Homeschool Sanity Tips – Enjoy the Journey AND Stay SANE!

I am in my 12th year of homeschooling, and let me tell you, there are days that I have felt like I was going to lose my mind! LOL! I thought it would be nice to offer some advice and insights to my fellow Moms of Faith. I am hoping to offer some encouragement from what I have learned these past twelve years. Homeschooling really is a blessed journey!

5 Quick Sanity Tips for Homeschooling Moms

1.Pray. As Christian Moms we need to pray whether we home school or not. However, you MUST be in prayer on a daily basis to really succeed and find joy in the journey. Prayer works. Have FAITH when you pray. Trust God when you pray. Pray with your kids. We sit in a circle before school and sing praise songs and then the children pray and I close. It really helps the day start out right. God is glorified and we are acknowledging Him as our strength and help as our day progresses. After this time we do #5. See below.

2. Relax. You really CAN do this. Just relax and take ONE day at a time. Yes, it is hard and some days you may want to throw in the towel. However, I can tell you the rewards are life long if you stick it out. I would not trade ANYTHING for the wonderful years I spent homeschooling my now 11th grader. I am looking forward to the many years I have left to home school my little one.

3. Find the Humor. Nothing can make a homeschool Mom cringe more then when someone asks her child what school they go to, and they wide eyed and ever so innocently say; “I don’t go to school.” LOL! AHHH! Take these moments and laugh! Trust me, it will help KEEP your sanity! Take every opportunity you can that would otherwise seem stressful and find the humor in it. Homeschooling is HILARIOUS! Laughter is pretty much a part of the call! Laugh, ladies…it does the body…and soul good!

4. Take a Break. When you feel stressed, or your child(ren) are not “getting it”, or you know they have “checked out”, stop. Yes, stop. Move on to another subject, have a snack break, go for a walk, whatever, just stop. No need to stress out. Kids have limits too and if you are working on a tough or new topic. Their little brains may be in over drive and need a break. Plus, Momma needs a break so she doesn’t blow a gasket. LOL!

5. Cure for the Wiggles. Some Moms may find that their little ones will not stay still and focus. First, let me just say, YOU are in charge, and you need to make sure that you are doing your job as a Mom. Train them to obey. Whatever method you use to train and discipline make sure that you do it with consistency. My kids are expected to obey and show respect. If not, they will have to see the principle (AKA Daddy)! Positive reinforcement does wonders as well.

Another thing to remember is that younger children WILL have a hard time sitting still for long periods of time. So, take silly stretch brakes.

Silly Stretch Break: Do this before, during and after your school day. A friend told me about this and I was shocked that it actually worked for my little one. First, have your child(ren) stretch their arms as high as they can. Tell them to try and reach the ceiling without letting their feet leave the ground. Next, have them try and touch their toes without bending their knees. Do this about 2-5 times depending on your child(ren).

Finally, have them do one or both of the following:

camel walk. They walk across the room on their hands and feet. Legs stretchered out. Knees not touching ground. Head looking straight ahead to see where they are going. Think Camel.

crab walk. They sit on ground and then pick themselves up with their arms and feet. They are walking with hands and feet while their butt is just above the floor. Basically they are facing UP with the crab and down with the camel walk.

For BOTH of these techniques, you will want them to keep doing it until they are pooped out and can do no more. Something about it just works! They concentrate and sit still. LOL!  The BEST part of either of these was when I first demonstrated it to my girls. MAN, did we have a laugh. I wound up doing one short walk every time just to make them and me laugh! (Note: I made my teenager do it too…LOL!! Muahahaha!)

Homeschooling can seem daunting and sometimes make you want to scream. However, the rewards far out weigh any negatives. I hope these tips help your homeschooling experience better!

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved

If you have any ideas or tips of your own, please comment below and share them! I am always looking for great ideas and tips! And, I am sure our readers are as well!

God Bless!