NEEDED : Words of hope and encouragement.

[5LittleMonkeys]

It strikes me, when I get on this board, that a large number of us are less than happy with some aspect of our lives. (I would venture to say some of us seem downright miserable.) Whether it be that we are tired of homeschooling, can't get our dc to behave, clean-up or do their schoolwork, or we are feeling overwhelmed, unappreciated and stressed to the point of it effecting our families. It makes me very sad to think of all these incredible parents not being happy with the circumstances in their lives. Especially when said circumstances are usually completely within their power to change. The old saying "If I can do it, anyone can." really is true in this case and my heart aches when I read some of these threads by people reaching out for help. I just want to scream sometimes, "IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT FOR YOU!!!"

 

I thought perhaps it would be beneficial for all of us if we were to have a thread filled with only positive responses. I'd like to hear from those of us who feel we have come quite close to having complete peace with our families, homeschooling and life in general. How did you arrive at this point in your life? What are your tricks for keeping your home running smoothly and efficiently? What is the predominate philosophy in keeping your children in check but happy? What would you tell someone who feels that their life is hopelessly far from what they want it to be? Basically just anything positive to let others know that it can get better and that life can be very nearly close to their ideal of perfect.

[emmsmama]

I'd say my biggest piece of advice is to look at the big picture. You can't do everything perfectly and your kids won't act perfectly or do their work perfectly all the time either, but as long as you raise them to be competent and caring adults, you've done your job.

 

Hubby wasn't keen at all on homeschooling when I started. I think it's grown on him a bit after seeing that our kids are functioning well socially and doing well academically, and now that he's in the Canadian Forces the flexibility of homeschooling is a huge benefit to our family. However, even though he hasn't always been a fan of homeschooling, I've always known he's there for me and we have a strong marriage and that helps a lot for dealing with daily ups and downs of life. We've had tough spots too, but after almost 12 years of marriage I feel our marriage is stronger than it's ever been.

 

I find it also helps for me to try to get some time for myself when possible, even if it's just 30 mins. to close my bedroom door and read a book. I try to stay upbeat and think positively as often if you look positively at life then you feel better about it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have a lot of problems (health, finances and some kid behavior ones) but I do have peace. I find my peace in focusing on God. He is sufficient for all of my problems and then some. I pray each morning that God will help me to see what He wants me to do for the day. I do make a list but this prayer helps me to be aware of the "interruption" of a neighbor calling on the phone really being and opportunity to serve them instead (or if not - to have the discernment to put up boundaries!) I find that I do best when I have blinders on and look only at what I need to do for that moment. The big picture is too overwhelming for me!

[NanceXToo]

When I was a stay-at-home-mom who wasn't homeschooling, sometimes I felt lonely, and sometimes I felt like maybe I didn't have as much "purpose" in life as I could have- I know, weird! Parenting is definitely a great purpose! But I couldn't help how I felt. I liked that I didn't have to work, but sometimes I missed adult companionship, which made me almost a little envious of those women who got dressed each day and went off to work.

 

One of the first things I did that really helped, was joining an active stay-at-home-moms meetup group and getting out regularly, having other moms to chat with while the kids played. Even if I didn't have much else in common with them, even if we didn't become best friends, we had parenting in common, and we could make small talk that allowed me to speak in more than one or two syllables, and I really needed that.

 

Once I started homeschooling, I felt more fulfilled. Like I was parenting, but I was parenting with more of a purpose, I was doing something more active, and it felt like I therefore had more purpose in my life. Maybe especially since I used to think that being a teacher was something I might enjoy doing with my life. Now I'm doing it. Not for pay of course. But still. :)

 

Homeschooling also inspired me to begin writing articles for Secular Homeschooling Magazine (I've always loved writing journals, essays, poems, and short stories anyway), and even though the pay isn't high, it still felt quite fulfilling to see my 'work' published, and to receive a check for it. That gives me still further purpose.

 

I continue to be very active in a meetup group, this time a homeschooling one. That's very important for me. *I* need that socialization.

 

And lastly, I took on an attitude right from the beginning (in regard to homeschooling) that i wanted homeschooling to be as relaxed and fun as possible. I'd never be brave enough to go the unschooling route, but I like a lot of its ideals. So by keeping things fun and hands on and creative to whatever extent possible, by doing lots of fun outings and field trips and things we enjoy, by being active in my meetup group, by being willing to drop everything and go do something fun at any given time- by doing school around life, and not living life around school, I feel very, very content with my life these days.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I try to stay upbeat and think positively as often if you look positively at life then you feel better about it.

 

Focus on the good each day...even if it's one tiny little thing!

 

I find my peace in focusing on God. He is sufficient for all of my problems and then some.

:iagree:

 

 

by being willing to drop everything and go do something fun at any given time- by doing school around life, and not living life around school, I feel very, very content with my life these days.

 

This has definitely made a HUGE difference in our happiness. When I first started homeschooling it was a big frustration for me even when someone needed to go pee before it was break time:lol:, but since that time I have learned to keep the mindset you are talking about and we are all so much happier. Homeschooling feels much more a part of our lives this way instead of it feeling like a box that needed to be checked off.(A really big box!) Just today I called a mini-holiday because I didn't get to get my groceries over the weekend and the troops were getting tired of pb&j. We will just pick back up tomorrow where we left off yesterday...no big deal!:D