I Honestly Don’t Know How You Do It

Have you heard that statement? “I honestly don’t know how you do it.” Or the question – “how do you teach so many different ages?” Well, we’ve covered that in many ways in this series. But, today’s topic is for you, the homeschool parent.

It seems that statement or question always hits me on one of the hard days. And, sometimes, as a homeschool mama, I’d like to transport myself to a lounge chair on the beach. Or just have an uninterrupted coffee break. Is it just me?

But there are ways to thrive as a homeschool mom teaching multiple ages. Apparently survival and constant encouragement is a topic I am always turning to because I have plenty to share with you on this, our last day! Let’s face it, without meals on the table and a happy mama, not much is going to get done in the area of homeschooling. So let’s lean into Him and start with a heaping helping of gratitude.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more…It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend… ~ Melody Beattie

Survival Tactics

• Gratitude – The Messes of Yeses – giving thanks in all circumstances is really the answer to I don’t know how you do it.
• When You Want to Scream, Just Sing – after the packing peanut explosion
• The Word Within Sight – Then, when the papers, crayons and school books were spread far and wide, my eyes caught this verse: Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Corinthians 14:40. Rather than put my head down on the school table, we all did a five minute room rescue…

Practical How Tos for Making Things Easier

• Housekeeping Habits – I just can’t possibly follow around after five children, keep the house picked up and homeschool. But these habits help us all.
• List of helpful habits for the homeschool mama – Everything from annual school planning to when do you shop?

Pray constantly that you will have the strength and the wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet. Luke 21:36

• Menu Planning – Cheap Eats for Two Weeks
• Make Supper at Lunch – really
• Slow Cooker Batch Cooking – the super supper saver

Making it Easy to Learn

Not your typical learning centers – on the couch, around the kitchen table, outside, in the school room, driving down the road  – all together.

The best thing that you can give your children, next to good habits, is good memories. ~Barbara Johnson

Refreshing Times for Mama

• Afternoon quiet time – besides being a great habit for the children, it’s built in down time for Mama.
• Just Take A Nap – put your feet up and relax for just ten minutes.
• Just Step Outside– “Sometimes when it’s been a full day. When the patience is tapped. Or the noise is a bit much. I step outside…Just a short walk outside, around the house. A breath of fresh air. A new perspective…And a better wife, better mama for it. Refreshed to freely love. Ready to tuck in precious ones. Listen to prayers. Be thankful.”

Tips For Balancing Responsibilities

• How to Blog in 15 minutes (this applies for online time as well)
• Planning for homeschool – annual planning post
• Tips and Tricks for Online Time – balance in the midst of a homeschool day

Most of all, enjoy. Just like Moses’ mother, we only have these children for a short time. Pause, soak it up.

“The best things are nearest…light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you.” ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Topics in this series:

• A Recipe for Teaching Multiple Ages {Day 1}
• Helpful Homeschool Habits for Multiple Ages {Day 2}
• The 3 Rs for Multiple Ages {Day 3}
• How to Fit in All the Extras {Day 4}
• Afternoon Quiet Time for All Ages {Day 5}
• Unit Studies for Multiple Ages {Day 6}
• Teaching Art with Multiple Ages {Day 7}
• Hands On Learning, Projects for Multiple Ages {Day 8}
• Technology for All Ages {Day 9}
• I Honestly Don’t Know How You Do It {Day 10)

More Helpful Homeschool Habits

All of our best habits in my book, Help! I’m Homeschooling!

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The 10 Days Series is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutually beneficial projects. Visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. And of course, click the image below to visit all the 10 Days posts from these homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network. You’ll be blessed with tips on how to handle bad days, cultivating curiosity, teaching with Legos, and much much more!

I hope you have enjoyed this Lasagna Learning series. What did you find most helpful?

-originally published April 2012