Weeks 4 and 5 of Homeschooling: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Encouragement

These past few weeks have been a rollercoaster, filled with challenges that tested my patience, resilience, and faith.

Week 4 was particularly tough, but week 5 was a time of renewal, focusing on the power of special time together & positive words of encouragement to transform difficult situations.

(Pic of me & my oldest spending some 1-on-1 time.)

Week 4: A Tough Week

Week 4 was hard, no doubt about it. We missed our Family Devotion on Monday, and that set the tone for a week that felt off-balance and overwhelming. It was a huge mistake that I learned from, and I made sure not to let it happen again this week. Missing that time together in God’s Word had a noticeable impact on our hearts and minds.

I also had been neglecting my 1-on-1 special time with my older children, but we’re back on track. The rewards of those times is to great to overlook.

One of the biggest challenges was getting my older two children to complete their book reports. One of them hadn’t even done a rough draft, so you can imagine the stress when I asked for both the rough draft and final copy on the same day—while we were on vacation visiting my dad, no less! But here’s the amazing part: he did it, and he did it without an attitude. I was so proud of both of us because he pushed through, and I had the right words and attitude to encourage him instead of discourage him.

Week 5: The Power of Encouragement

Last week, I made a conscious effort to focus on the positive and to use life-changing words of encouragement that are refreshing and can breathe life into a very dry, negative place in my child’s heart. I realized that the words I choose can either build up or tear down, and I was determined to build up.

I shared this Bible study with my homeschool mom friends and it has been so encouraging! You can still join here.

This study and the encouraging stories from other moms has been so inspiring. I’ve been working on a list of Biblical Examples of Encouraging Phrases, and I can’t wait to share them with you. If you’re going through a challenging homeschool week, let me know if you’d like a copy. You can comment or pm me for your Homeschool Revival Village Words of Encouragement that I have been using.

These are some of the exact scripts I turned to when my child wanted to play electronics all day or when they were aggravating their siblings. They made a huge difference in our home, and I believe they can do the same for you.

Looking Ahead: Hopeful and Busy

We have busy weeks ahead, but I’m feeling hopeful. We’re started three new homeschool classes on week 6 and have a field trip to the Children’s Museum and the park on Friday. If you’d like more information about the field trip, I’m sharing the flier below 👇🏽

I’m also excited to start our Homeschool Revival Village Small Group at a local park on Thursdays, twice a month. We’ll be sharing what God is teaching us through our homeschooling journeys and learning how to use encouraging words to motivate our children. If you’re interested in joining, sign up here.

Another thing I’m looking forward to this week is reviewing my Homeschool Vision and Mission during our Homeschool Success call. Last week’s training on assessing my children was so insightful, and I’m eager to dive into the P.O.W.E.R Planning Session. It’s always a welcomed opportunity for me to get all my thoughts and ideas organized for the upcoming week & pray with my sisters in Christ.

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling is not always easy, but with the right perspective and the power of positive words, we can overcome the challenges and create an environment where our children—and we—can thrive. Let’s continue this journey together, encouraging one another along the way.