There are so many reasons why we might feel fed up, but here’s the thing—since we’re all unique humans with different circumstances, the reasons we’re overwhelmed aren’t all the same. However, there are some common threads. Let’s dive into a few of them:

• Trying to keep a clean house while homeschooling

And while these reasons might sound familiar, let me tell you that you are not alone, and it’s okay to feel this way. Overwhelm is common in homeschooling, but there are ways to shift from burnout to balance.

Being a mom at home all the time, always available to our children, means that we sometimes lose our sense of separateness.

These kids don’t actually want us all the time (not usually anyway), but since they are just down the hallway putting together that electrical circuit thing with their siblings they will surely need you within minutes as they don’t always share with their siblings.

These kids know they shouldn’t interrupt you on the phone or chat with you while you’re using the toilet, but they do anyway.

Cause you’re there.

Because we’ve been doing this homeschool thing for so long, also because that is sometimes the only name we hear all day long: “Mom”.

We don’t know we’re separate human beings with separate brains and separate life experiences. Sometimes we need to tell our kids (and ourselves) to do something separately, like leaving the house without kids or toileting without an audience.

Whatever it is that helps you maintain separateness, make sure you’re doing that something.

More is not better. More can overwhelm the kids’ senses too (not just yours).

You don’t need more…

• curriculum

Fewer extracurriculars and activities might enable kinder energy between their siblings.

And since we are not trying to jam our kids’ brains with every last educational tidbit (because we’re not training them to be god or google), we don’t feel it is required to offer them every last activity available to humankind.

We love our kids, and we are so grateful to have this opportunity to homeschool, but when we’re together all the time (or at least most of the time), we quickly learn that our primary goal is to cultivate relationships and learn how to communicate with one another.

And there’s a whole lot of opportunity to learn how to communicate better. Can I hear an amen?

Learning…

• to listen to one another,

…is an art that is really only gained when you have the opportunity to do it.

You, homeschool mama, have a couple of opportunities to learn. Mwahahaha. (Sorry about that one, but this is definitely what we signed up for as homeschool moms).

We just do. (Yes, we do, really, we do, even if you’re an extrovert…I can argue this one till the cows come home: you need time alone).

Even if it’s an hour at the grocery store alone, we all need time alone.

Because when we return to our homeschool family nest, we are happy to see our kids and our kids are happy to see us.

(This might be a benefit of having your child in school: you are actually delighted to see them again.)

However, if you are going to the grocery store as your only source of alone time, let’s chat. You need something more interesting than that.

But then you turned 34 with your newborn fourth child and you thought to yourself, isn’t the grocery store the most wonderful place on earth (because your husband was looking after the kids for an hour while you fled the nest)?

No, no it is not. The grocery store is not an exciting social opportunity and it is very much not quiet. The grocery store does not count as time alone.

And not only do you need alone time, but you need an all-about-you thing.

Something that helps you grow and develop into the person you were meant to be in this life, outside your homeschool mama role.

Then what will you do? Homeschool the neighbour’s kids? (Girlfriend, you are a saint if you answered yes!)

But since most of us would rather not be sainted, probably not. So, find something you love to do and cultivate it now.

This brief separate, quiet space is a little fuel for the rest of your day.

What is afternoon quiet time?

• It’s something you can look forward to if you’ve had a rough morning.

If you don’t already have ideas on how to do it, you can find ideas on how to do it here.

So I say focus, but I don’t mean expect family happiness and harmony all the time. Because, girlfriend, that just ain’t real.

I may have written a blog called Capturing the Charmed Life (you’re reading it), but we both know that the charmed life ain’t continual.

There are so many freedoms and joys in homeschool life, that’s why we signed up for it.

But if your homeschool is wildly unhappy and you know it OR if it’s just a bit unhappy and you know it, time to focus and figure out why and what you can do about it.

I know you have little kids that are tiring you out and you might even be crawling out from your own bed with a child or two, but your goal, if you choose to accept it, is to create a quiet morning routine just for you.

Just fifteen minutes.

You might think it’s impossible right now (and I get that it might very well be very difficult), but the goal is to try.

Try every day for thirty seconds, then one minute, and then five minutes, and gradually, eventually, you will get that quiet time, because those kids will indeed grow up (unless you keep having kids, but I digress).

• A hot beverage. Preferably a single-shot cappuccino with milk. (Or is that just me?)

Beginning your day with quiet creates mental space for you to decide how you’re going to engage your day.

If we don’t do this assessment step, we won’t truly understand what it is causing the overwhelm and therefore, not address it.

This is your single most important step to addressing overwhelm.

So how do we recognize overwhelm in ourselves?

• We write down every time we feel overwhelmed.

You can only address your challenges if you know what they are.

Introducing the Homeschool Mama’s Toolbox, a resource to help homeschooling mothers manage emotions and enhance mindfulness. It includes Dr. Amen’s three questions for self-reflection. Daily meditation practices and a Thought Care Checklist aid in handling challenging situations. Sharpen your mental tools and improve your homeschooling journey today!

This is an act of self-compassion, nurturing the nurturer.

Sitting with your feelings helps you learn more about yourself and how you’re engaging your homeschooled kids too.

(All good things that you already want).

So, are you spending time sitting with your feelings, getting curious about yourself, and what you want? (Just the thing you’d expect from a homeschool life coach, no?)

Learn more about mindfulness practices for the homeschool mom here.

If you’re a homeschool mom like me, and you don’t have time to feel uncomfortable feelings, because you have stuff to do, well, I can relate.

But reality check, we’re humans as well as busy homeschool moms. So we have to allow ourselves to feel our feelings.

Uncomfortable feelings are a chip off the old block. A chip off the old block of our needs.

When we don’t consciously acknowledge our needs or address our uncomfortable feelings, we can spend our lives ping-pinging from one reaction to another, but never getting what we need.

Do we know our emotional climate?

• Are we familiar with the background climate of our sunny days?

Spending time each morning assessing our emotional climate grows self-awareness.

Assessing our uncomfortable feelings and the unmet needs beneath them gives us a construct to address our needs.

Our children’s emotional climate is and ours aren’t the same.

They are different human beings.

Then we meet them to discover our daughter does have daddy’s expressions, but she does have mommy’s eyes.

She grows a little and we assume that her penchant for pulling everything off the shelf is her daddy’s neverending interest in exploring everything around him. He has to know how things are built.

But get old enough, perhaps adolescence, and we discover that she appeared a wee bit like daddy and a wee bit like mommy, but turns out, she is a very different creature altogether.

A separate human being. With a different approach to life. A different way of engaging in her good days and her bad days.

She’s different, with a different emotional climate and different challenges.

The Self-Compassion for Homeschool Mamas course teaches homeschooling mothers how to cultivate Self-Compassion, develop useful self-awareness practices, and address big emotions. By modeling healthy communication and emotional regulation, moms can nurture themselves and their children in meaningful ways.

Mindfulness. That thing everyone is talking about.

As popular as kale and quinoa for our mental nutrition and wellness.

We don’t have time for mindfulness. Or so we tell ourselves.

But perhaps we don’t have time not to be mindful.

And therefore,

• we are much more productive,

And presence always breeds happiness.

Where to include that mindfulness? In a morning routine.

The homeschool mama morning routine is intended for a few minutes of space and clarity about how you want to craft your day and how you want to decide to show up for your day.

Create a morning routine for us to get kick-started before the kids are awake. (Yeah, I know that is a real challenge if you have young kids. It might not even be realistic, but it is still the goal). 

A schedule is forced confinement, routines are guidelines for living a life. Do the routine long enough and you become predictable and productive.

• Routines include the stuff you want to include.

• Carve out a morning routine. Begin the day alone. Just fifteen minutes.

ps This might help you: how to homeschool plan: find fresh ideas, create renewed routines & include kids’ ideas.

Be realistic. That statement right there is an unrealistic expectation.

We, homeschool mamas, have lofty ambitions. For our kids, for their educations, and of us.

• Be realistic about what you can do.

To read more on how to address our unrealistic expectations, check it out here.

You might have a homeschool room (a storage space where you organize all the kids’ stuff, books, crayons, pencils, and scissors (just kidding, you have no idea where the scissors are)).

• But there’s no recess (unless you tell the kids there is).

You know your students intimately. (In fact, it’s possible they took up residence in your body at one time.)

You know…

• what they’re likely to bicker over,

But you want to homeschool? So doesn’t there have to be a teacher element?

No, no there does not.

Not really, anyway.

Remember before your child was five and you were asked if your child was going to a private kindergarten, public kindergarten, or no kindergarten at all?

Before that time…you taught your child how to tie their shoes, pee on the toilet, and eat their vegetables (okay, still working on that).

Now did you find a plastic potty where your child could pee at cheerios? Yes, you did.

Did you have to buy those vegetables so your child could learn to eat those vegetables? (This might be a bad example as you may actually be buying fewer vegetables and have entirely given up on this parenting goal).

Sure, you can book a spa visit and find a new, organic facial cleanser with essential oils.

But that’s not what I really mean here.

We homeschool mamas don’t think about what we need, typically, because we have too much going on. (We’re trying to address the needs of our children and that is requiring a lot of our time & energy).

Here are a few ways you can address your real self-care needs:

• Develop self-confidence as a self-care strategy.

There is no charmed life. (I said it).

However, there are so many freedoms in this homeschool life, so many.

And we see more of those freedoms the longer we homeschool.

• No life without challenges,

It’s all still here.

And somehow some way, we are affected by these and so many other things.

However, homeschooling sure is a great construct to create so many family freedoms and memories, enable kids to grow into who they were meant to be and even help us grow up and show up on purpose in our homeschools and our lives.

If you’re ready to get straight into addressing those challenges, creating an ACTION plan to address them, and having an accountability partner to come alongside to help you implement those intentions, book a conversation with me today.

Introducing the Reimagine Your Homeschool Workbook! Reflect on the past year, assess what worked and what didn’t, and build the homeschool you truly want. Evaluate curriculum, routine, philosophy, and plan for the future. Get renewed inspiration and fresh ideas.

• Book a conversation with Teresa to learn about a coaching session.

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

The post Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

This is my story as a struggling homeschool mom…

And they did!

I’d come home to scour homeschool resource websites or Facebook groups to find the next perfect resource, science experiment box, book, curriculum, or you-fill-in-the-blank.

This year will be different, I’d declare!  The summer break didn’t just get me vitamin D. It got me enthusiasm too.

I love that September energy every year. 

You too? 

But I’ve learned that September lasts, well, for September, and then challenges arise by October, and the enthusiasm tends to wane by November. What all the summer fun and planning enthusiasm don’t circumvent is the frustrations we had last year. 

Give it enough time and I felt like we were in a scene from Groundhog Day (even though it wasn’t February, it was November). 

Back to being a struggling homeschool mom…

So if you relate and you don’t want to repeat last year: feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or uncertain about various elements of your homeschool journey, you’re not alone!

I’ve got something special for you: the Reimagine Your Homeschool mini-course. This free mini-course is for homeschool moms who want to transform their journey toward confidence, connection, and deeper satisfaction.

This mini-course is designed to help you homeschool the way you want to, with clarity and confidence. Not feeling like you’re trying to carve out a path in unknown territory and discover you’re on the wrong path, again!

You’ll know this free Reimagine your Homeschool Mini-Course is for you if…

• you’ve been struggling with anger, stress, or feeling overwhelmed

Listen to this video below if you’ve been struggling.

Renee is a homeschool mama of 4 who experienced that as she worked with me: 

“The time with Teresa was super helpful. Teresa helped me see the roots behind the surface-level issues. It was the impetus to help me think more deeply about my homeschool and relational ‘whys’ to get to a place to see where change needed to be made. Teresa’s kindness and compassion gave me a safe place to speak my heart and her responses helped me feel empowered for this next chapter in our homeschool journey and the evolving chapter of the relationships with our teen and young adult children. Now I have infinitely better boundaries with our teenage daughter and I no longer feel like our relationship hangs by a thin thread. I feel much more motivated in my homeschool days and have made some major shifts that have restored the joy in our homeschool. Also, I’m also learning to lean into the new season with older children and embrace the joy found in the present, rather than pining for the past.” 

So grab the Reimagine your Homeschool mini-course and begin your journey to reimagine a new homeschool story. 

You got this girlfriend!

xx

Teresa, your Homeschool Life Coach

Introducing the Reimagine Your Homeschool Workbook! Reflect on the past year, assess what worked and what didn’t, and build the homeschool you truly want. Evaluate curriculum, routine, philosophy, and plan for the future. Get renewed inspiration and fresh ideas.

• How to Handle Homeschool Overwhelm

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

The post 6 Challenges Every Struggling Homeschool Mom Faces — and How to Transform Them appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or even disconnected from your homeschool goals, now is the moment to recreate a purposeful, fulfilling year ahead. Whether you’re seeking clarity, need help setting achievable goals, or looking to reignite your passion for homeschooling, this free challenge is for you!

2025 is almost here (what even!) Not sure where that year went, but here we are.

Every year, at just this time of year, I was in a flurry planning for Christmas…but when Christmas hit, the energy would drop to a hushed still and I would have the quietest week of my year!

You too?

No more wondering if you’re on the right track, or doing enough; and no more feeling burnt out. Instead, you can reflect on your homeschool journey and envision a future that aligns with your values, goals, and needs.

Join the free 5-Day Vision Challenge for Homeschool Moms. Use the 5-Day Vision Challenge to guide you in your hopes and intentions for 2025 (make sure you grab your journal before you open those emails).

(I love planning and visioning, don’t you?)

1. Discover how to infuse intentionality into your homeschool, empowering you to show up with renewed purpose every day.

Click here to get this 2025 party started: Homeschool Mama Vision Challenge.

• Clarify your homeschool goals and values

This workshop will help you say goodbye to overwhelm and uncertainty and embrace a homeschool year that is purpose-driven and more fulfilling.

This workshop is perfect for homeschool moms who are ready to realign with their values and create actionable plans for 2025.

Here’s who will benefit most:

• Homeschool moms seeking clarity

In this 1.5-hour live group coaching workshop, we’ll discuss your homeschool experience, assess what’s working (and what’s not), and create a clear plan for the upcoming year. Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ll focus on:

1. Reflect on the past year and identify areas of strength and growth.

• Receive tailored guidance during the session to address your unique homeschool challenges.

This isn’t just another to-do list or generic homeschool advice.

This is about you—the homeschool mom who is juggling a million things but still wants to do this homeschool thing with joy, focus, and purpose.

Through personalized coaching, interactive exercises, and reflective journaling, you’ll walk away with clear strategies to realign your homeschool and set yourself up for success in 2025. Plus, you’ll gain access to a supportive community that will keep you inspired and motivated as you implement what you’ve learned.

Join me in the Re-Envision 2025: Homeschool Mom’s Vision & Alignment Workshop, and let’s work together to clarify your goals, align your values, and design a homeschool year that feels fulfilling and in alignment with who you are.

I’m so excited to help you enter the new year with confidence, energy, and a clear sense of direction. Don’t let overwhelm hold you back—let’s make 2025 the year you feel truly aligned with your homeschool vision!

Start your homeschool year with clarity and confidence using the 2025 Homeschool Mom Vision Planner. This thoughtfully designed planner includes reflective prompts, practical tools, and space to align your homeschooling journey with your personal growth and family goals. Plan with purpose and create a year filled with joy and intention!

• A Vulnerable Story of an Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom Journey

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

The post Re-Envision Your 2025 Homeschool: A 5-Day Vision Challenge Homeschool Moms appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Hopefully, you’ll find valuable insights and encouragement from my work supporting homeschool moms, making your 2025 homeschool life a little lighter.

They validated the experiences I had in my homeschool — every family and every homeschool mom is challenged by something. One mom shared with me that she has dog-eared almost every page in my book, which has sat on her nightstand for the last few years. She felt that I was a fly on her wall.

You have no idea how many times I’ve heard those words. It’s wild to write a book, vulnerably sharing the challenges in my own home, and then discover over the next five years that these struggles are common in most people’s homes.

I wish I’d known when I was homeschooling that these challenges aren’t just in homeschool families’ homes. They’re in everyone’s homes.

• The struggle to listen to our kids and understand their needs.

I wish I’d known earlier that homeschool families face these challenges too. It would have given me a sense of community and connection, making me feel like I wasn’t facing the struggles alone. To be fair, I had a close friend who shared authentically with me, and I was able to do the same with her. We cared about each other’s families, and we still do. Our families were at different stages, but we were able to cheer each other on.

This is what I see in the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective — a naturally growing community of women who support each other through the challenges and joys of homeschool life.

Another thing I’ve heard from nearly every homeschool mom is that her partner encourages her to take a break — to leave home, do something she loves, or at the very least, go out for a cup of coffee. But many homeschool moms don’t feel able to because they don’t think their partner is up to the task.

Oh, how I remember feeling the same way! I likely didn’t say it out loud, and it wasn’t because my husband wasn’t capable.

If you were to visit our local ER with a child who had a broken limb or had been sick for weeks, you’d find that my husband is a baby magnet. He’s playful with toddlers, engaging them as if they’re on the same level. He’s even curious about their thoughts, asking them how old they think he is. He’s also incredibly respectful of a teenager’s need for autonomy. He’s just really good with kids.

It was because he didn’t do things my way. The right way.

One way I identified my husband wasn’t doing it the “right way” was that he didn’t want to do things by the book. He wanted deep conversations. He was totally down for conversations with the 8 year old about the gold standard, Canadian party politics, and the pros and cons of bitcoin, and precious metals. He wasn’t going to read from the Story of the World, or recite Mary Oliver, or practice water colour with the kids.

Who knew that so many homeschool dads are actually advocating for more responsibility at home? If there’s one thing you take away from this podcast, it should be this: Your husband wants you to take a break!

Now, how do you overcome the inertia of thinking, “He won’t do it like I do”?

But here’s the thing: If you’re anything like me, you’ve been parenting in a way that feels like the “only” right way. We often struggle to let go because we believe our parenting style is the best one for our kids. But in reality, your partner’s parenting style brings valuable diversity to your children’s lives.

It helps them see the world from more than one perspective.

Sometimes, it’s to our kids’ benefit to step back and allow our partners to build unique relationships with them.

Another thing I’ve learned about the homeschool mom experience: I tend to avoid talking about the one thing that challenged me most in my homeschool family life. It’s not surprising, right? I didn’t enjoy it, so I avoid discussing it. However, I’ve realized this might not serve you well.

So, what was it? Want to take a guess? It’s sibling bickering, complaining, and fighting.

One question I asked a homeschool mom recently: how much fighting, complaining, and bickering do you expect your kids to engage? Scale of 1-10?

Homeschool moms often struggle with feelings of inadequacy or “not enoughness”.

These feelings of “not enoughness” are often rooted in past educational experiences, societal pressures, or childhood expectations.

This sense of inadequacy affects how we engage learning opportunities but also our relationships with our children, partners, and ourselves. To overcome this, we need to explore why we’re feeling those feelings, because it’s not just about comparing our homeschool on Instagram–and then learn to shift “I’m not enough” mental scripts into “I am enough as I am, I am on a personal growth journey, I will never be perfect, and my kids are blessed to have me, right now.”

By practicing self-compassion, setting realistic expectations, and seeking support, we can create an environment where both moms and kids feel valued and capable.

Homeschool moms often wrestle with the belief that they are capable of teaching their children. This struggle can impact their confidence in their academic abilities, leading them to sometimes become defensive about their homeschooling choices. Whether it’s opting for online programs or leaning into unschooling, this defensiveness often stems from a place of self-doubt and the pressure to ensure their children are receiving the best education possible.

If you were confident, how would that influence how you chose learning opportunities, addressed science experiments, or learning haiku or relearning math concepts?

And if you were confident, would you be less defensive when someone questioned your homeschool choice?

Homeschool moms are deeply intentional about their educational approach, enabling holistic development, preparing their kids to be resilient, emotionally intelligent, socially aware and engaging, and insightful, thoughtful kids.

Another common struggle I’ve seen is the disconnect that homeschool moms often feel with their partners. Whether it’s disagreements about parenting approaches, homeschooling methods, or simply differing values in how the family should operate, these moments can cause tension. Finding common ground between partners can be a huge challenge, and it can sometimes feel isolating when their visions for the family’s future don’t align.

Life’s external pressures—like chronic illness, the death of a loved one, or job loss—can profoundly affect a homeschool family.

Homeschool moms often carry the heavy weight of these struggles, juggling their emotional challenges alongside the educational and emotional needs of their children. They strive to push through, yet overlook their need to pause, heal, and make a necessary shift in perspective and approach.

As I’ve supported homeschool moms over the years, I’ve learned that shedding what’s not working is key to enjoying our homeschool lives more. We are not alone in our struggles—whether it’s managing emotions, navigating relationships with our partners, or handling sibling bickering, these moments of doubt and frustration are universal. But they don’t define us.

This is not a linear path of perfection, but a dynamic, sometimes challenging process of continuous learning and adaptation.

By shifting our mindset from “I’m not enough” to “I am enough as I am,” and embracing self-compassion and support, we can create a family environment where both moms and kids feel valued and capable. You’ve got this, and I’m here to support you every step of the way!

But then, like clockwork, when Christmas arrived, the world slowed down. The holiday hustle gave way to a rare, peaceful pause—my quietest week of the year.

Does that resonate with you too?

I’d stay cozy in my pajamas (or my fresh new yoga pants—thanks, Santa!) and dive into reflection and planning. For years, I used tools like Sarah Susanka’s The Not So Big Life to look back at what worked, let go of what didn’t, and dream big for the coming year.

This reflective downtime has always been a gift—a chance to ensure my homeschool aligns with my family’s values, goals, and needs. It’s how I transitioned from questioning if I was doing enough to confidently creating a homeschool rhythm that felt fulfilling.

Now, I want to share that clarity and excitement with you.

Join me for the free 5-Day Vision Challenge for Homeschool Moms, where we’ll reflect, dream, and create actionable plans to:

• Infuse purpose and intentionality into your homeschool days.

This challenge is packed with insights and strategies delivered straight to your inbox. It’s your perfect companion for planning and dreaming in this quiet, reflective season.

Here’s to a year full of inspiration, joy, and freedom in your homeschool journey.

Start your homeschool year with clarity and confidence using the 2025 Homeschool Mom Vision Planner. This thoughtfully designed planner includes reflective prompts, practical tools, and space to align your homeschooling journey with your personal growth and family goals. Plan with purpose and create a year filled with joy and intention!

• Re-Envision Your 2025 Homeschool: A 5-Day Vision Challenge Homeschool Moms

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

The post What 2024 Taught Me About Supporting Homeschool Moms appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Vulnerable writing—raw, honest, and true—has the power to bring clarity, enable wellness, and ignite a transformational life shift. It could even be more than an outlet; it could be a lifeline. Writing has been a game-changer for my homeschool mindset and wellness — and it can be for yours too.

Writing is an act of vulnerability, a willingness to lay bare your truth on the page.

It’s also an act of ownership, creativity, and self-awareness. When you write from your authentic self, not only do you gain insight into your thoughts and emotions, but you also create something meaningful.

As a lifelong writer and homeschool mom, I’ve discovered that writing is a way to mine the inner stories of my being. It transforms blank pages into reflections of my soul, capturing the highs and lows of life, from the excitement of new learning adventures to the slump month season.

Vulnerable writing is not just about getting things out of your head but also about rewriting your life story.

As Brené Brown wisely says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”

Homeschool moms often carry an invisible mental load. (Though it can be seen with the naked eye…exhaustion, exasperation, or irritation are visible signs).

Writing offers a safe space to unpack those burdens. By honestly confronting emotions like frustration, doubt, or overwhelm, you can begin to shift your mindset.

Vulnerable writing creates clarity. When you see your words on the page, you can identify patterns, recognize limiting beliefs, and uncover the truths shaping your experience. It’s like holding a mirror up to your thoughts, offering a chance to realign with your core values.

Writing also nurtures wellness. Processing emotions through journaling reduces stress and fosters mindfulness.

Your homeschool story matters. Writing it down, no matter how messy or imperfect it feels, is an act of bravery. It’s a declaration that your voice deserves to be heard and your emotions deserve to be understood.

You don’t have to write a book to benefit from vulnerable writing. Start small. Write in a journal. Jot down a thought that’s been nagging at you. Capture a journal of happy moments in your Homeschool days.

If you’ve ever felt unseen or overwhelmed in your homeschool journey, let writing be your sanctuary. Let it be the space where you confront your fears, celebrate your victories, and chart your path forward.

You don’t have to write perfectly. You only need to write honestly. As Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

So start today. Write the one true word that reflects your heart. It might just transform your homeschool mindset and wellness in ways you never imagined.

Are you ready to embrace the power of writing in your homeschool life? Let’s journey together.

Writing mirrors the homeschool mom journey. In both, you step into the unknown. You imperfectly create, explore, and grow in front of others. Homeschooling invites you to look at the child before you and ask, “How do I create an education that reflects who they are?” Writing invites you to ask, “How do I express my truest self in words?”

Both paths are authentic journeys. When you write vulnerably, you inspire others to be their authentic selves. And as a homeschool mom, your journey can become a source of inspiration for others too.

For established homeschool moms, you’ve learned so much—about curricula, kids, and yourself. You’ve likely experienced the full spectrum of homeschooling: the triumphs, the breakdowns, the moments of doubt, and the moments of deep joy. You’ve crafted a unique approach that works for your family. Now, you have the wisdom and experience to mentor and inspire new homeschool moms.

As you reflect on your journey, take a moment to write. Try a simple exercise: write for 10 minutes about a proud homeschool moment or a challenge you overcame. Write without judgment, just as you are. Share your reflections with me or in a supportive community like the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to the Re-Envision 2025 Workshop on Friday, December 27th. This 90-minute group coaching session will help you reflect on your 2024 homeschool year, create a burnout prevention plan, and align your 2025 goals with your core values. Seats are limited to just eight moms, so don’t miss this chance to step into 2025 with clarity and confidence.

They’re about turning challenges into triumphs and crafting a story that reflects who you are. Let’s continue to own our stories and inspire others to do the same.

You’ve got this, girlfriend.

Start your homeschool year with clarity and confidence using the 2025 Homeschool Mom Vision Planner. This thoughtfully designed planner includes reflective prompts, practical tools, and space to align your homeschooling journey with your personal growth and family goals. Plan with purpose and create a year filled with joy and intention!

• A Vulnerable Story of an Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom Journey

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

The post Write Your Truth: How Vulnerability Shapes Homeschool Wellness & Mindset appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Looking back, I see this journey has taught me how homeschool moms can let go of unrealistic expectations. It’s not about checking off every box or finishing every curriculum—it’s about leaning into learning and living.

Give yourself two decades of this way of living and learning, and you’ll cover everything required for learning, life, and curiosity too. Don’t worry about covering everything today—you’ll get to it, I promise.

In the meantime, enjoy it. Enjoy the crazy, saturated ride of homeschooling because, in the end, you’ll be crazy grateful that you got to join your kids for this remarkable life called homeschooling.

And you’ll see that you lived and learned alongside them in a remarkably rich life.

This reflection reminded me of a homeschool mom client, Rebecca, who came to me overwhelmed by the sheer volume of homeschool tasks she felt she had to accomplish. Like so many homeschool moms, she was held back by unrealistic expectations about how much she needed to get done in a day, week, or even a year.

Rebecca shared that she was stuck in a “schoolmaster” mindset, feeling driven to complete every lesson and stick to rigid schedules. Her joy in homeschooling had diminished, and she was desperate to find a more relaxed and fulfilling approach.

Together, we worked to create an action plan that aligned her homeschool practices with her values and helped her rediscover joy. Here’s the 12-point action plan we developed for Rebecca to help her reclaim joy, foster a more relaxed homeschooling environment, and align her homeschool with her values and vision:

Rebecca began homeschooling with a lot of enthusiasm but no clear vision for what she wanted her it to look like.

Instead, she barreled through each day, checking off her to-do list and completing every subject in her pre-packaged curriculum because that’s what she thought everyone else was doing. Without a guiding purpose, her homeschool felt overwhelming, leaving her feeling like she was constantly falling short.

Together, we worked to pause and revisit her why—her deepest values and hopes for her family’s homeschool—so she could build a foundation that brought focus, clarity, and more joy to their days.

Vision Check: Revisit and refine your homeschooling vision. Write down your reasons for homeschooling and the core values that guide your decision as a daily reminder.

Define your why.

At the end of your homeschool days, and your full-time motherhood role, you’ll not think you should have accomplished more academics. You’ll wonder why you didn’t slow down and enjoy the moments more. (Ask me how I know).

Dedicate regular time for one-on-one “connection moments” with each child—playing, talking, or simply enjoying each other’s company without an agenda.

Connection Builder: List 3 ways you can spend intentional one-on-one time with each child this week. Then build in one way this week.

Focus on connection.

Shift from a rigid schedule to a flexible daily rhythm by doing one of the following things:

1. Start the day with a readaloud and a cuddle on the sofa.

2. Divide your day into broad time blocks (ie morning learning, afternoon quiet time, project time, extracurriculars, outdoor time) instead of scheduling every hour.

3. Begin each day with one or two key activities that matter most, leaving room for child-led or project learning or exploration later.

4. Let your kids choose the order of activities for part of the day, giving them a sense of ownership while still maintaining structure.

5. Build in margins for breaks, snacks, or transitions between activities, so the day doesn’t feel rushed.

6. Assign general themes to each day (e.g., reading day, art day, field trip day) instead of following a strict daily checklist. Or consider incorporating Tuesdays and Thursdays as history reading days and Monday and Wednesdays as science days.

7. Establish a consistent anchor routine, like morning circle time or an after lunch family walk with the dog, to start the day, but let the rest of the schedule flow based on your family’s energy and interests.

Routine Reset: Sketch out a flexible rhythm for your homeschool day, leaving space for child-led learning.

It’s okay to adapt.

Create a values list of what truly matters in your homeschool family (ie fostering curiosity, building connections, developing aptitudes, frivolous fun). Use it to measure success rather than focusing solely on curriculum completion.

Ask yourself what an education really is anyway and how you can accomplish that definition of education for each child.

Mindset Shift: Write down 3 non-academic wins from this week (ie a moment of kindness or curiosity). Reflect on your vision of what education means to you and evaluate how your daily activities align with that vision.

Shift your perspective.

Incorporate games, nature walks, readalouds, and creative projects to make lessons more engaging and enjoyable for the kids—and herself.

Organize 100-day celebrations, not-back-to-school parties, and literature-themed birthday events.

Creativity Spark: Brainstorm 5 activities that combine learning with play. Commit to trying at least one this week.

Make it joyful.

Implement short, intentional breaks throughout the day for everyone to recharge. Consider 25–45-minute focus sessions followed by 10–15 minutes of play, stretching, or quiet time.

Assume that lunch time is a hard break: whatever you could do before that time is golden, but not required to finish after lunch. Or if you incorporate a post-lunch routine, like I did for years, consider a quiet afternoon break where everyone shares quiet space in the living room or separate space in their rooms. And when dinner prep begins, kids can help tidy for ten minutes then join you to do dinner prep in the kitchen or head outdoors to play.

Pause Planner: Map out 3 intentional break times in your homeschool day for both you and your children.

Pause and breathe.

Make lessons more child-centered. Encourage input from your children on what they’d like to explore. Offer them choices within subject areas but don’t expect they’ll maintain interest as long as you might.

Shift focus to curiosity-driven learning. Instead of rigidly sticking to your plans, let your child’s natural interests guide the learning process. When a topic excites them, spend more time exploring it together. (And it you can do that with your interests too!)

Assess your expectations. Encourage a growth mindset in yourself and your kids. Shifting how you homeschool takes a lot of intention if you’ve previously determined there was only one right way. Acknowledge your efforts, your increased flexibility and creativity, and your persistence rather than just your outcomes.

Learning Reframe: Identify one subject or lesson your kids resist. Write down 2 creative ways to make it more engaging.

Spark their interest.

Challenge her “schoolmaster” mindset: there’s not one right way to homeschool.

Think of mistakes as learning opportunities, even if it doesn’t feel that way. Mistakes are part of the learning process for every human, parent and child alike.

Recalculate your expectations. Every day will be perfect, and sometimes seasons of or family lives aren’t perfect. Welcome to family life! Celebrate what is going right.

Let Go of Comparison. Each family’s path is unique, as unique as combined fingerprints. You couldn’t be or do what other people are anyway– you were meant to be you.

Practice Self-Compassion. Be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned. Homeschooling can be challenging, and it’s important to remember that it’s okay to not get everything right. Show yourself the same compassion you would offer a friend.

Focus on the Big Picture. Homeschooling is a long-term effort. Continue to focus on your educational and family values. Striving for flawless execution shouldn’t be your value (ps no one meet that anyway).

Let Go of the “Ideal Homeschool” Image. What is your idealized vision of homeschooling anyway? I’m curious what you’d say, if you’d share your thoughts below.

Can’t pin that ideal vision down? That’s your sign it doesn’t exist.

Embrace the beautiful messiness of life and learning, mothering and homeschooling.

Permission Slip: Write yourself a note giving permission to leave a lesson unfinished or take a day off when needed.

Release the pressure.

Dedicate a specific day to review your past week. Celebrate what went well, identify your challenges, and adjust plans for the coming week.

• Homeschool Journal

End-of-Week Review: Write 3 things that worked well in your homeschool this week and 1 thing to adjust next week.

Look back to move forward.

Commit to small, consistent practices that nourish your spirit:

• Homeschool Mama Self-Care: A Podcast for Homeschool Moms

Self-Care Plan: List 3 small, joy-filled activities just for you. Schedule time to do one this week.

Prioritize yourself, too.

If there’s anything more challenging in this homeschool mom life, I don’t know what it is. Recognize our triggers (ie disorganization, sibling conflict, whining or complaining) — whatever it is, get clear on the trigger and determine to be proactive to address it.

• Start the day with a 5-minute calming ritual like mindfulness.

Reset Ritual: Write down 1 frustration trigger and 2 ways you could respond differently next time.

Learn to be grounded.

End each day with a gratitude journal where she writes 3 things that went well, focusing on moments of fun or connection.

Reflecting on positives can help reframe your mindset over time.

Gratitude Practice: At the end of each day, jot down 3 moments that made you smile or feel connected.

Celebrate the good.

• Join a homeschool group or community for encouragement and inspiration.

Support Finder: List 3 people you could reach out to for encouragement and ideas.

You’re not alone. That’s why I’m here. Book a no-obligation conversation to learn more about coaching.

Homeschooling is an incredible, albeit imperfect, journey. When you let go of unrealistic expectations, you allow yourself and your children to enjoy the ride.

As you shift from rigid “schoolmaster” to connected, co-learning mom, you’ll discover that homeschooling becomes more about the experiences you share than the content you cover.

Introducing Your Ultimate Wellness Guide, an ideal guidebook for homeschool moms seeking effective strategies to maintain physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. This comprehensive guide offers practical tips, actionable steps, and easy-to-follow instructions to help you prioritize self-care, manage stress, and enhance your overall homeschool experience. Get your copy now and take the first step towards a healthier and happier homeschool mom life!

• helping our kids live their lives on purpose

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

The post 11 Practical Tips How Homeschool Moms Can Let Go of Unrealistic Expectations appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Just because we’re at home with our kids doesn’t mean we’re WITH our kids. And nurturing relationships in your homeschool family won’t happen if you’re not WITH someone.

• homeschool daily, weekly, monthly, yearly routines,

Your mom and dad get it: you’re busy. You are in the family life phase so, of course, you’re not available every day.

A nod to your friends who feel like family: they are also raising families so they get that they’ll take what they can get and accept you’re not always available.

Your partner gets it: you’re both trying to do this together and keep your heads above water. That relationship can wait. Years if it has to. But you both subconsciously agree: YOU can wait.

Your kids don’t get it: they persist. Mommy, finding quality time to connect with our children can be a challenge. However, these “eyeball-to-eyeball” moments are crucial for building strong, lasting relationships. Here are some practical strategies to help you incorporate meaningful interaction into your daily routine, ensuring each child feels seen, heard, and valued.

One of the most effective ways to connect with your child is by scheduling dedicated one-on-one time.

This can be as short as 10-15 minutes daily or a longer period weekly, depending on your schedule. The key is to habit-stack your connection time.

What did I do? Invited one kiddo to hang out with me as we grocery-shopped. They choose their preference for cereal, crackers, and a treat that week. After we were done, we’d go out for a special drink together.

This special time allows you to focus entirely on one child, giving them your undivided attention and creating a space for open communication.

For your consideration: You won’t be perfectly consistent in maintaining this one-on-one time, and that’s okay. Life happens. Flexibility is required. You’re not a better mother if you maintain perfect consistency. Rather, your goal? To spend time doing it with irregular regularity.

Starting the day with a brief check-in can set a positive tone for the day.

“You cannot teach the mind before you have the heart. Connect before you direct,” advises Dr. Gordon Neufeld. “When we connect with them before correcting behaviour or providing direction, it helps them feel safe and more able to process what we need them to do.”

A simple question to ask how they’re doing is all you need. When you do so, you allow each child to share their thoughts and feelings about the day ahead.

It’s a simple yet effective way to show your children that their feelings matter and that you are there to support them.

For your consideration: I’ve learned this is also an effective way to gather intel. To learn where each child is at, to learn what they need, and to help connect the dots to their heart before you ask them to do anything and before they see their siblings. If they get what they need emotionally, they are likely to give to others emotionally.

Involving your kids in meal preparation and cleanup provides a wonderful opportunity for eye contact and conversation.

Unless, of course, they’re teenagers. Then they might be unhappily washing those dishes, again. “Mom, how many times do I have to help clean up the kitchen”?

“I dunno, honey, about a decade and a half fewer years than I’ve had to do them.”

These moments can be filled with laughter, learning, and bonding as you work together to prepare and enjoy meals. It also teaches valuable life skills and fosters a sense of teamwork.

For your consideration: Some days, you’ll just do the mundane tasks of meal prep and cleaning up together. Though they aren’t exciting, they will be part of your memory bank you create with the kids. Some holiday in the future, they’ll volunteer to join you in the kitchen to tackle the optimistic menu you’ve created for their childhood memory banks. And they won’t complain! They’ll be happy to continue the traditions with you!

Of course, you know this one!

Some of my very favourite memories (& photos) include various books with various kids on the sofa in the Great Room.

These moments are so special that my teen and older kids still allow me time to sit with them and read together from whatever they’re presently reading.

It is a fantastic way to bond with your children. Sitting close together and sharing stories allows for physical closeness and rich discussions about the plot, the characters, and the setting.

And it might be the number one benefit to homeschool socialization: kids connecting with their parents.

For your consideration: Including readalouds can be an irregular part of your routine (it doesn’t have to be done like clockwork every day to be effective.

However, if you decide to include it right after breakfast with the morning basket or after dinner clean and before the bedtime routine, you’ll remember to do it. Though how are you going to forget when every homeschool parent talks about their read-aloud all the time?

Using project time as an opportunity for focused interaction can be very effective. Sitting side by side trying to figure out how to build a computer together (yes, this has happened to me, and no I didn’t help build the computer after all) or helping her figure out how to create an Instagram account so they can build their slime making company, our efforts in connection time.

No, they didn’t make a lot of money, but yes, they did build a sizeable account and many worldwide connections. And absolutely, much slime got stuck in the sink. Highly not recommended!

For your consideration: Don’t script the project time. Let your children decide and you join them in it. Did I want to learn a few chess openings? No. Did I do it to connect with my son? Absolutely. Choosing to follow along in their interests will make them feel seen and heard.

Ending the day by inviting them to connect will likely garner your greatest connection time.

Even if you’re past the “tuck everyone into bed” routine (and if you’re not, believe it or not, that stage comes to an end!), you can make sure to hug them, tell them you love them, acknowledge something about them and why you’re grateful for them before they head to bed.

Encourage them to share their highs and lows, and actively listen and engage in their stories.

For your consideration: These connecting moments add cash to your love bank. What’s the love bank? Read more below.

“In a nutshell: With every person you interact with, you develop an internal emotional Love Bank.  Each interaction you have with them either adds deposits to your bank account or withdrawals.  Over time, your feelings for a person tend to reflect the number of deposits and withdrawals you have had with them.  If most of your interactions are more positive, you will enjoy that person and seek to be around them. You’ll also be able to recover more quickly when they do things that bother you. On the other hand, if your time with them is marked by conflict, turmoil, or other negative emotions, you can start to run a deficit in your love bank. In these relationships, not only do you seek to avoid them, but even minor annoyances become more amplified because your bank, or tank, is nearly empty.”

You probably don’t need to be told to engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, or playing sports which naturally promotes face-to-face interaction and open conversation.

You’re more present. (Assuming you’re not also glued to Instagram.)

These activities provide a relaxed environment where children might feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.

Unless of course, you’ve decided to take a three-hour hike to the edge of civilization, aka the …with four kids under the age of 11 without a bottle of water. Then there is no relaxation for the weary. Just say no to outdoors without water bottles.

Designating certain times or areas of the house as technology-free zones ensures uninterrupted interaction. For example, making meal times and family gatherings tech-free can encourage direct communication and foster a stronger family bond.

For your consideration: Or you can set aside a day a week to be tech-free!

Building relationships in your homeschool family can always begin with game night.

It was our tradition for many years to play a game after dinner. If no one has introduced you to gameschooling, let me explain. Or let Melissa Llado explain:

“Gameschooling provides a unique and effective way to educate children, combining fun and learning seamlessly. By playing games, video games, and creative game-based approaches, parents can tap into the inherent potential of games to enhance engagement, skill development, and overall educational outcomes. So, let the games begin!”

For your consideration: Playing games together can lead to a positive addition to our family memory bank, but at the moment, you might be navigating conflict and rivalry. (I’m sure you didn’t need to be told that;)

What’s your favourite game with the kids? I want to hear! Send me a message on the socials.

Regular emotional check-ins can open up avenues for deeper conversations.

Simple questions like “How are you feeling today?” or “Is there anything on your mind?” or “So I remember you saying you didn’t like…tell me more about that” or “What do you think about that thing we saw in the news? I’d like to hear your perspective”.

For your consideration: Whenever you drive anywhere with a child alone, this IS the BEST place to chit chat. So do a road trip along with a teen, suggest your child wants to learn to drive, or just remember that this is the very best place for you to connect.

Being fully present during interactions is crucial. Avoid multitasking and show your children that they have your full attention. This demonstrates that you value their time and are genuinely interested in their lives.

Building relationships with homeschool family means you are definitely spending eyeball-to-eyeball time with them.

For your consideration: Practice mindfulness for your benefit and your kids. The more present you are more often, the more likely you’ll make sure to be with your kids.

Head over to the post to access three meditation playlists.

• One for the morning before you put your feet on the ground.

Begin a transformative journey with the self-directed course, “Foundations of Homeschool Mom Fulfillment: Building Boundaries for the Homeschool Mama.” Tailored for homeschool mamas seeking fulfillment, stronger relationships, and intentional living, this course empowers you to clarify your needs, navigate relationship challenges, and rediscover your identity. With practical tools and actionable steps, this course is designed to address boundary challenges, foster stronger connections, and guide you toward becoming a more intentional and fulfilled version of yourself.

By incorporating these simple strategies into your routine, you will ensure meaningful interactions and deep family connection, making the chaos of homeschooling a bit more manageable and a lot more rewarding.

Interested in learning more about how to connect deeply with your children? Join me for the recorded workshop: “Eyeball to Eyeball: Building Deep Connections in Your Homeschool Family”.

Discover practical strategies to foster meaningful interactions amidst a busy homeschool life. Let’s create a more connected and harmonious homeschooling experience together!

You’ll discover many other workshops valuable for you and your homeschool family in the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective.

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

The post Foster Strong Relationships in Your Homeschool Family appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

One summer, one of my daughters was moving in for a soccer goal. She’d been following a gal on the opposite team. She had the ball and the girl she’d been following wanted the ball back. The other girl stepped in for the ball and stepped directly on my daughter’s ankle. Crunch. Down my daughter fell.

(The kiddo who would normally jump right back up and declare she’ll keep playing…even as she had done when she got a wallop to the side of her face by a fastball on a mixed league baseball team.)

But on this soccer field, she couldn’t get back up, even when her teammates offered a hand.

Her dad carried her off the field, and off they went to emerg.

She was told she shouldn’t mobilize for ten weeks. This being the end of May meant swimming at our riverside home beach wouldn’t happen. And no canoeing, soccer, dance classes, or the summer theater she had signed up for.

Everything canceled.

As a homeschool mom, life keeps life-ing whether we have pneumonia, our relationship is in shambles, a parent is chronically ill, or our family income declines.

Along with the pressure to keep going, there’s often a lingering sense of isolation and self-doubt. How do we move forward while honoring our needs for healing? And how do we find (or reclaim) our purpose in the midst of this?

In my recent conversation with Trina and Emily, hosts of the Mind Your Heart Podcast, we touched on this experience. We explored the value of community, vulnerability, and forward-focused mindset work as ways to find (or reclaim) our purpose when life keeps life-ing.

You can listen to the episode by pressing play above.

Emily on Instagram.

Trina on Instagram.

For many of us, especially those who identify as self-sufficient or resilient, aka most homeschool moms, asking for help can feel incredibly difficult.

It’s uncomfortable, vulnerable, and often feels like admitting defeat. But the truth is, reaching out can build community (people love to feel helpful) and enable us with the wisdom and support we need instead of going it alone.

Emily shares this when her mom was walking through divorce, “You usually know what to do. You want to get stuff done on your own. But, mom, you really released that and was like, I need help and it’s okay that I need help. And you leaned into the community that you built.”

For many homeschool moms, there’s a familiar feeling of needing to “keep on keeping on” for the kids. Naturally.

This instinct can keep us grounded and moving forward, even when it feels nearly impossible. So that’s a good thing.

The sense of purpose that comes from caring for others can fuel us, helping us push through difficult times when we might otherwise be tempted to give up. It’s an incredible motivator.

Yet, there’s often a personal cost to this drive. Sometimes we don’t allow ourselves to feel the feelings. Sometimes we may believe we’ve failed our kids, that the challenges our kids face are because we failed them. That self-talk is harsh and unhelpful.

Recognizing and reframing our thoughts is how we can feel at peace. It can also compel us to redefine our role—not as someone who has failed but as someone who’s doing everything possible to create a safe, loving environment for our kids.

Life changes, such as kids growing up and leaving home, bring about deeper reflection and transitions. This transition has been bittersweet for me with each kiddo.

Undoubtedly, it’s a tricky time for homeschool moms. It sure has been for me. It’s grief and loss and excitement and pride all at the same time.

Grief and loss that I don’t get to spend every waking hour with that grown kiddo. And excitement and pride that they’re moving to their next thing, growing up, living their lives intentionally.

This change, however, is also an opportunity to lean into self-discovery. With more time and space, we can begin to nurture parts of ourselves that we may have set aside for too long.

While launching a kiddo can bring up difficult emotions, it can ultimately lead to a richer, more fulfilling sense of self.

For many, the idea of revisiting past trauma or digging into painful memories can feel overwhelming. (I certainly wasn’t keen in my early therapy years either, but I’ve learned it is clarifying and transformative).

However, sometimes, once we’ve reached a certain point, what we really need is a forward-focused approach. This is coaching.

It’s an invitation to focus on growth, goal-setting, and developing actionable steps to build the life we want moving forward.

This mindset-oriented approach is particularly appealing to those of us who have already done a lot of inner work and are ready to shift gears. Through coaching, we can explore our goals and take practical steps toward a future that feels meaningful and aligned with our true selves.

It’s a chance to live in the present, set new intentions, and move confidently toward the next steps of our life.

If you’re curious to learn more about coaching, book a no-obligation conversation with me.

Ultimately, when life is life-ing, and we’re looking to heal, reclaim our purpose, and want support to not do it alone, we can.

While it’s true that life sometimes feels isolating, cheerleading, community, and connection are available if we allow it.

For anyone feeling lost, unworthy, or unsure of what’s next, remember that you don’t need to have to shoulder it alone.

So, if you’re in the midst of a life transition, take a breath. It’s okay to pause and reflect, to practice reframing your challenge. It’s okay to reach out for support, to ask for help, and to invest in your healing and growth. You don’t have to go through it alone, and you don’t have to have all the answers.

You just have to take the next step.

Introducing Your Ultimate Wellness Guide, an ideal guidebook for homeschool moms seeking effective strategies to maintain physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. This comprehensive guide offers practical tips, actionable steps, and easy-to-follow instructions to help you prioritize self-care, manage stress, and enhance your overall homeschool experience. Get your copy now and take the first step towards a healthier and happier homeschool mom life!

• 10 Declutter Tips for Homeschool Moms with Simple by Emmy

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The post Finding Healing & Purpose When Life is Life-ing appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Who I was as a parent when his oldest sister was in my belly, to where I am now, when he’s the last kiddo at home, is so very different. How I wish the lessons I’ve learned through Dr. Shefali Tsabary’s book, The Awakened Family, would have bathed my mothering consciousness before I began this motherhood journey. Then I would have begun homeschooling as the awakened homeschool family.

Alas, we all begin where we begin, we must learn what we must learn, and we will learn these things at just the right time, when we most need to learn the lessons.

It’ll be on my newly updated Homeschool Mama Reading List. You’ve heard me share that I wouldn’t recommend parenting gurus because I believe you need to trust your gut, trust your intuition. And that’s why I’d recommend this author. Because she helps you listen to your gut and to trust your intuition: everything you need to know about your child is staring back at you through in those blue eyes and 6’3 body with size 12 shoes.

Tsabary reframes parenting as a journey of self-awareness rather than control over the child. Instead of fixing children’s behavior, she urges parents to confront their insecurities, expectations, and past wounds, creating space for genuine connection and understanding.

Because we spend our days alongside our children, we discover numerous opportunities to build self-awareness.

Sophia shared, “I think my big issue is managing the ugly emotions I feel when my kids disappoint me and yet I have to love them unconditionally. In the moment, I don’t because those ugly feelings are just so great.”

1. When we weren’t affirmed in our early years to FEEL our feelings, we have a hard time listening to our kids’ feelings.

2. We feel disappointed by our kids because they trigger experiences/disappointments we’ve had with others long before them. Those triggers haven’t been rendered.

3. Those triggers just reveal the work we need to do now.

4. You couldn’t have done all the work before you were a parent. It is our human reality that we won’t have our big emotions and our internal challenges figured BEFORE we parent. Oh, how I wish that were so.

Sophia continued, “I am 100% in agreement, but your point #4 is not something I realized until recently. This is how it happens–not in some perfect (unrealistic) way–but in the trenches of raising our most precious people with a very incomplete set of beliefs and habits and unrealistic expectations. It’s rough but I’m growing and learning and moving along better every time I have a win. And when I don’t, I have to remember your points #1-4.”

She emphasizes the harm in projecting unfulfilled ambitions onto children, highlighting the need for parents to accept their children as they are, without needing them to conform to a pre-set ideal.

There’s often a discussion about how to address unrealistic expectations as a homeschool mom. You’ve heard it. It goes like this…

Lower them. No lower them some. Now lower them even more.

1. Journal every day so you learn what your unrealistic expectations are.

Dr. Tsabary advocates for a relationship-based approach to parenting, encouraging “being with” children rather than “doing to” them. This involves actively listening and responding to their needs in a supportive and non-judgmental way, rather than using authority to enforce behavior.

This is the reason why I don’t care for parenting books of my generation, because they trended to encouraging “doing to” children rather than “being with” approaches. And though I certainly ascribed to that parenting approach in my earlier days, I’ve learned that this parenting approach is a mirage. Every parent will, one day, discover that their children didn’t change their minds, approaches, or behaviours, because we baited them with a carrot or a stick. (Though shame will compel some kids to run underground, becoming compliant, less themselves, and more people-pleasing, but certainly other kids won’t).

Parents are encouraged to examine their upbringing to avoid repeating patterns that negatively impact their children. Recognizing and breaking these cycles can open the door to healthier, more compassionate family dynamics.

• How Nonviolent Communication Informs my Homeschool

Instead of enforcing strict rules or molding children to fit social expectations, Tsabary calls for allowing children to grow into their authentic selves, fostering independence, resilience, and confidence.

Renata messaged me, “We have a son who is a sophomore in college and who lives with us, a 17-year-old son who will be a senior in high school, an almost 15-year-old daughter who will be a high school freshman, and a 10-year-old boy who will be in the 5th grade. 

And it can be quite lonely when it seems there aren’t those around who understand or can give advice to help you navigate the changing seasons of homeschooling.  Most of my homeschooling friends stopped homeschooling in high school. I feel like we’ve exited the “golden years” of homeschooling…those sweet times of lots of smiling faces and a willingness to go along with things and a wonder about them. With our almost 15-year-old only daughter, I tend to get a good amount of resistance and she doesn’t always have the best attitude towards school work and helping out around the house. 

Asking her to do things sometimes feels like I’m asking the world of her. Some days she is amazing to be around, other days it feels quite the opposite.  She has big emotions…very much like her mother.”

I helped Renata uncover her deeper motivations and relational dynamics, empowering her with clearer boundaries, renewed motivation, and a joyful perspective as she navigated her homeschool family relationships with her teen and young adult children.

The coaching program was the impetus to help me think more deeply about my homeschool and relational ‘whys’ to get to a place to see where change needed to be made.

I now have infinitely better boundaries with our teenage daughter and I no longer feel like our relationship hangs by a thin thread. I feel much more motivated in my homeschool days and have made some major shifts that have restored the joy in our homeschool. I’m also learning to lean into the new season with older children and embrace the joy found in the present, rather than pining for the past.”

To raise secure, independent children, parents must first confront and release their limitations and insecurities.

For me, this is why I wasn’t able to begin my mothering journey confidently listening, observing, and understanding my children. Because I wasn’t confidently listening, observing, and understanding myself.

I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I was just trying to do the best with what I had. But only after many iterations of living into my own freedom story, recognizing who I was and who I wasn’t, understanding how I wanted to intentionally show up for others, and what I expected of others in how they showed up for me, I couldn’t confidently listen, observe, understand my kids either.

I had to begin with me.

A reminder to be present and not to overemphasize accomplishments or outcomes, which can create pressure and lead to disconnection in parent-child relationships.

They’re not done at 18. They’ll always be growing and becoming. And so will I. This motherhood journey doesn’t end either.

This highlights the notion that children, though in our care, are individuals with their stories, and that honoring this individuality helps them flourish.

Riley shared this with me, “I think my need for perfection is rooted in not wanting to cause my children any pain, and wanting them to be supported to be their best selves. I have good intentions, “if I do everything the right way, they’ll be okay”. But it’s a never-ending, maddening experience to constantly be searching, researching and carrying out “the right way of doing things”. I end up deflated because I “couldn’t get it right”, and that it will lead to some detrimental thing for my kids. I’m sure this partly has to do with the fact that I had a lot of emotional pain as a child and no one was able to help me understand it and process it, likely due to their pain and issues.

Logically, I know there is no way to prevent pain and sadness in my children’s lives, but that drive to try anyway stems from my experience.

What I have done, that’s not perfect by any means, but I think probably what I needed, which I believe all kids need, is to give my kids my time and my presence. That eyeball time you refer to, to see and hear them and help them identify their feelings. I’m always observing the way they’re evolving and try to stick with that at the end of the day. But it’s still challenging!”

We often strive to protect our children from pain, hoping to ensure their well-being by doing everything “right,” but this approach can lead us into cycles of self-doubt and perfectionism, especially when rooted in our unresolved experiences. Riley’s journey reflects this struggle, showing that true support comes not from controlling every outcome but from being present and engaged in our children’s lives. By giving them our time and attention — that “eyeball time” where we truly see and hear them — we help them process emotions and grow into their unique selves.

As we guide and nurture our children, we are transformed by the insights and challenges we face together. This applies to our relationships with partners too. In partnership, there’s a commitment to walk alongside one another, learning through struggles and connection.

Here are some simple, intentional ways we can truly savor and connect with our kids:

1. Set aside a short daily or weekly “date” with each child to connect without distractions.

The Gift

“May you be blessed with a child . . .

Who defies you
So you learn to release control,
With one who doesn’t listen
So you learn to tune in,
With one who loves to procrastinate
So you learn the beauty of stillness,
With one who forgets things
So you learn to let go of attachments,
With one who is extra-sensitive
So you learn to be grounded,
With one who is inattentive
So you learn to be focused,
With one who dares to rebel
So you learn to think outside the box,
With one who feels afraid
So you learn to trust the universe.

May you be blessed with a child . . .
Who teaches you
that it is never about them

And all about you.”

I’ve learned that the most meaningful moments often come when we listen to what our family truly needs. When we let go of unrealistic expectations, we open up space for joy, connection, and the chance to grow alongside our kids—something I know we all truly need.

Introducing the Reimagine Your Homeschool Workbook! Reflect on the past year, assess what worked and what didn’t, and build the homeschool you truly want. Evaluate curriculum, routine, philosophy, and plan for the future. Get renewed inspiration and fresh ideas.

• Tell me more about the homeschool mama book club.

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The post Awakened Homeschool Family: Living with Purpose, Learning from Heart appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Today, I want to share some insights and tools to declutter your homeschool mama mind that have helped me clear the mental clutter, navigate those tough emotions, and actually enjoy this incredible journey. Here’s how I went from feeling overwhelmed to on purpose in my homeschool life, and how you can, too.

Years ago, in the early years of homeschooling, I remember feeling like I was just barely keeping my head above water. I had this beautiful vision of creating a joyful, enriching environment for my kids, but on many days, I felt like I was losing myself. Constant interruptions, unrealistic expectations, and my own emotions were always simmering beneath the surface.

One day, I had a breakthrough realization: it wasn’t just the daily challenges of homeschooling that were overwhelming me—it was my internal stories.

It was my unaddressed triggers, my need for control, and my unresolved expectations that were weighing me down.

As Dr. Shefali Tsabary says in The Awakened Family, “Our children are not ours to control; they are independent souls on their own journey.” That shift was powerful for me. My children didn’t exist to fix or fulfill me. Their behavior was simply a mirror, reflecting my own internal struggles and providing an invitation to grow and heal.

So, what does it mean to deal with our triggers?

For me, homeschooling became an opportunity to learn about myself and unpack what was underneath my reactions. Homeschooling was inviting me into a journey of self-awareness, and instead of seeing it as something to just “handle,” I saw it as a path toward growth.

Our triggers are like mental clutter—little stories or beliefs we carry about how things should be. Maybe it’s a fear of failure, a belief that our homeschool should look perfect, or a feeling that we need to prove our worth. These inner stories often show up in our homeschool, impacting our peace, our relationship with our kids, and our ability to be present.

As Shefali Tsabary also says, “If you want your children to be free, you must first be free.” Our internal work isn’t separate from our parenting; it directly affects our children’s freedom and joy. If we’re bogged down by unrealistic expectations or unexamined triggers, it affects the entire atmosphere of our homeschool life.

One tool that has been incredibly transformative for me in addressing my triggers is Byron Katie’s 4 Questions. This simple process helps you look deeper and question the beliefs that might be causing your overwhelm. Here’s how it works:

1. Is it true? – Start by asking yourself if the story you’re telling yourself is true. For example, if you’re thinking, “I’m failing as a homeschool mom,” pause and ask, “Is that actually true?”

By working through these questions, I can untangle myself from the stories that are causing me stress. I’ve even put together these questions as a free download so you can try them out yourself and see if they help you find clarity.

Of course, dealing with our thoughts is only one part of the process. Sometimes, as homeschool moms, we face big emotions—feelings of frustration, self-doubt, and even guilt. And that’s okay. Instead of pushing these feelings aside, I’ve learned that it’s necessary to face them and give them space to be understood.

I created a Big Emotions Journaling Workbook for homeschool moms who want to dive deeper into their emotional world. Journaling has been a powerful tool for me to process my emotions, recognize where they’re coming from, and work through them instead of letting them cloud my day. Giving myself permission to feel and to understand these emotions has created space for more peace, acceptance, and joy in my homeschool life.

As Tsabary reminds us, “Parenting is about letting go of control and embracing your children’s autonomy.” Allowing myself to experience my emotions without trying to control every outcome has been freeing, both for me and my children.

As a graduated homeschool mom and Certified Life Coach, I’m here to help you shed what’s not working, so you can thrive in your homeschool and life.

So here’s my encouragement for you today: the next time you feel overwhelmed or triggered, take a moment to pause and ask, What’s really going on here? Is there a story or belief you’re holding onto that’s weighing you down? Try using Byron Katie’s 4 Questions to dig a little deeper, and if you’re ready to go even further, explore your emotions through journaling.

Download the Free 4 Questions
If you’d like to use these questions as a tool for navigating those tough emotions, download them here.

Big Emotions Journaling Workbook
Ready to explore your emotional world? Get the Big Emotions Journaling Workbook for a guided journaling experience!

Our homeschooling journey is as much about our own growth as it is about our children’s learning. When we do the work to declutter your homeschool mama mind and heart, we’ll make room for more joy, connection, and freedom—not just for us, but for our kids too.

NURTURING YOU: A Digital Workbook for Homeschool Moms | Instant Download

Rediscover yourself beyond homeschooling with this 14-page guide. Packed with exercises for creativity, self-awareness, and personal growth — perfect for busy moms looking for balance and “me time.”

• How Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart Influences our Homeschools

I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.

• Fed Up with Homeschool? 18 Strategies to Regain Joy

Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The post Declutter Your Homeschool Mama Mind: Overwhelm to On Purpose appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.