Many thanks to Wire Talk guest Katie Leipprandt for sharing this week's blog post with us. Be sure to listen to that episode if you missed it! Connect with Katie over on her blog or on social media.

Taking on homeschooling in the middle of a global pandemic is a bit stressful isn't it? I know many of you are starting this month and if I could only say one thing to you it’s this, “You got this mama!” God has entrusted you with your child’s education, and homeschooling gives you an incredible opportunity to pour into your kids in a new way. Here are 4 tips that I hope will bring you peace as you dive in this year:

1. Value relationship over rules.

As homeschool moms, we put the pressure of our child’s academic progress on our shoulders, along with all the other pressure to raise them right. It’s easy to fall prey to the fear that if your child doesn’t do every single lesson you have planned every day, they are going to fall behind. When my kids push back on school work or are struggling to grasp a concept, it doesn’t take long for me to question my choice to homeschool and begin to feel like a failure. When tears start flowing (yours or theirs) stop and remember that your relationship with this child is far more important than the lesson.

Take a break. Leave the work unfinished for the day if needed! Reconnect emotionally and remember that your job is about far more than teaching math, you are modeling character. What does mom do when she feels overwhelmed? When she is frustrated? Your kids are watching! Homeschooling will give you lots of opportunities to model asking for forgiveness, to practice self-control, and to pray! When things are starting to go downhill remind yourself, “relationship over rules,” and take a time out.

2. Keep teaching time short and sweet in the early years.

I love to remind moms that school at home does not take as long as school at school. If you can set aside 3 hour block of time in your day, you can do this. Young children have short attention spans and until about 3rd grade, they really shouldn't be working on any one lesson longer than 30 minutes. (20 is actually better!) Aim for 20 good minutes of math, 20 good minutes of reading together or working on handwriting, and then move along. If you string together three 20 minute blocks of teaching time in a day, that is enough for the day - you’re done! There’s a sample schedule on my blog that may help you plan how much time to set aside each day.

3. Get creative with your schedule!

If you have babies or toddlers who nap, your school day could start later and be centered around nap time if it's not feasible for you to do schoolwork with little ones awake. If you have a preteen or teenager, let them sleep in! Have them begin independent work while you help younger siblings with subjects that require your instruction and then flip so the younger kids are doing independent work while you work one on one with the older student. The beauty of homeschooling is that you’re able to make it fit your family. Take class outside on beautiful days, let your littles sprawl on the floor to do practice math, curl up together on the couch together to read. Odds are, they’ll remember the way homeschool felt more than what they actually did most days.

4. Just begin!

Like Karen and I talked about on Wire Talk this week, every curriculum option is imperfect and lacking in some way. Karen compared it to buying a car, which is a perfect analogy! Find something that fits your budget, your style, your lifestyle and then begin. If you don’t love it, switch things up mid-year. Take the pressure off of yourself to do everything perfectly on Day One. There is NO perfect!

Remember moms, it’s okay that you don’t feel cut out for this and that you're not patient enough to homeschool - no one is! Go to your heavenly Father every morning, tell Him that you need Him every hour, and watch how He shows up for your family this semester.