyone else’s “awesomeness” to admit we need a break. Actually, we feel ashamed to admit it.

I want to challenge you to take time for yourself and dare to share about it on social media! #MamaTime and #HSMamaTime needs to start taking over social media channels with beautiful examples of Mamas focusing on their need to refresh themselves. Take the time to cheer each other on in these posts. Start showing each other love and let each other know – you are not alone!

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

It was 4 years before my girls and I belonged to a local co-op again. We were only there for one year when I felt exhausted and overwhelmed with our schedule at the time. I thought it was something we could drop and not really notice.

Once we left we continued to plug away in our homeschool, dance the nights away in classes for both girls, and your normal running around of a crazy busy life. Life was still hectic and I didn’t feel that “extra breath” like I thought I would. Instead, I felt something else. Alone.

Yes, I had my girlfriends and wasn’t actually “alone”. But when it comes to homeschooling your kids only another homeschool mom is truly going to understand all of the emotions that go along with it.

When you have one of those days where your kids just aren’t motivated to listen and do their work. Or maybe you’re the one that isn’t “feeling it”. Only another homeschool mom is going to get that and encourage you to keep going. Others are more inclined to say “Maybe it’s time to put them in school” or “You’ve gone as far as you can go, it’s time to let the pros do it”. I’ve heard each of these many times myself.  I truly don’t think my friends and family are saying these things to be mean. I think they honestly believe they are helping with this advice. They just don’t get it. They can’t.

Most of us who homeschool are doing this because we feel called to it. We feel that this is what the Lord desires for our family. So the idea of “sending them to school” because life got difficult can tear you down and isn’t actually what you need to hear.

FEELING ENCOURAGED AGAIN

When we decided to head back to co-op we couldn’t be happier. My girls are making new friends and rebuilding old friendships. The classes they are taking are wonderfully taught by loving moms. Being involved with a co-op is just as much for my girls as it is for me. When our longer breaks come we are disappointed to not be with all of our friends (who have become family) every Tuesday.

Being able to share those homeschool life moments with other homeschool moms is exactly what I needed. When I talk about, my daughter who is trying to talk her way out of a project, or my class clown who has an amazing ability to sidetrack me, I have another mom saying “Oh I totally get that”. When I  wonder if I’m doing the right thing I have another mom walking beside me saying “You’ve got this, it was just a tough moment”. I love that. I love knowing that I’m not actually alone. That someone else is going through similar moments and truly gets it.

Are you a part of a local co-op? What makes you keep going back? What has kept you from finding one?

I’d love for you to join us on Facebook for our own online community just for homeschoolin’ mamas: Homeschoolin’ Mama Community. Join us to see that you’re not alone. We may not be able to sit right next to you physically, but we can join you in prayer and encourage you to keep on the path that God has called you to walk.

Love Life, Love God, Live For HIM…

Subscribe to the Homeschoolin’ Mama Newsletter today for articles that will encourage, equip, and empower you along your homeschool journey!