Homeschool Mom Encouragement: 10 Things To Remember On Your Worst Day

Do you need some encouragement and support that’s deeper than what comes from a box of chocolate, cup of coffee, or a bottle of wine, Homeschool Mom?

Are you having the worst homeschool day ever?

Frustrated, irritated, overwhelmed, and eyeing those enrollment papers like you never have before?

I’m so glad you stumbled onto this article!

You could not be in a better place to receive these encouraging words that are meant to revive your love of homeschooling, calm your anxious heart, and encourage you forward on your journey!

If I was sitting across from you right now, the following 10 things are exactly what you would hear from me. 

10 Things to Encourage Homeschool Moms on Their Worst Day

1. Why Are You Homeschooling?

On the terrible days, I know it’s easy to answer this question with, “I have no idea! What am I even doing with my life right now?!”

I hear you. 

But when you’re truly honest with yourself and sit down to think, you will remember.

So you could provide a better education for your kids, spend more time together, have better sibling relationships, have a more relaxed schedule, tailor your curriculum to match your family’s beliefs, raise critical thinkers…sound about right?

If you’re like me, then this list is something you’re constantly adding to. 

But on the bad days, you can’t remember a single one of them!

I encourage you, Homeschool Mama, to write down why you are homeschooling. 

Really think it out.

Keep that list handy to remind yourself why all of this is actually more than worth it.

2. Every Job Has Rough Days

This statement has been such an encouragement to me on my own long, frustrating homeschool days. 

When I was an Emergency Room RN, I had some pretty discouraging days where I would have been tempted to quit on the spot. 

I have also seen my husband weather some really tough seasons (not just days) in his job. 

When either of us would tell people about our day, nobody would say, “You should probably quit and find a completely different job. You’re probably not cut out for this.” 

Of course not!

They would say things like, “Hang in there!” or “You’ve got this,” or “Make sure you take good care of yourself.”

The same is true for homeschool moms! Just because you had a rough day – or a string of rough days! – does not mean you’re not cut out for this.

It’s doesn’t mean you’re bad at homeschooling.

It doesn’t mean you need to find a new job. 

It means you’re having a bad day.

It will pass. 

3. What Went Right Today?

This is often the biggest encouragement that so many homeschool moms overlook. 

You could have had a beautiful discussion with your kids after a read aloud chapter, a fun science experiment, an easy reading lesson, but a disastrous math assignment.

As homeschool moms, we are so quick to zero in on the one or two things that did not go well that day and completely forget all the things that went beautifully!

We get down on ourselves and feel like our kids are learning NOTHING and we are doing a TERRIBLE job.

If you are really feeling down today, take a step back and look at your whole day. 

What did you do well?

What did your kids respond to?

When did it go off the rails? Why did that happen?

I would encourage you to sit down and even write out your thoughts!

Really bring the day into perspective and give yourself credit where it is due!

4. No One is More Passionate Than You About Your Kid’s Education

Do you think any teacher would be as motivated or focused on your individual kid’s needs than you are?

That would be a hard, “No.”

You are the mom!

Be encouraged that there is not a teacher on the planet who is going to obsess about your kid’s education the way you are right now!

Nobody is going to lose sleep the way you do.

Nobody is going to research like you do.

Nobody is going to study your kid the way you do.

Nobody is going to care more than you. 

Nobody is going to try harder than you. 

And your kid (and their education!) will be so blessed for that!

5. Would This Problem Be Overlooked in a Class of 25 Kids?

So your kid is struggling with something in school and you are about at the end of your rope. 

Now I want you to think about how this would look in a classroom of 25 children. 

More often than not, you don’t find out about the struggle until the parent teacher conference or the report card comes home. 

But by then your kid is already behind and frustrated.

Be encouraged that the struggle you’re having today is actually a benefit, Homeschool Mama!

You are finding out in real time where your kid needs help.

Yes, it’s frustrating, but you are able to react, customize, and support your kid exactly where they are at! 

As much as a teacher would like to do that, she can’t for all 25 kids. 

6. Would You Like to Trade Today for Evening Homework Struggles and Test Studying?

Isn’t it sooooo easy to think that when we send our kids back to public school that their education will suddenly become hands off?

We’ll be footloose and fancy free while some poor teacher deals with our kid!

Well that’s a lie, Homeschool Mama. 

Traditional school still require an engaged parent! 

That is why there are zillions of articles on the internet about how to get kids to do their homework and parents struggling with explaining common core. 

Let’s not forget all the parent volunteering, fundraising, and paperwork that typically go with traditional school.

Oh, and the last minute projects, presentations, and tests!

And the kicker is that all of these things are usually done in evening hours when parent and child are exhausted from a long day. Nobody is at their best.

So think about it.

Would you rather help your child through the work at 10:00am or 7:00pm? 

7. There Have Never Been More Resources for Homeschooling

Amazing women before you have homeschooled their kids all the way through high school and they didn’t even have the internet available to them. 

Just think about that for a minute. 

If they could do it, you can too!

Be encouraged that you are homeschooling in a time that there is a nearly bottomless amount of information available to help you out!

There are people all over Pinterest, Google, Facebook, and Youtube who have already solved your problem and want to help you. 

You have such great shoulders to stand on and get this huge job of homeschooling done!

8. You Are NOT Alone 0n the Homeschool Struggle Bus

I think we all tend to feel from time to time that everyone else is running a perfect homeschool.

We are the only ones who have a messy house, distracted children, and an unmotivated teacher running things.

That is a lie too!

Every homeschool mom, who is worth her salt, has struggled though difficult days.

We have ALL had kids cry and/or fuss about school work. 

We’ve all bought curriculum we ended up hating.

We’ve all made mistakes! 

Don’t believe the lie that everyone else has it together, no matter what their Instagram posts say. 

Be encouraged that the beauty of your homeschool will absolutely come from how you weather the difficult days, model resilience to your kids, and stay the course. 

9. You Are Not Dropping Any Balls

Sometimes school is going great, but everything else in the house is a disaster – am I right?

You can’t seem to stay on top of the grocery list, laundry, meals, appointments, phone calls, and just all the things. 

It can feel overwhelming and like you’re always running behind. Like you just can’t juggle all the balls. 

The truth is that you have a full time job now as a homeschool parent. 

Be encouraged that you are not dropping any balls, Homeschool Mama. You are intentionally laying some down that are at the bottom of your priority list right now. 

And that is okay.

You are doing such valuable work that you may never know how far it reaches. 

The dusty baseboards and bathroom sinks can take a number. 

10. If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It

My final note of encouragement, Homeschool Mom, is that if it was easy – everyone would do it. 

You have chosen a path that most run away from.

The fact that you put one foot on the homeschooling path shows just how strong you really are!

You ignored the naysayers.

You plowed through the curriculum reviews.

You started your family on a journey that is heavy with investment, but rich in reward!

You are a force to be reckoned with and this day will not take you down.

You will learn what you can from it and come back better tomorrow. 

Recap Homeschool Mom Encouragement

I really hope this post brought some encouragement to your heart, Homeschool Mom! 

This will not be your last hard day, so I hope you tuck these truths away and remember them again when you need them the most. 

You are doing hard, but worthwhile work.

The stretch you are feeling today will only make you better in the future. And before you know it, you will be helping other new homeschool moms along who are looking for someone to give them a shred of hope. 

I’m living proof of that! 

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