Are you freaking out about the school year? What will it look like? How will you manage? How can you possibly make it work? With masks and social distance at school? With homeschooling for real for the first time? With managing your kids’ remote learning while also working and running your household? With … you fill in the blank with your own anxiety-producing scenario?
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“Whenever you are making important decisions, you will find peace by connecting with God about them. Bring your worries and dilemmas to prayer and ask God for wisdom and guidance.”
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If you are wondering if homeschooling, or some hybrid of homeschooling and traditional schooling can work for you, I have some thoughts to offer.
- Know that there is not “one right way” or perfect choice.
Every form of education will have its pros and cons, costs and benefits. There is no perfect way to educate your kids.
- Make a reasonable commitment.
Especially during these uncertain times, you should probably make a commitment to homeschooling (or whatever your choice might be) for one semester or one school year at a time. Give yourself the peace that comes from knowing you can change your mind if it does not work out.
- Make sure you are praying!
Whenever you are making important decisions, you will find peace by connecting with God about them. Bring your worries and dilemmas to prayer and ask God for wisdom and guidance.
- Be on the same page as your spouse.
You do not want to take on an enormous and stressful new thing while at odds with your husband about it. Talk with him and get his input and advice, Make sure he is supportive of what you are planning and, even if he does not say what you want him to, know that his advice might be part of how God is guiding you.
- Remember that each of your kids is different.
One of the benefits of homeschooling is that you can tailor your children’s education to their learning styles, strengths and weaknesses. You do not need to make the same choices for all of your kids.
- Find out your options.
There may be a hybrid of homeschooling and traditional schooling that will work well for you. There may be a homeschool co-op or a “pod” of students near you that can relieve you of some of the burdens of homeschooling. Find out what your options are and be flexible!
A previous podcast I recorded on a similar topic is How to Make SChooling Choices For Your Kids.
At the end of today’s show, I share feedback from a listener responding to “Justine” who shared about wanting to better control her drinking. The book this listener recommends is The Naked Mind. She also invites Justine, or others who might be struggling with drinking, to send me a note (danielle@daniellebean.com) so I can connect you with each other.
My newest book is one that I wrote with Dan, the Manual for Marriage, a beautiful resource for every couple. In it, Dan and I share reflective essays on marriage and family life, but it also features a large collection of prayers, Scripture passages, hymns, and stories from the saints that will encourage and support you in your married relationship.
I have received so much feedback from all of you about my newest book and the first chapter that I shared with you at the end of episode 210. Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections on the Gift of Motherhood is a book in which I share from my heart about the very real changes, challenges, triumphs, and joys of being a mom in an “emptying nest.” You can read that sample chapter at Ave Maria Press. (Use the coupon code BEAN20 to get 20% off your order!)
My book, You Are Enough: What Women of the Bible Teach You About Your Mission and Worth, is available for order! Use the code, GIRLFRIENDS to receive ten percent off your order. Don’t miss out on this special available exclusively to listeners of the Girlfriends podcast.
Have feedback or an idea to share? I would love to hear from you!
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Danielle Bean
Danielle Bean is the author of many books on Catholic marriage, motherhood, and women’s spirituality, and a well-known Catholic podcaster and media figure. In all of her efforts, Danielle encourages and celebrates all women on their unique vocational paths. She is the host of the Girlfriends podcast as well as the author of Momnipotent: The Not-So-Perfect Woman’s Guide to Catholic Motherhood, Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday, and You Are Enough.
Danielle is a dynamic retreat leader and an engaging speaker on a variety of subjects related to Catholic family life, education, marriage, and motherhood. She has been married to her husband, Dan, for 26 years and together they have 8 children.
