This page contains affiliate links which means at no additional cost to you when you click through a link and make a purchase, I might make a small commission. Thank you for supporting Our Cooper Nest!
I’ve got the new curriculum picked out, the booklists made, and a broad overview of our yearly schedule created. That will surely help our homeschool run more smoothly when we get started back up again.
While there is always someone sharing their next curriculum choices, or practical planning methods (myself included) to help those who want to homeschool, there’s not a lot of discussion about preparing our hearts as mothers and home educators before the lessons actually begin.
Why Take Time And Prepare Your Heart?
Homeschooling, no matter if you’re brand new or a seasoned homeschool mama, is a full time job. With any job, intentional time spent equipping ourselves for the improvement of our job is fruitful and necessary to continue forward.
I believe all mothers and home educators should be making time for themselves a priority, even just for a few minutes throughout the homeschool day. However, during the school year, it could sometimes be a challenge to make time to retreat, so planning that time during the weeks when there aren’t homeschool lessons, or on a weekend is a great place to start.
Here are the 3 main ways I use to prepare my heart for a new homeschool year:
Homeschool Conferences (Online and In-Person)
I started homeschooling when the Pandemic hit so my only option was to attend conferences online. Homeschool conferences are packed full of veteran homeschoolers ready and eager to share their wisdom and experience with us! I’ve learned so much from attending conferences and I love when there’s an online option because that usually means my schedule is more flexible. I would highly encourage any homeschool mama to look at what homeschool conferences are coming local, first.
I’m attending the online Charlotte Mason Inspired Conference on May 16-21, 2022 and I am really looking forward to the many guest speakers that will be sharing! I’ve attended for the past couple of years and every time I come away feeling rejuvenated, motivated, and deeply encouraged! Plus, you get the conference videos and materials for life!
Favorite Homeschool Books
It wouldn’t feel right not to share the books I read every year to prepare my heart for homeschooling. My top 5 books I read are:
Some new-to-me books I’ll be reading this year are:
Bible Study, Reflection, and Pray
When homeschool lessons have come to a short halt, I like to invest more time dedicated to my Bible studies and prayer. For me, being equipped by God’s Word is the cornerstone of my prepared heart. When our days are not filled up with homeschool lessons, I like to spend more time doing personal deeper inductive Bible studies, soaking in more sermons, and taking notes of my reflections. Although I spend time in my Bible regularly, I do love to slow my studies down and really read through and dive into the scriptures before me.
Some resources I’ll be jumping into over the next several weeks are:
James Bible Study by Daily Grace Co.
The Abide Method Study series by Risen Motherhood
God of Creation: A study of Genesis by Jen Wilkin
During this time, I’ll also make a new homeschool year list of prayers that I will post inside my planner and remind myself to pray over those specific things whenever I see my note throughout the year. It’s been important for me to take the time to reflect on our family goals, and what I hope to improve on as a mother and a home educator, as I realize how much of an impact I have on the atmosphere of our home.
I want to be pouring out to my family from a place of peace, and joy, but that only comes when I intentionally invest my time wisely. So as we prepare for another homeschool year, as curriculum, and books start coming in the mail, I believe preparing our hearts is even more important than the plans we put on paper to execute homeschool lessons. Our attitudes going into a new school year need our attention and it’s vital that we make time to rest and retreat.
I hope these ideas help you as you’re preparing for a new homeschool year!
This was so good. Thank you!! We need Him more than a good plan and shiny curriculum. Such a timely, gentle reminder for me as I am starting to feel the anxiety of planning another year of school, our 12th year. I especially liked your idea of making a specific prayer list and keeping it where you can see it.
Thanks Again!!