Hey Friends!
These are, indeed, crazy times we find ourselves in.
Stores are closed, extra-curricular activities are banned, and schools are shut down…say what?!?!?
You suddenly find yourself homeschooling those little munchkins that, up until now, you lovingly sent off to school each day.
You instantly feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. How do you balance this new normal?
You are, no doubt, scrolling through Pinterest to find the perfect activities that will keep your children happy, healthy, and well-educated. You feel like the more you do and the busier they stay, they better off everyone will be.
All the while, there is a barrage of questions that keep flowing through your head.
Am I doing enough?
Will my child be behind next year?
How can I recreate the school environment at home?
How do I complete an 8-hour school day at home?
You see other moms on Instagram that seem to have it all together and you subsequently begin to compare yourself to them. You hear the enemy whisper in your ear that you are not cut out for this, that you are not enough.
Well, friends, I am here to tell you that this is simply NOT true.
You are enough.
Take a deep breath and just focus on the basics. If all you do is read to your kids each day and provide a stable and loving home environment, then you are doing a phenomenal job. If you are their calm in the midst of this storm, your child(ren) will thrive and you can consider this time a success. This is a new normal but it is also a temporary new normal, don’t forget that!
It is important to remember that this change isn’t just challenging for us. Our children are processing through many emotions as well. They miss their friends, activities, and routine. Our main job during this time is to weather this storm well and provide security for them.
If you are wondering how I can be so sure about this, let me tell you a little bit about my background. I am a licensed teacher. I have a degree in K-8 education with an emphasis in early childhood (k-3). I have studied, in depth, the developmental stages children go through. I have taught in the pubic school system. I have cofounded (and sold) a successful licensed drop-in childcare center. I have homeschooled each of our children since the beginning (they are currently in grades k, 3, 5, and 7). I truly understand the inner workings of their little brains. Please just trust me…
If all you do is read to your kids each day and provide a stable and loving home environment, then you are doing a remarkable job and your children will be fine!
So, get off the comparison train.
Stop scrolling through Pinterest to find the thousands of crafty ideas that will drive you to insanity.
Instead, grab some throw pillows, corral your kiddos, snuggle up, and read to them. You can even add a little extra fun by making a batch of hot cocoa to enjoy during the story! We live in Colorado and still have snow on the ground so hot cocoa is the perfect story time drink in our home! I do realize that some of you fancy pants make it from scratch…mine is from a pouch but that’s okay with me!
If you do this, you can lay your head on your pillow at night knowing that all is well in your home. Trust me…
You are MORE than enough!
