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Is your home a pitstop?
Is your calendar color-coded with tiny writing to fit all your daily to-dos and places you need to pitstop each day? Do your feet hit the ground running each day with a whirlwind to fit it all in? This type of lifestyle can work on adrenaline for a while, but sooner or later the effects will catch up to you.
Rat race of the past
I remember a time when my boys were younger and being on the go was part of our daily routine. If it wasn’t therapy appointments for Grayson, it was a stop at the local Target. I would stop in there three or more times a week to check on any deals or clearance items I surely didn’t want to miss. Playdates at the park more often than not with an iced coffee from Dunks in tow. I always needed to stop by the grocery for a forgotten item daily too. Not to mention soccer practice or trying out the latest offerings for homeschool kids.
Was I avoiding my home? Probably. At home I had mounting chores, lessons to attend to and what I felt like was a hamster wheel of tortured life with littles. Avoidance wasn’t the answer. What really happened was disciplinary issues and exhaustion in my household. Although it was an unpopular decision with some friends and family, and myself, I made the decision to step back. Less daily activity and earlier nighttime routines made for a better home mindset.
How life shifted
What happened over time was how I saw more growth in my boys by being present during the mundane of the day. I took more pleasure than pain in doing dishes, cleaning floors, and the endless laundry. I understood that this was my purpose. Nurturing my kids from the front seat of a car was not working. This was.
When our home became a sanctuary and not a pitstop life began to have a rhythm felt by everyone. I found solace in the ordinary of our days and realized my boys didn’t need constant stimulation, they needed time and space.
Grayson spent more time working on his handicrafts and even started his own lawn business. Grant began designing things to build and playing on his own in the backyard. I picked up an old hobby or two and misbehavior was dwindling to a minimum.
Creating a home mindset
The easiest way to create a home mindset is to make home a priority no matter what your location. Traditions are built on values and experiences. Family and home are wherever you are with each other; therefore, creating a home mindset to adjust to your family is the goal. Create a home base so that your children have a sense of security and a safe place to form their identity. At home, children will learn life skills and build layers for the foundation that will sustain their life for the years to come.
Adding to your routine
I discovered that creating a morning time was our favorite time of the homeschool day; even though it doesn’t mean that everyone sits quietly. Instead, the boys are usually whittling a stick or sorting fishing lures while listening to lessons. This is the time we connect with what they are thinking, sharing history lessons and reading aloud.
As a veteran homeschool mama, I can tell you that as your family matures, so does your family foundation. Layers are woven together by blood, sweat, and tears. They are strengthened by good times and bad experiences. A good rule to remember is that together is better.
Make the home your center, not just a pitstop in the day. Striving for the home mindset to keep peace and calm in every day. Taking a step back to discuss the real issues at hand leads to better communication and less anxiety for all.
Mary Beth and I talk more about this subject of a pitstop over at the Roadschool Moms Radio Show. Listen in to our podcast called Creating a Home Mindset.
