While caring for our tomato garden last summer, we came across those infamous tomato hornworms that can be quite the pest for a gardener. They can get to be 3-4 inches long and are in the larval stage of the five-spotted hawkmoth. As we were picking them off the stems to give to our coworker with chickens, I noticed that several of them were carrying a back full of little white sacs. What in the world? So, upon further investigation we learned that those are actually Braconid Wasp larvae. Yuck!
Braconid wasps are tiny and in order to reproduce they attack a host, in our case the caterpillar. The wasp injects its eggs into the hosts’ body, and the larvae hatches and feeds on the caterpillar. They do indeed stop the caterpillar from eating up your vegetable garden and are a natural pest control. Kinda gross, but our kids found it to be a fascinating study on bugs. Now, I looked at that poor hornworm caterpillar and thought, “those things are sucking the life out of that poor guy, save him!” Immediately my mind goes into illustration mode and I ask myself: how many times have I let “parasites” suck the life out of me?
As a homeschool parent, there are a lot of things clamoring for your attention – the kids, the house, the schooling, outside family, work, friends, pets, church, sports, and… you get the idea! Quite frankly, we start carrying more than we can handle and it affects us. When Mama ain’t happy, nobody's happy! Whenever I find myself becoming a grumpy, tired mommy, it’s time to look in the mirror and figure out why. What parasite has come into my life and is taking more out of me than I can keep up with? It’s then that I sit down with pen and paper, remind myself of my priorities, and reset. Everyone’s list is different, so it’s not wise to compare yourself to others or take too much advice from peers. Your list of priorities will change as your children grow!
Keep the main thing, the main thing. Even break it down to the simplest list of sleep, eat, school, home. How’s that going?
Getting Enough Sleep
Do you have a consistent bedtime and waking time? Are the kids getting the proper sleep? Homeschoolers are notorious for staying up late and sleeping in. That’s all well and good but keep in mind that the sleep hours before midnight are very valuable for rest and restoring. On days where you need to be up early, it can be a struggle for everyone if sleeping in is a habit. Decide on a good sleep routine. Study it. Pray about it. Make the decision that is best for your family and your schedule and stick with it. So many issues are rooted in sleep habits. Having a nice bedtime routine and wake up routine can be helpful for everyone in the family. Be ok with telling people, “It’s a school night, we need to get home” to keep your routine.
Preparing Meals and Snacks
Coming up with a routine and menu for kids that will eat at home all day can be challenging! Doesn’t it seem like you clear the table of one mess, and those kids are hungry again? Your schedule will differ depending on your kid’s age. I do not enjoy cooking all day, so some meals were on me while others were on them with parameters. Usually, supper was our big meal, and we would eat leftovers or sandwiches for lunch. Breakfast was cereal or I would make a hot meal. For the child whose appetite is unending, I had a snack basket, and they could ask permission for one item. In the basket was fruit and healthy portioned items.
Teaching in Your Homeschool
It is a job to teach your children and should be taken as seriously as you would if you were working for someone. Accountability keeps us on our toes and sometimes we lack that at home. Protect those core subjects (ELA, Math, Science, and History) and have a steady schedule for completing them. Not every day will be perfect, but every day learning can happen. I used this schedule loosely in my home and adapted it to our needs.
Managing Your Home
You are the keeper of your home. This is another article all together! Staying organized and clean happens with a plan. Either you do it yourself, you do it together, or you hire it to be done. Your home can be run like a well-oiled machine with consistency and routine. My whole attitude can be affected by a chaotic house. Sometimes it just takes 15 minutes for everyone to pitch in to make home look better!
While this is a simple list, keeping it all balanced can be a challenge! I find that when these things are in order, I feel better and my family is happier. Remember that the more things you add, the more you have to juggle and the more that can drain you. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Choose wisely as you add to your list of things to do. It might just suck the life out of you!
If you ever want to chat, give me a call on the consultant line. We are here to support you in any way we can!
