Priorities!

Moms, please make sure you are taking care of yourselves. Homeschooling can seem like an all consuming job. Even when the “all-consuming” is born out of PASSION & LOVE! There is something so sweet about watching my children as the “light” goes in. I love to watch them have “aha” moments. Over the years I became more and more focused on my family, our curriculum and outside extra curricular activities and I became less and less focused on doing things to take care of myself physically.

Being a mom keeps me busy and I found myself feeling guilty and selfish for even thinking about taking consistent time out of my day to go exercise. There was always one more task that I should be doing in my home. I’ll work out later, tomorrow, next Monday.

Imagine my surprise when last summer I was taken to the emergency room where they thought I was having a heart attack. I was simply sitting at the table working on my lesson planning when out of nowhere my heart began to accelerate and beat out of my chest. I tried to tell myself it was nothing and decided to go lay down. However, when a slight pressure decided to go up through my neck and into my back I knew I might be in trouble. By the time my husband got me to the hospital my blood pressure was in the stroke and seizure range.

Thankfully there was NO damage to the heart, however, do you know what I thought about while nurses worked fervently around me? I thought of the beautiful faces of my children and the idea of leaving my husband. I realized how out of whack my priorities had been. Even when there is not the threat of death looming overhead, if I am out of shape, I cannot be the mom I want to be. Over the past year I have talked with so many homeschooling moms who struggle with the same thing.

In the year since that event I have stabilized my life with medication that helps me to keep my blood pressure under control. I have learned that I can’t give away what I don’t own. If I want my children to practice good health decisions than they need to SEE me (not hear) me walking them out.

Homeschooling is more than just curriculum. It’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle of learning, loving, growing, doing and being. Have you ever heard the saying, “More Is Caught Than Taught”? Remember your children need YOU!

What are things you do on a consistent basis to take care of yourself in this crazy, but wonderful world of home education?