The Best Gift We Can Give Our Children

Wondering what the best gift you can give your children is? The answer may surprise you!

I’ve seen the photos of huge curriculum piles. The homeschool rooms that make me think mine is less adequate. I dream of being able to take my kids anywhere they want to go for a field trip. And all these things make me lose sight of the big picture.

They zap my joy, steal my energy, and make me want more. Without realizing what I already have.

You see, it’s not about the material possessions. It’s not about what we have to use in our homeschools. The best gift we can give our kids?

A JOYFUL HOMESCHOOL MOM!

Why is this so important?

I listened to Sarah Mackenzie speak at GHC this year, and she asked us all something. She told us to close our eyes, and imagine our kids 10-20 years from now. Someone asks them, what do you remember about homeschooling?

Now, imagine their answer.

I want my kids to say, “My mom LIKED being with me!”

I don’t want them to remember me grumping over them doing their school work, or complaining about not being able to go on that field trip. I want them to enjoy their homeschool years. Don’t you?

How do I become a more joyful homeschool mom?

This is the question many of us ask ourselves. I do too. I struggle with this. When the kids don’t pick up after themselves, or they “forget” that they had something they needed to do. But, I also think we forget that WE are the ones our kids spend the most time with. WE are the ones they are going to have the most memories of. That’s important. Let’s make those memories WORTH remembering.

The Thieves of Homeschool Joy

So, what steals our joy? Chances are it’s one of these three things.

Comparison.

I have written about this time and time again. You can see it here, here and here. I TRULY believe this is the #1 THIEF of a moms joy. We have got to get a handle on the comparison trap.

We Don’t Take Care of Ourself

We forget that we are more than just moms. We have needs. We have a part inside of us that need to be filled. And we feel guilty for admitting that. But, when we don’t take care of ourselves, we lose a part of us. And that takes some of our joy with us.

So, ask yourself what do YOU need? Are you an extrovert? Do you need time with people that can hold an adult conversation? Do you need to be able to have a quiet space where you can read and regroup? Do you need your kids to be more independent in their homeschool learning?

Do you need time AWAY from your kids? It’s okay to say YES to this question. Find out what you need to take care of YOU and then find a way to get it.

Worry LESS About the Duties

This is my #1 struggle. But, Sarah said something in her session at GHC that has stuck with me. She said,

our kids are not going to remember the comparison, but they will remember being pushed aside for the duty.

Ouch. I mean right?! How often do we allow duties to overrun our homes and our school time? Sometimes we need to ignore the laundry, or do less academic work and allow our kids to pursue an interest.

Homeschooling is about freedom. We aren’t tied down to someone else’s ideas of learning. Our kids are with us all the time, so it’s natural for our homes to be lived in. WE LIVE HERE!

The duties can wait. Our kids can’t. Once we lessen our ideals and remember to ENJOY our lives, we can get some of that joy back.

So, moms, how are you going to give this gift to your children today? Is it going to be through dropping a duty? Maybe taking some time to yourself? Or remembering that your homeschool doesn’t have to look like Betty’s across the street?

Whatever it is, be sure to GIVE it! Our time with our kids isn’t going to last forever. Let’s give them our BEST today.