A refreshed parent will make a much better teacher, so don’t forget to take some time for yourself.
Millions of families will homeschool their children this year. The effort they’ll put forth will be great. They’ll seek out resources, plot out schedules, sign up for activities, research options, coordinate with other homeschooling families, gather supplies, ready their home, and put the education of their children at the top of their priority list. The effort will be physically demanding, mentally taxing, and spiritually refining.
While parents naturally do all they can to prepare, arrange, and provide the best possible for their children, they often forget one essential element of the homeschooling endeavor: themselves. This is a giant oversight, since the homeschooling parent is going to have an enormous impact on not only their children’s education but also their home environment and their family’s overall development and well-being. Homeschooling calls for loving, clear-headed, prepared, and spiritually grounded parents at the helm.
If you’re just getting started on your homeschooling journey or are gearing up for another year in the trenches, be sure to add yourself to your summer preparation list. Here are six ways to nurture yourself before a new homeschool year begins.
Clear the Clutter
While decluttering may sound more like a way in which you prepare your home rather than a form of self-care, reducing the level of chaos in your home will contribute to your inner peace. Homeschooling invites an extra layer of “stuff” into the home—papers, supplies, projects, tools, and books (so many books). Take time to go through and relieve your spaces of the things you no longer need, no longer want, or no longer breathes life into your homeschool. Start the new year off with a fresh slate.Establish Your Non-Negotiables
There is no doubt you’re going to take care of your family, but you may need some reminding when it comes to taking care of yourself. Define two or three daily non-negotiable things you’ll do each day to nurture your own well-being. Things like exercise, time for spiritual devotion, time alone to simply think and ready your mind, a daily walk, or a nightly preparation routine, may be things that will ensure your long-term endurance and your ability to bring your best self to the task at hand.Schedule Breaks
As you map out your yearly calendar, your weekly schedule, or your daily routine, make sure you pencil in breaks for you and for your family. Leave plenty of buffer time for things to take longer than you think, for unexpected interruptions to throw a wrench in your plans, and for the enthusiasm and energy of you and your family member to not be an undying overflowing fount. Weeks off during the year (some for full breaks, and some to act as catch-up weeks), quiet time during the afternoon, and a day of the week that’s decidedly lighter (Fun Friday?) can set you up for success and provide the regular respite everyone will need to see this through over the long haul.Journal the Journey
Maintaining a journal can be both a therapeutic exercise and a practical one. Homeschooling, like any important effort in life, will pose challenges and successes. Writing regularly about your experience, documenting what’s working and what’s not, and chronicling your thoughts and feelings along the way will allow you to release and digest while keeping an informal record of the process. This can be extremely helpful going forward if you determine throughout the year that something needs to change or during the planning season each year as you look back upon your experience.Celebrate
Set reasonable goals and expectations for your homeschool and take note of important milestones along the way. When you attain your goals, take the time to pause and celebrate. Celebration will be life giving to your children and you and will reinforce the fact that, though things don’t always go perfectly, you are making progress and improvement. Plus it’s just fun to celebrate—so don’t skip this part throughout the year.Prepare Yourself
Finally, just before you begin a new school year, in addition to the shiny new school supplies and curriculum, prepare yourself. Take a day to take care of yourself. Do what brings you joy. Feed your mind and spirit. Ensure you have the supplies and resources you need to show up fully, to feel ready, and to enthusiastically embark on what will likely be one of the most rewarding endeavors of your life.
