Ema Lopez, like so many other homeschooling parents, can never quite get it all done on her daily to-do list. That’s understandable! There’s so much to balance, especially for those who have several children each at a different academic level. But Ema realizes that there are far more important things than checking off each task every day. See what she has to say in this short video:
Insights:
- Focus on what the Lord brings across your path each day.
- Focus on what really matters.
Focus on what the Lord brings across your path each day.
Homeschooling parents know all too well that completing everything on the day’s academic to-do list is nearly impossible. Countless distractions and hindrances to the family’s productivity are inevitable, from grumpy, unmotivated children to—let’s face it—grumpy, unmotivated parents. That’s okay! There’s always tomorrow to finish your to-do list, so focus each day instead on what God brings to you.
This means attending to each distraction, each hindrance, each grumpy child with love and compassion. Easier said than done, of course, but remember that this is one of the whole reasons you decided to homeschool! Even though to-do lists can be overwhelming (and seemingly never-ending), put your attention to what most matters—raising your children to follow Him.
Focus on what really matters.
As if your to-do list wasn’t long enough, go ahead and add two more tasks. Put them at the top of your list every day, so that you’ll never forget to do them:
- Encourage the development of Christian character in your children
- Make the Lord known
Ema believes these should be given priority far above any academic to-do list. You might not be able to get your children to complete all their coursework for every subject every day—certainly not their math homework, that’s for sure—but you do have the opportunity to bring your children up in a household that honors and loves God. Don’t miss it!
Sooo… How can I get it all done?
To-do lists can be overwhelming, especially when tasks snowball into the next day and the day after that. However, try not to get discouraged if you aren’t living up to the standards you set for yourself with these lists. As long as you are encouraging the spiritual development of your children and making the Lord known to them, you are doing enough.
For Parts 1 and 2 to this video, you can find them here at out blog or in our video series Ask a Homeschool Parent.
