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Mom-to-Mom: Tips for Homeschool Mompreneurs

October 8, 2019 by Jenna

Are you looking to join the ranks of homeschool entrepreneurs? Many homeschool moms become entrepreneurs by blogging, vlogging, running home shops, or even working a regular job from home. You’ve probably weighed out why you should or shouldn’t do it, but how do you manage it? How can you balance being a full-time homeschool mom and running a business? We asked two of our homeschool entrepreneurs for their go-to tips on balancing their businesses and their family lives.

Mom-to-Mom with Megan

1. Prioritize

Before you commit to any type of business, I would advise you to take some time to write out your priorities. It’s hard to balance a business, homeschooling, and church and home responsibilities. I learned early on that I can’t do everything. I found it helpful to have a list of personal nonnegotiables written down so that I can refer to them whenever I feel overwhelmed. Am I doing the really important things? I’ve had to ask myself that question many times, and you probably will too. If you’re neglecting some of your priorities, you may need to give something up or scale back your business.

2. Take Care of Yourself

Don’t forget that taking care of yourself needs to be on that nonnegotiable list. I have to admit that I am not very good at self-care. For a long time, I felt guilty for taking any time away from my kids to care for myself. But I’m learning that self-care is necessary if I’m going to be able to continue all the work I am called to. I am not somehow cheating my family if I get a babysitter and go get that overdue eye exam, get my hair cut, or take an aerobics class at my local gym. In fact, not doing those things—not taking care of myself—will likely result in my someday not being able to care for my family as I should. So be sure to put outings, exercise time, and routine medical appointments on your schedule—and don’t feel guilty about spending that time on yourself.

3. Teach Quiet Time

Teach your children how to be quiet. Only one of my children still takes naps every day, but all of them have quiet time. It’s an hour or so when they are allowed to read, write, color, or work on a project independently, but they’re not allowed to interrupt me or talk to each other. It’s good for them to have some quiet time every day. It’s also good for me because I get some uninterrupted time to make phone calls, research a topic, or whatever I need to do.

Mom-to-Mom with Jennifer

1. Personal Space

It’s important and helpful to have an allocated work space for your freelance or other work-at-home projects. Whether it’s an actual office or just a quiet nook in your bedroom, try to create a workspace that’s completely away from homeschool areas. This will help you avoid distractions so you can focus on your tasks. Also, try to keep all of your work-related items organized in one place (e.g., laptop, tablet, files, portfolios, etc.). That way they won’t get accidentally mixed in with school materials. Extra tip: I always keep hard copies of work assignments in a small notebook just in case of computer problems. As much as possible, choose a space that is relatively quiet, well-lit, and free of clutter. The fewer distractions around you, the better you will be able to concentrate on your work.

2. Work Time

It’s also important to keep work time separate from school time. Even if you’re a great multitasker, it’s difficult to juggle school and at-home work at the same time—one is bound to suffer at the expense of the other. Setting aside specific blocks of time for work will help you stay focused and productive. Looking ahead and planning your work schedule is also key. I usually follow the same procedure whenever I receive a new work assignment. First, I look at the date it’s due and enter it into my calendar on my phone.

Second, I look at our family’s schedule to see all our other activities and plan my work times around them. This is especially helpful because I know for certain which days I simply won’t have time to dedicate to my project. On the days I do have free for work, I carve out at least one or two hours for my assignment. I like to work ahead and complete my project a few days before it’s due so I can read over it a few times and make any necessary changes. When planning your work times, remember to remain flexible for your family. There will be times your work gets interrupted by a “Mommy/Daddy, can you help me?” As spouses and parents first, we need to be willing to put aside our work so we can take care of our family’s needs.

3. Mind the Gap

Keeping work spaces and times separate from school will greatly help you in completing your at-home work in an efficient and timely manner.

Megan homeschools her four daughters while working with BJU Press to provide blog posts and other written content. Jennifer homeschools her two daughters while also working with BJU Press as a blogger and writer. We love working with these two ladies and are thankful for all that they are able to contribute as both full-time moms and homeschool entrepreneurs.

Escaping the Busyness Trap

October 18, 2018 by Guest Writer

A trap is ensnaring many families today—the trap of busyness. Homeschool families seem to be among the busiest. Besides school, parents and children are also involved in co-ops, sports, music lessons, and other programs. From the time family members get up in the morning until bedtime at night, their days are packed doing something or going somewhere, and even free time is filled with some sort of activity. Their days become an unending series of appointments, games, practices, and lessons that leave them exhausted, but they seem unaware of the box this busyness trap puts them in.

The Harmfulness of the Busyness Trap

A good question to ask is “Why are we so busy?” Because we don’t want our children to miss out on something really important? Perhaps because we feel pressured by society to add extra activities to our schedules? It almost seems as if it’s a competition among families to see who’s the busiest! Of course, the many things we have to do contribute to busyness: work, school, doctor’s appointments, housework, and so on. In addition to those we have so many good options for providing our children a well-rounded upbringing, such as music, art, and sports. But all these things, beneficial as they may be, can also bring unintended stress to our lives.

This extra busyness can harm us in various ways—physical weariness, emotional strain, spiritual weakening, and even academic regression. Pouring all our time and energy into so many different activities can rob us of the strength we need to focus on what is most vital—worshiping and glorifying God. And when we’re not doing that, every other area in our life suffers. Nothing is more important than our personal relationship with God, and no program can make up for one-on-one fellowship with Him. Even busyness in serving the Lord can become a hindrance if we’re not careful. Ministry should never come before communion with God. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of balancing service and fellowship. He was busy to the point of exhaustion but never to the detriment of His relationship with His Father.

Precautions to Take

How can we avoid falling into the busyness trap? First, we need to evaluate all the activities we’re involved in and prayerfully consider what level of busyness our family can handle. Every family is different and views busyness from a different perspective. Instead of comparing our schedules to other families’ routines, we should arrange our own according to what we believe will honor the Lord.

Now’s the time to teach our children to be busy in things that matter for eternity and then prioritize other activities. My husband recently made the observation that a busy life does not necessarily mean a full life. It’s OK to slow down, relax, and enjoy restful times with our families. By God’s grace, we can learn to balance busyness in a way that pleases Him.

• • • • •

Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

When Does a Tool Become an Idol?

January 16, 2018 by Justin

Technology is great. Computers allow us to do work not possible before. Smartphones give us access to a world of information in the palm of our hand. Even video games can be a good way to unwind or socialize. But what happens when technology becomes more like an idol than a tool?

You’ve probably seen a group of friends or family members sitting around a table without saying a word while everyone stares into his or her smartphone. Ever see a child who’s so fused into an iPad that she can’t be content without it? What about a young man who spends most of his life in a virtual game world to the neglect of his education, his career, and his walk with God?

Are these really idols?

When we think of idols we usually picture statues made by pagans that are worshiped as gods. We may not worship our electronic tools, but sometimes we give them a level of attention that only God deserves. The Bible says the greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36–40). So when does technology become an idol? When it hinders our ability to act on those commandments.

Here’s a personal example:

Last week I sat on the couch with my four-month-old son on my lap making silly faces and laughing. I usually make a special effort to limit my smartphone usage around him and give him my full attention, but my pocket vibrated. Completely without thinking I pulled out my phone to read the notification. It was not important, but I proceeded to let it hold my attention until I noticed that the huge smile on my son’s face had become a pushed-out bottom lip. I felt terrible and convicted.

My attention to my phone was preventing me from showing my son the love that the Bible commands me to. Would I want someone to suddenly ignore me for an email? Of course not.

What can we do?

• Be aware

Sometimes the most dastardly idols are the ones that disguise themselves as a normal and necessary part of our lives. I often ask myself, “Could I reasonably live without this?” If the answer is no, the reasoning had better be that it helps me fulfill a biblical mandate such as providing for my family, loving God, or loving others. If the thing doesn’t meet that criteria and is taking up a sizable amount of my time and attention, it might be time to cut back.

• Power down or put away

Ever since the incident with my son, I’ve been trying to be extra careful. I put my phone in my office when I get home, and it stays there until I check it for important notifications before bed. The ringer is on loud enough for me to hear it ring if someone calls. At our house, video games are an infrequent activity that we do as a family, not individually. I know many families that have successfully boosted family time and reading time by limiting device usage at the dinner table and in the evenings. Do whatever works for your family.

• Clean house

Sometimes completely getting rid of a device is the best way to remove the temptation to idolize it. This has been hard for me in the past because technology is valuable and throwing it away or selling it at a loss seems wasteful. In these cases I’ve found that the best thing to do is to stick it in a closet somewhere. If it’s a game or app, uninstall it for a while. Taking a few weeks or months off from something can be eye opening. If you don’t miss it, you may not need it at all. If you miss it greatly for the wrong reasons, you’ve identified an idol.

What steps have you taken to identify and remove potential tech idols from your home? Let us know in the comments!

Meditations for When I Don’t Measure Up

October 31, 2017 by Megan

Have you ever felt like you don’t quite measure up? As a homeschooler, I find that I often feel that way. I know some amazing homeschoolers. Some practically write their own curriculum. Some run businesses from their homes while homeschooling three, four, or five children. Some happily chauffeur their children to choir, strings lessons, youth orchestra, Chinese lessons, and painting classes.

But me? I struggle to keep up with the constant piles of laundry. I often feed my family leftovers. My three-year-old doesn’t recognize her letters yet, and my family struggles to stay on key when we sing hymns during our nightly family worship time.

Am I a homeschooling failure? Sometimes I feel that I am. Some days I feel so overwhelmed and discouraged that I can barely scrape my spirit off the floor. Other days my thoughts constantly accuse me—thoughts like I should be more creative in my lessons plans. I should be giving my daughters more extracurricular activities. I should be able to do it all. Why can’t I do it all?

On days like that, I desperately need to recalibrate my thoughts by meditating on God’s Word. Here are a couple of meditations that I constantly find myself going back to.

God’s approval is the only approval I need.

Robin Wood, in her book The Battle Within, challenges women to meditate on 1 Corinthians 4:2–4:

You and I are to be found faithful in pursuing God and reflecting His light to others. We don’t have to waste time trying to determine if somebody else is a successful woman, and it doesn’t matter if other moms judge or criticize us. We know that without God, we are nothing and can attain nothing good. Successfully meeting a list of obligations or merely fulfilling a role is not going to justify us before our Father in heaven. No. We have to know God to know what He wants us to be. When we finally realize that His primary goal for us is to reflect the love of Christ to others, then everything in our lives becomes a tool to that end. (p. 78)

Whenever I consider taking on something new, I always have to check my spirit. Do I want to do it for the right reason, or do I want to do it to gain approval from my peers? Let’s face it. Sometimes others (particularly other homeschool moms) can put a lot of pressure on us to run our homeschools or even our households in a certain way. We should listen to and prayerfully consider counsel from those who are older and more experienced, but before we launch into any new endeavor, we need to make sure that we’re doing so for the right reasons.

God will enable me to do everything He calls me to do.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, in her book Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free, draws her readers’ attention to John 17:4:

All I have to do is the work God assigns to me. What a freedom it has been for me to accept that there is time for me to do everything that is on God’s “to do” list for my day, for my week, and for my life! (p. 119)

Whenever I find myself discouraged about my ability to “do it all,” I have to remember that I’m not supposed to “do it all.” I only have to do the things that God has called me to do. Usually, during these times of discouragement, I need to evaluate how I am spending my time. Are my priorities getting out of whack? Knowing what my priorities should be is something that requires a lot of wisdom, and therefore a lot of prayer. But it is so soul-strengthening to know that God will enable me to complete the work He has for me.

Homeschool Mom, take heart. You’re not alone in your struggle. Whenever you’re tempted to despair, remember that God is with you, and He has not left you defenseless. Meditate on God’s truths, bathe your days in prayer, and see God strengthen your soul.

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Cycle of Life, Circle of Love

May 5, 2016 by Guest Writer

When you first imagined motherhood, you may have envisioned glowing, beautiful moments—rocking a soft, sleeping baby in a lovely nursery, or leading a wide-eyed toddler through a world full of wonders.

Then the tiny human arrives, and you feel waves of powerful love, more love than you knew you had. At the same time, your life gets very, very hard. You live from moment to moment—struggling to stay awake during yet another midnight feeding, or carrying a protesting toddler out of the grocery store for yet another lesson in obedience.

You want to freeze your little ones in time so that you can enjoy their sweetness forever; yet you can’t wait for them to grow up a little so that you can have a few moments to rest.

Time inevitably ticks away.

Your daughter dissolves in tears over a squabble with a friend, and you comfort her. Your son becomes frustrated over a tough subject, and you encourage him.

More time goes by—minutes inching and rocketing past. You laugh and learn and make memories together.

Sometimes she rolls her eyes at you, and you keep loving like Christ. Maybe he mumbles a half-greeting on the way to his room, and you keep trying to communicate and connect.

They leave for college, for a job, or for an adventure. It feels horrible and wonderful at the same time—because you miss them so much, and yet you’re so proud of them.

You realize, at some point during those years, just how much your own mother did for you. Maybe she failed you in many ways, or maybe she was nearly perfect. Either way, she gave you life, and probably much more along with it.

When you become a mother yourself, you realize what your mother needs from you.

This Mother’s Day, tell her that you finally understand. Tell her that you’re grateful for everything she did for you, every minute of every year. Let her know that you love her.

Maybe you’ll buy her a card, some flowers, some candy, or a special gift. Just don’t forget to give her your gratitude, your love, and your time. That’s what you want from your kids, and she feels the same way.

If your mother has passed on, take some time to remember her on Mother’s Day. Share a memory, read her favorite Bible verse, or sing her favorite song. Maybe you are blessed with a legacy of godly grandmothers whom you can honor in memory or in person.

If you’re feeling weary in well-doing as you face the challenges of motherhood yourself, find some encouraging spiritual resources to sustain your soul for the journey ahead. One day, your own child may come back to you and say, “Mom, now I understand how much you love me.”