Embracing the Homeschool You Never Wanted
For the mom who feels nudged by God to homeschool but doesn’t really want to (and has plenty of reasons why she’s “not a fit”). This is not a pep talk—it’s a practical, faith-centered reframing of what success can look like, how to use your actual strengths, and how to move from “I should” to “I choose,” without lying to yourself.
Start Here: “Why me, Lord?”
Before you read further, I want you to pause and ask yourself, “Why do you think God asked you to homeschool?” Don’t overthink it. Pray to find out. Let this question be in your prayers and seek the inspiration to know why. Having this confirmation in your heart, even if it isn’t completely clear, having a glimpse will give you motivation on the hard days. Does a specific child need something? Is God asking you to grow? What do you have to offer your children that is unique to you?
Your Specific Gifts
God didn’t call a generic “ideal homeschool mom.” He called you—with your wiring—on purpose. What are the gifts you have to offer your children? What are your strengths? Are you creative? Do you have the gift to make learning fun? What have been your strengths you’ve leaned on over the years? Are you organized? Can you create systems? Are you spontaneous? Are you able to recognize truth and connect it to all learning? What can you model for your children that will bless their lives? Remember, your wiring is part of the “assignment” and why God asked you to do this at this time. Pick one strength and plan to use it this week.
Define Success on Purpose (not by comparison)
You are not running the public-school playbook; you don’t need their scoreboard. Traditional academic systems rely on standardized benchmarks, grade levels, and testing, which can create a comparison trap that impacts a child’s self-worth when they feel they don’t measure up. Labels like “below grade level” or “remedial” emphasize gaps over growth, often leading to discouragement and decreased motivation. Every child is unique and has strengths and weaknesses, and I have found it far more effective to meet each child where they are and help them take the next step that is right for them individually. Intentionally choose what success looks like for your family. Measure that, not someone else’s Instagram.
Fuel from Abundance, Not Lack
When you’re fueled by possibilities and abundance, everything opens: your shoulders drop, your curiosity wakes up, and tiny ideas start to sparkle into simple next steps. You stop bracing and start breathing—inviting learning to feel safe, playful, and doable. From that place, creativity flows: history becomes a first-person diary, fractions turn into cookies, a stubborn afternoon softens into a five-minute win that seeds tomorrow’s hope. Abundance reminds you that progress grows best in warmth, not in worry—that God meets you in motion and multiplies what you offer. You don’t have to force it; you can let grace and imagination carry the load with you. One gentle choice, one honest breath, one small experiment—and momentum begins.
Willing Hearts: Strength that Grows Because it’s Hard
There’s a quiet power in saying yes to God when it collides with your preferences. Obedience when it’s easy builds habit; obedience when it’s hard builds character.
Reframes:
- “I don’t want this” → “I’m willing to want what God wants as I walk with Him.”
- “Reluctant homeschooler” → “Woman of faith who acts with God, even when it stretches me.”
Saying yes to homeschooling when everything in you wants to say no is a quiet act of courage. It shows you honor revelation over comfort, love over convenience, and growth over perfection. It reveals a woman of integrity—someone willing to be shaped by God in real time, to learn as she leads, and to put relationships first. Your yes tells the truth about you: you are faithful, resilient, creative, and willing to do hard things for the hearts entrusted to you.
Ownership: from “Should” to “Choose”
Choose your yes. Trade “I should” for “I choose to,” and take your agency back. When you own your decision, your energy shifts—you stop bracing and start creating. You’re not at the mercy of circumstances; you’re directing them. This is empowering because it’s true: you are already choosing. Step into that truth, move with purpose, and lead as a creator—not a victim.
The Gain, Not the Gap
When you don’t even want to be homeschooling, the “gap”—everything you’re not doing, not finishing, not feeling—shouts loud. But power lives in the gain. The gain is yesterday to today: five extra minutes of reading without tears, one honest repair after a rough moment, a shorter lesson that actually stuck, you choosing to show up when it was easier not to. Measuring the gain trains your brain to see progress, which builds hope, which fuels consistency—far more than shame ever could. The gap keeps you frozen; the gain gets you moving. And momentum, not perfection, is what transforms a reluctant season into a faithful, workable one.