Building a Christ-Centered Homeschool on Purpose
Have you ever finished a busy homeschool day and thought, “We did a lot… but did we build what really matters?”
That’s the question Stephen Covey’s Habit 2—Begin with the End in Mind—invites us to ask.
Choosing the Wall Before You Climb
Covey uses a simple image: a ladder.
You can climb fast and still end up in the wrong place if your ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.
As homeschool moms, our “ladder” is full of effort—lesson plans, laundry, teaching, correcting, managing emotions, making dinner. But the wall is what gives that effort meaning. Habit 2 calls us to pause and ask:
“What is my true end in mind?”
Is it finishing the math book—or nurturing a love of learning?
Is it perfect behavior—or a heart that turns toward Jesus Christ?
When we begin each day with the spiritual outcome in mind, everything else falls into place.
The Gospel Pattern: Spiritual Creation First
This principle isn’t just smart psychology—it’s divine order.
Moses 3:5 teaches that all things were created spiritually before they were created naturally.
Elder David A. Bednar has said that morning prayer can be a sacred time to spiritually create your day—to picture how you want to think, feel, and respond before life even happens. Then, in evening prayer, we return and report on how we did and what we learned.
That’s Habit 2 in gospel language.
We spiritually design with God before we physically build the day.
Create Your Homeschool on Purpose
Here’s a simple 3-minute practice:
- Pray. Ask Heavenly Father to show you what truly matters today.
- Picture. See the spirit of your homeschool by bedtime—gentle, joyful, connected.
- Plan. Choose one or two small actions that align with that vision.
That’s your first creation.
Then go live it—the second creation—with faith and flexibility.
A Simple Challenge
Tomorrow morning, before lessons begin, whisper this prayer:
“Father, help me begin with the end in mind.
Help me teach with love, see with patience, and end this day in peace.”
That’s all.
Five quiet minutes that shift your whole day.
When you begin your homeschool with the Savior and the end in mind, your ladder will always rest on the right wall.