Do you ever have days when you want to throw up your hands and quit homeschooling? Some days are like that for me. I get overwhelmed or feel like we are making no progress at all, and it all seems so fruitless. Sometimes I might work so hard planning a particular activity, and then my kids will stare at me like I’m crazy. I’ll wonder why I even bothered trying. Fortunately, there are other days when everything goes smoothly, and it feels like the moment is exactly what homeschooling should always be like. Those days are such blessings from God. But what do you do on the days where things are not going right? How do you persevere? How do you keep yourself motivated?
I would be foolish to skip over the most obvious answer–abide in Christ. Absolutely, there is no way to do this job without embracing the Lord’s power, wisdom, and guidance in this endeavor. There have been so many times I have cried out to Him in desperation, asking for Him to show me if this is still His desire for me, and so far, He has always answered me in such sweet, personal ways.
About a year ago, I honestly thought I had come to the end of my abilities in teaching my special needs kids at home. I had no idea how to progress or even if homeschooling was in their best interest. That week at our co-op meeting, I suddenly felt the urge to go outside and check on my kids during their PE time. What I saw ministered to my heart and confirmed my choice. All the kids in their class were taking turns helping my kids, encouraging them, and guiding them through an obstacle course. They held their hands, cheered for them, taught them, and sometimes did the activity with them just to keep them going. At that moment, it was as if God was saying, “Jennifer, you are not alone. I have put other people in your kids’ lives to help them. Look around. I am providing for you. You can do this because I am doing it with you.”
When we ask, God will show us each step of our path and whisper words of encouragement to us. But that is not all there is. He has also given us other tools to help us on this journey. We can reach out to others for support and wisdom. Sometimes just hearing another person share her story and how she is handling a certain difficulty can make my own problem not seem so unmanageable. Also, we can take a break. It’s okay to take a day off or even a few weeks off to regain perspective, revamp your plan, or refresh your spirit.
My personal favorite way to keep myself motivated is to reward myself. Homeschooling can often be a thankless job. Maybe your kiddos tell you how much they love your teaching and how much they appreciate all your hard work, but mine do not. My job is just an expected part of our family life, not necessarily anything that gets praised much. If my children are being successful, it is easy to gain satisfaction from seeing their progress. Whether anybody says a word to me, I can feel motivated to keep working just because I see the fruit of my labor. But what about when there just doesn’t seem to be any fruit hanging around? What if all your efforts seem to be ill-received or ineffective? What do you do then?
I have learned to reward myself for my own effort, not my specific success. Some days it is a day off. Sometimes it is a special treat at the end of the day. Other times it is buying something that will make my life easier, like a new planner or even more expensive but more teacher-friendly curriculum. Or maybe I just have dinner delivered instead of cooking that night!
Friends, God is not a hard task-master, demanding you work yourself into exhaustion and produce fantastic results. He doesn’t expect perfection; he just wants your faithfulness. His only expectation is for you to trust His plan, remain in Him, and follow His lead. Don’t be discouraged if you do not see results. Don’t feel disappointed in yourself if you need a break or some extra motivation. God is delighted in you!
May the Lord give you a renewed enthusiasm, an encouraged spirit, and an extra measure of perseverance today as you continue on your journey!
Growing By Surprise 