“In order to thrive as a homeschooling mother, you’re going to have to embrace the “want to.”
-Homeschooling Day by Day
I read that quote a couple weeks ago and it really rocked me to the core. Let’s think about this for a moment. In order for us to thrive at homeschooling, at anything really, we need to actually “want” to do it. Yes sometimes we must do things we really don’t want to do, that is a very real part of being an adult and a parent. But I really believe that homeschooling isn’t one of those subjects in life where we can fake our way through it.
It comes back to being “called” or not. We can be called to do something by God but fight our way through it as well. We can kick and scream and push Him away until we’re so blue in the face we don’t even know what it was that He called us to do in the first place. We can listen to His voice, hear the words, but not choose to make them real in our lives. On the other hand, we can listen to what He is asking of us and then do it with a bad attitude, moping, saggy shoulders, rolling our eyes at His requests.
It’s like when I tell my 8 year old to do the dishes. He says “yes mom” and then sulks away, taking as long as he can walking the 20 feet from my bedroom to the kitchen sink. He then does the dishes like I asked, but he doesn’t like it one bit. That’s ok son…I don’t like doing the dishes either…which is why I have you do them (can I get an AMEN? haha!)
Are we approaching homeschool like an 8 year old being asked to do the dishes? On another note…are we approaching motherhood like that as well? Don’t get me wrong…homeschooling and being a mom is extremely tough sometimes, but ultimately the good should outweigh the rough. Is that happening with you? Have you embraced the “want to” with educating your children? Do you even know how to get to that point?
On days that I don’t particularly “want” to do what I am called to do, those are the days I stop everything and take a breather. We put the workbooks away and take a trip to the library or the park. We forget making dinner and grab a pizza. I would rather figure out another way than push so hard I bring me or my children to tears.
We homeschool because we WANT TO. Not because we HAVE TO, because honestly, none of us have to homeschool (unless you’re in a place with no schools nearby or you’re educating a special needs child, etc.)
How do you tap into the “want to”? It’s a lot about finding what brings you joy, sitting down with a journal, your Bible and a cup of coffee. No it probably won’t be silent since you have kids running wild around the house but if you wait for the perfect moment to get alone with God…it may never happen. I promise you, He will speak and tell you exactly what is on His heart for HIS kids. The God we serve is a FUN God. He isn’t someone up in the sky with a lightning bolt ready to smite you when you trip up. As much as we want our kids to enjoy their little lives, He wants us to enjoy ours. When we tap into His heart for us, He grants us the desires of our hearts because suddenly, His heart is all we want.