Where Can the Homeschool Mom Find Encouragement

This post is sponsored by Notgrass History.  All thoughts and content are my own.

When I started on the journey to homeschool, I didn't know many other mothers who were teaching their children at home.  Honestly,  I had no idea that I actually was headed on the path of home education.  I was certain that my daughters would go to the neighborhood school, and that my husband and I would do our best to supplement their education.  We knew we would be involved, but not to the extent of homeschooling full-time.  Now seven years later, we continue to homeschool our two daughters.  I don't think I would have made if it hadn't been for the encouragement of mothers I have met along the journey.

Before I made any friends who homeschooled, books offered me support.  I would read all the books I could get my hands on from our local library.  To this day I still find encouragement from books such as Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers and more, Although books were and always will be a great source of encouragement, I also needed support from women who I could connect with after the last chapter was read. Most of the mothers who encouraged me weren't in my real life, but instead I found them virtually through forums and blogs.  The internet was surely a blessing in this way.  Most of the women I met were around the same age as me with children around the same as mine. I learned about different curriculum, and I was able to direct message some of them when I questioned myself about staying at home versus working.  I was thankful for the ladies who encouraged me and helped me stay the course. 

As the years have continued to pass,  the longing for encouragement from older women has come to the forefront.  There is value from getting sound advice from women who are a generation or two older, There's is hope in seeing someone who has made it to where you are headed.   One who has graduated a child or two or who has been married for more than 15 years.  It's something about hearing those stories that remind me that I can do it too. 

Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers by Charlene Notgrass

Recently,  I found Charlene Notgrass' blog, Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers.  As many of you know, we use Notgrass Company curriculum for our history lessons.  If it hadn't been for us using the curriculum,  I wouldn't have known that Charlene has a site dedicated to giving mothers on their homeschooling journey the encouragement needed to stay the course. Her site is one way I am now able to receive the reminders of staying the course from a mother who has been there.  Every day, Monday through Friday, there is a post filled with encouragement and words of wisdom from Charlene.  One of her recent posts,"Boxes", not only reminded me to not place my children in a box, but to also protect myself from those same boxes. 

A peek inside Daily Encouragement from Homeschooling Mothers ... it sits by my bedside

How are you finding encouragement on your homeschooling journey?  Are you like me and need words of wisdom from older women? Thankfully, I have one veteran home educator in my real life, and now I have Charlene's blog and book, Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers, a 31 day book written simply with beautiful photographs that can be used as a homeschool devotional.  Each day has a thoughtful reminder such as "Loving your Husband: In Your Thoughts" along with a passage of Scripture.  The passages of text are concise so that the reader can hone in on the message whether it is about marriage, parenting, womanhood, or homemaking.

The task of being a home educating mother can be lonely especially if you do not have a support system.  The desire to stop is real especially when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Burn out among homeschool moms does happen particularly when we aren't gentle with ourselves, don't allow ourselves to be vulnerable, or don't get breaks when needed.  Today I encourage you to seek out encouragement in a way that speaks to you whether it's reading a blog, making a friend with one of the moms you've met at a co-op or library, or finding the right forum for you. 

Where do you find encouragement as a homeschool mom?