Your prescription for happier, healthier homeschooling. Christian psychologist, author, and homeschool mom of six Dr. Melanie Wilson shares research-backed, doable strategies for the things that steal your sanity — stress and burnout, time management, organization, motivation, and curriculum decisions — with plenty of encouragement along the way. For homeschooling parents who want calmer, more joyful days. Follow the show and homeschool with more sanity and grace.
Hey, homeschoolers! I used to be of the mind that leaders were born, not made. What I mean is, I thought you needed to be a Type A extrovert to be a leader. There didn’t seem to be much point to teaching my introverted kids how to lead.
But my opinion has changed as I’ve watched my introverted, Type B child become a leader. I’ve also changed my thinking after interviewing Kerry Beck for the podcast. Her definition of leadership motivates us to teach every child these skills.
I’m thrilled to be joining Kerry for the Raising Leaders, Not Followers conference starting February 25th. You can sign up now for free if you know you’ll be able to watch live or register for the VIP option at homeschoolsanity.com/leaders. I’ll be sharing how to help your child make and keep friends. I would love to have you join me.
Kerry Beck helps you get past the perfect Instagram image & move on to real-life ways to raise your kids to lead, instead of follow. She offers practical tips to encourage your kids to love learning, think critically and influence those around them as adults. She inspires moms with her personal & spiritual stories of moving from overwhelmed to peace & resting in God.
Kerry homeschooled her three (now adult) children for 10 years. She has a free homeschooling ebook for you at HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com.
How To Teach Your Kids To Make Wise Decisions
Feb 10, 2026
Show notes
How do you teach your kids to make wise decisions in a world that feels increasingly morally gray? As homeschool parents, many of us worry about striking the right balance. We don’t want to be too controlling on one hand, but we also don’t want to just let our kids “figure it out” on their own. So how do we help them develop godly wisdom without micromanaging every choice?
In this episode, I talk with Dean Zuleger—a father of four, grandfather of seven, and someone who has spent decades mentoring kids through coaching, teaching, and ministry. Dean homeschooled his own children in Wisconsin, and now his son and daughter-in-law are homeschooling their five kids in Minnesota. Dean has developed a biblical framework for teaching decision-making to children that gives them structure and security in an uncertain world.
His approach? Use classic literature and powerful questions to help kids move from observing characters’ choices to owning wisdom themselves. Whether you have wiggly elementary boys, decision-averse teens, or kids somewhere in between, this conversation is packed with practical tools and biblical wisdom for raising wise decision-makers.
Homeschool Mom: You’re Not Alone
Feb 03, 2026
Show notes
📚 Part of our guide: Homeschool Burnout
Feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or like you’re the only one struggling? This conversation will remind you that you’re not alone.
Annette Vaughn, author of Dear Homeschool Mom, shares early warning signs of burnout, the difference between healthy reflection and unhealthy guilt, and practical ways to refuel your tank before you hit empty.
The best part? Her book features encouragement from 50+ ordinary homeschool moms who’ve been there—written specifically for different struggles and seasons you’re facing.
Tired? Fearful about your family’s health? Overwhelmed by conflicting health information and not sure who to trust? You’re not alone. And this conversation is going to help.
In this episode, Dr. Melanie Wilson talks with Dr. Dusty Hess, founder of Upstream Health and publisher of Upstream Magazine, about how to realign your family’s health back to God’s original design—without fear, without overwhelm, and without needing to become a health expert.
What’s ONE small health change you’re going to make this month? Share in the comments below! If this episode gave you hope or shifted your perspective, please subscribe for more encouragement and share with a homeschool mom who needs to hear this
Remember: God chose you—weaknesses and all—to steward your family’s health. You can trust Him with this journey, one small step at a time.
To The Homeschool Mom Who Feels Like She’s Failing
Jan 20, 2026
Show notes
Do you feel like you’re failing because your kids’ character, or math skills, or writing aren’t where they should be? Did you plan to read more books, finish more lessons, and make more healthy meals than you did? Or do you feel like you’re failing personally in your faith, organization, or health? If so, know that I can relate. I’m Dr. Melanie Wilson and this is The Homeschool Sanity Show where I will share three reasons you think you’re failing and how you can just stop that already. Seriously, I want you to feel better after listening to this episode. So grab a cup of coffee, some laundry to fold, or some sneakers and let’s get over this failure fixation, shall we?
The first reason you feel like you’re failing is because you’re focused on your weaknesses.
I have always thought I homeschooled six kids in spite of my weaknesses in organization, patience, and focus. Then I watched a video clip of Pastor Emmanuel Iren discussing Jonah’s impact on Nineveh and my whole perspective changed. I was likewise focused on Jonah’s weaknesses. He was bitter and disobedient. But he was the perfect prophet to accomplish God’s purposes. Before Jonah arrived, the people of Nineveh believed in a god that was a man who emerged from a fish.
You’re going to catch on to this quickly, so I will just say it. God chose Jonah because he knew he would run to the boat to avoid preaching to the Ninevites. He didn’t choose Jonah in spite of this weakness. Jonah did have a very good prophet characteristic, however. He told the truth. The men said, “What up?” and he told them he was running from God. The men apparently thought this God was just an average God that was no concern to them. Until the storm threatened them. They cast lots to see who was responsible, and who made the lot fall on Jonah? God. I love that Jonah continues to be honest and says, “Yep, it’s me. I’m responsible for the storm. Throw me overboard.” That was no kind of honesty that these men were used to and they were scared. They threw out everything else but Jonah to survive the storm, but as you know it didn’t work. They threw Jonah out and prayed to the one true God for mercy.
A big fish swallows Jonah and delivers him to the shores of Nineveh where the people can see him being spit out. Can you imagine? They’re rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Jonah is in a much more obedient state of mind after his time out in a fish. He tells the people to repent and they are willing to listen to anything this man from God has to say.
Now what does this have to do with why you feel like you’re failing? If you are focused on your weaknesses as a source of failure, you’ve missed the boat. God may very well have chosen you to homeschool your children at this time BECAUSE of your weaknesses. God knew I was disorganized. He knew that I was drowning in a mess until a flyfisherwoman called the FLYLady pulled me in and taught me about routines. She set me free so I could homeschool and handle more kids. Like Jonah I was ready to preach! I shared my story with other homeschool moms in The Organized Homeschool Life.
God used a disobedient prophet to save a ship full of sailors and an entire city. So God can surely use your weaknesses to teach your children. I ask you now to consider how God has used your weaknesses for good. And throw the idea of weaknesses meaning failure overboard.
The second reason you think you’re failing is because you’re comparing.
You know it’s wrong, but you keep sneaking peeks at what your homeschool neighbor is doing. I did that at my son’s homeschool kindergarten graduation. I agreed to participate before I knew any better. I thought it was a photo op with cake. But no, apparently it was an exhibition for homeschool talent scouts.
I was shocked that several kindergarteners provided the music for the graduation. I didn’t even have my son in lessons yet. Clearly, I was already years behind. While a couple of these youngsters spoke for the ceremony, my son wasn’t even paying attention. There was more of this to come.
I put my son in soccer in second grade. He would look everywhere but the field during games and slowly jogged behind the players moving the ball. His coach left him on the bench most of the time, and even my husband concluded he wasn’t athletic.
When he started high school, I didn’t even consider putting him in leadership activities some of the other homeschooled boys were in. He just didn’t have the personality they had.
When it came time for my son to go to college, he entered with an undeclared major. His best friend knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Comparing had me thinking I had failed. But here’s the end of the story. This son of mine learned to play multiple instruments, mostly on his own. He asked to be part of our church’s worship team. In college he started playing handball and excelled at it. He also started playing in pickleball tournaments and winning. He convinced his younger siblings to join the handball team and started a book club with friends and siblings as a working adult. He decided to become a physician’s assistant while in college. He arranged to get the patient hours he needed, was accepted to PA school, graduated, and got a job he loves.
Now, I am not responsible for this young man’s success. But neither did I fail him. Instead of comparing yourself to other moms or your kids to theirs, compare where you and your child are now to where you started. No doubt you’ve made progress.
The third reason you think you’re failing is because you’re depending on your own strength.
I recently began working on being able to do a pull-up. To build my strength, I was going to do negative pull-ups. You jump up to a bar and slowly lower yourself. I jumped up to the pull-up bar, only I didn’t slowly lower. I very quickly landed flat on my back because the bar wasn’t secure. I’m thrilled to say that I was okay. Thanks be to God.
But this is how I started my homeschooling journey too. I thought I was strong enough and disciplined enough to do it. And pride goeth before a fall. My pull-up training WAS a fail, but that was my first effort. After throwing the pull-up bar in the trash, I went to the gym and used a pull-up machine. I stood on a step that provided the support I needed when my strength wasn’t up to the job. Since then I have been doing negative pull-ups at home. At first I asked my husband to spot me.
God is our strength and support for everything we do in this homeschooling life. He bears the burdens. He makes things work even when we mess up. All we have to do is ask Him. If we could do it in our own strength, we would be filled with pride. We wouldn’t depend on Him.
God also provides support through a spouse, family, and friends. I could not have finished the job of homeschooling without their help and encouragement. Ask yourself if you’ve been trying to do homeschooling with no support. If so, ask for help. One thing I have learned about other homeschoolers in particular is they LOVE to help.
Conclusion
If you felt like you were failing when you started this podcast because you were focused on your weaknesses, comparisons, or doing it all yourself, I hope you’re beginning to see the shore come into focus. You will land on your feet when you see that everything is working out exactly as God planned.
And one more thing. Although Jonah’s failure is in print for thousands of years, your children are unlikely to remember your shortcomings. What will be a lasting memory is your faith in God and your love for them.
Overcoming Perfectionism As A Homeschool Mom
Jan 13, 2026
Show notes
📚 Part of our guide: Homeschool Burnout
Do you feel like you’re only as good as your last perfect homeschool day? Do you struggle with the exhausting cycle of trying to prove your worth through achievement? In this powerful conversation, Pamela Good shares her journey from childhood survival mode to adult perfectionism—and how she finally broke free.
Pamela grew up with three siblings in a home where their mother struggled with paranoid schizophrenia. To cope, she learned to push herself relentlessly in sports, work, and eventually motherhood. But that survival strategy that served her as a child became a prison as an adult. She shares how she crashed and burned trying to be perfect, and how she discovered God’s love and grace in the midst of her brokenness.
• How childhood trauma can lead to perfectionism in adulthood
• Why trying to prove you’re not broken only makes things worse
• How perfectionism affects our children (even when we think we’re hiding it)
• The lies Satan tells us when we’re discouraged
• Three truths that help us break free from performance-based living
• Why it’s important to give ourselves grace for survival strategies that no longer serve us
• How worship music and Scripture helped Pamela renew her mind
• The difference between being a perfectionist and being a recovering perfectionist
Key Quotes:
“I wanted people to think I was worthy. I didn’t want people to see me as broken. So I was going to be the perfect mother, even though I never had one.”
“I realized the voices telling me ‘you need to do this’ or ‘this isn’t good enough’ weren’t me—it was Satan, the ruler of darkness.”
“Only Jesus is perfect. You will never be perfect. But you just feel you can achieve it. And you keep on that little wheel going round and round.”
“I’m a child of God. And if the Son sets you free, you’re free indeed.”
About Pamela Good:
Pamela is the author of “He Never Let Go: Overcoming Childhood Trauma with the Love of God.” She and her three siblings survived a chaotic childhood and all went on to raise beautiful families of their own. Pamela’s book recently won an award for transformative stories.
Remember, friend: You are not defined by your productivity. You are not measured by how perfectly your homeschool runs. You are a child of God, loved just as you are.
PRAYER AS YOUR SECRET WEAPON: Transform Your Homeschool with Biblical Prayer Practices
Jan 06, 2026
Show notes
Feeling overwhelmed by homeschool decisions? Struggling with patience? You’re not alone—and there’s a powerful solution hiding in plain sight.
Join Dr. Melanie Wilson and author Danika Cooley for an inspiring conversation about how prayer can ground your daily life, reduce overwhelm, and create a peaceful rhythm for your homeschool year. This isn’t about adding another “should” to your list—it’s about discovering simple, repeatable prayer practices that actually work for busy homeschool moms.
Danika shares powerful stories of answered prayer (including an incredible 15-year journey of seeing God transform an entire city!), practical insights from biblical prayer patterns, and why conversational prayer throughout your day might be exactly what you need instead of a rigid quiet time routine.
Why prayer isn’t boring (and what to do when it feels that way)
The three types of biblical prayer most essential for homeschool moms
How to pray throughout your day without sitting still for an hour
Real stories of answered prayer that will strengthen your faith
What we can learn from Hezekiah’s prayer when he was surrounded by enemies
A stunning testimony of how persistent prayer transformed an entire city over 15 years
Why God doesn’t shame us for our lack of faith before answering our prayers
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Introduction: Trading Overwhelm for Prayerful Rhythm 00:57 – Welcome Danika Cooley 01:12 – Family Updates & New Resources 03:15 – Why Prayer Feels Boring (And Why It Shouldn’t) 03:49 – Three Essential Prayer Types for Homeschool Moms 07:07 – Learning from Biblical Prayers 10:07 – The Hezekiah Story: God’s Grace When We Mess Up 12:19 – Why We Can Always Come to God 15:00 – Making Prayer Practical (Not Perfect) 20:00 – Conversational Prayer Throughout Your Day 22:00 – The Power of Praying Scripture 24:00 – An Incredible 15-Year Answered Prayer Story 29:51 – God’s Perfect Timing in Answered Prayer 30:21 – Where to Find 60 Scriptures You Can Pray
FREE January Organized Homeschool Life Calendar (Request it below)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Have an answered prayer story to share? We’d love to hear it! Comment below. What’s one area of your homeschool where you need to bring more prayer? Let us know in the comments!
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Special Replay: Wisdom For Raising Boys
Dec 09, 2025
Show notes
Sharing this special replay in honor of Durenda Wilson, who is spending this Christmas with her Savior, leaving behind family and friends who will miss her terribly.
Hey, homeschoolers! I never thought I would have five boys, but I am so glad I do. I love them to the moon and back and judging by the response my episode on homeschooling boys got, so do you.
That’s why I was excited to read Durenda Wilson’s new book on the topic and to hear her thoughts on why it’s so important to think about how we are raising our boys. In Raising Boys to Men: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Raising and Homeschooling Boys, Durenda shares her almost three decades of experience raising and homeschooling her five boys. She brings wisdom and perspective that will inspire moms to see their sons in a fresh and hopeful way, so they can raise the next generation of boys to be courageous men of faith and action. I know you’ll love our conversation.
Durenda Wilson, a homeschooling mother of eight boys, discusses the importance of raising boys and the challenges they face in today’s culture. She emphasizes the need for understanding and appreciating the unique characteristics and nature of boys, while also setting clear boundaries and instilling a strong work ethic. Wilson shares personal anecdotes and insights from her book, which aims to equip mothers with a better understanding of their sons and provide practical guidance for homeschooling and parenting boys. In this conversation, Durenda Wilson discusses her book ‘Raising Boys to Men’ and shares her insights on motherhood and parenting. She emphasizes the joy of raising children and the satisfaction that comes from hard work. Durenda also highlights the importance of shared responsibility in parenting and the role of fathers in raising sons. She concludes by providing information on how to get a copy of her book and hints at future conversations on homeschooling.
Special Replay: Why You May Not Need To Get Caught Up
Dec 02, 2025
Show notes
It’s the end of the traditional school year here and you may be trying to get caught up before summer. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show–the episode where I’ll give you permission to stop trying.
I cover three key steps to abandoning the quest to get caught up:
Ask yourself how behind you really are
Ask yourself how important it really is to get caught up
How To Have Happy Holidays As A Homeschool Mom
Nov 25, 2025
Show notes
Listen to the podcast Deal with Disappointment The first reason George and you and I find it hard to be happy through the holidays is disappointment. Maybe your homeschool year hasn’t been going the way you hoped. The kids don’t love their classes or curriculum. You’re already behind schedule. A learning challenge has been indentified. Maybe your finances are stretched even tighter than you thought. You’ve been ill. Or maybe you’ve experienced a loss. A loved one won’t be joining you for the holidays. A relationship has ended. Or you or your spouse lost a job. George experienced many disappointments like these. He lost his father, a chance to go to college, and the income he hoped for. Thinking about disappointments is depressing, so we may try to avoid thinking about them. Yet they intrude upon our happiness anyway. That leads me to the first step we can take to be happy through the holidays: Deal with the disappointment. Instead of eating or doom scrolling over it, acknowledge it. You’re disappointed. You hoped and prayed that things would be different, better. But they’re not. The quickest way out of disappointment depression is through, not around. Sit by yourself with no noise and no distractions. Allow yourself to think about the disappointment and feel the feelings. If you cry, you cry. If you get mad, you get mad. Give yourself as much time as you need to think and pray about it. Journaling works too. Write out everything you’re thinking and feeling, without worrying about anyone else seeing it. When you’re done writing, you can delete it, destroy it, or password protect it. When you’ve had the time to process it privately, you can then deal with the disappointment by talking to someone you trust who isn’t a part of the disappointment. You don’t want to worry about hurting someone’s feelings as you share your own emotions, unless you’re trying to resolve a conflict. Sometimes you’ll want to make it clear to the listener that you’re not asking them to fix the disappointment for you, just to listen. Talking it out can make a huge difference in your happiness. Invest in People The second cause of unhappiness at the holidays is people. People are hard. They disappoint us. We’ve already covered that. People also annoy us. Maybe we expect the bad behavior, so it’s not as disappointing as it is frustrating. We may struggle to know what to say or do when they’re around. Maybe we feel bad about something we’ve said or done in the past, so we have a serving of guilt to go along with our frustration. George had a challenging relationship with Mr. Potter, who was a constant thorn in his side. He also had to deal with selfish bank patrons and an irresponsible uncle. While we sometimes avoid thinking about disappointments, we will often ruminate about people problems. We replay the negative things people said and did in the past over and over. We fantasize about what we should have said or done in response. And then we worry about what awful things people will do in the future. George Bailey’s ruminations led him to complete despair. What should we do instead of ruminating about people? Invest in them. The first time I bought a stock, I followed it closely and my mood was up and down with its price. I tried to time the market and cash out at just the right time. If you know anything about stocks, you know that behavior is laughable. Yet it is what we often do in volatile relationships. We say or do something, hoping to see an immediate payoff. We watch the person like a hawk for signs that they are responding to our investment. That’s not what serious investors do. They’re in it long-term. They keep reinvesting and they don’t watch the price. They believe that what they’re giving will pay off. Of course there are times when it makes sense to sell. But if you value the relationship, you’ll want to keep investing for the long haul without worrying if you don’t see the payoff from each interaction. George Bailey invested in people. He believed in people. He gave them a chance. He sacrificed so they could have full lives. But because he hadn’t seen the value he’d accummulated, he was ready to cash out completely. Investing in people means that we continue being kind, loving them, and sharing the reason for the hope that we have. Investing in people means that we help people like themselves when they’re with us. We compliment them and express interest in them. We offer them the gift of hospitality and make them feel welcome. We refuse to stop believing in them. Express Gratitude The third reason it can be challenging to be happy during the holidays is our experience of injustice. We’re doing everything for our family, but the kids keep complaining. We are the ones hosting or helping or changing our schedule again to accommodate everyone else. We’ve been doing the right things for years, but we aren’t as successful or wealthy as people we know who do the wrong things. George felt that way. He did everything right but was wronged. He expected a punishment he didn’t deserve. Our experience of injustice can lead to self-righteousness. Self-righteous people are not happy. Instead of focusing on our experience of injustice, we want to express our gratitude. The gift of children or grandchildren to teach is so precious. The fact that we can legally homeschool them is a gift. The extra time we have to be with our children and learn alongside them is worth more than the extra income we could have were we not homeschooling. And having to deal with imperfect people is a blessing compared to being alone. Gratitude isn’t just something we should express because it’s the right thing to do to honor God. It’s a focus that can make us happier immediately. We can consider every good and perfect gift we have now. That’s the easiest gratitude list to make. But what about gratitude for gifts we experienced in the past? We can express gratitude for the good times we had in relationships and seasons that have ended. I’m thankful that I had family members and friends that were so wonderful that I miss them now that they’ve passed. We can also express gratitude for the good we know God will work together in the future. We don’t know that our circumstances will change the way we want them to in this life, but we know we can look forward to God’s perfect plan and presence in eternity. If you need some encouragement on that topic, I suggest listening to the episode I recorded with Jordan Raynor. We can express gratitude daily in prayer, in writing, and in relationships. George was focused on the injustice he experienced until his eyes were opened to the many gifts he had to be grateful for. He wanted to go back to the old life he had so bitterly complained about. Conclusion The three steps to being happy through the holidays we’ve covered today are dealing with disappointent, investing in people, and expressing gratitude. I recently learned that Jimmy Stewart was in a very similar situation to George Bailey. He was demoralized after serving in the war and was ready to give up acting to run his family’s hardware store when director Frank Capra offered him the role of George Bailey. Although the film wasn’t a box office hit and it didn’t win any of the academy awards it was nominated for, it has become one of the most loved films of all time. Referring to director Capra, Jimmy Steward said, “He not only saved my career; he saved my life.” I’m so grateful to God for the same reason. He saved my life and gave me the most fulfilling career–first homeschooling my kids and then writing and speaking for homeschool families. I’m also grateful for people like you who listen and read the materials I write. In gratitude, I am offering 20% all materials excluding bundles at FunToLearnBooks.com/shop with code BLACKFRI through Cyber Monday. My prayer is that you will be blessed with happy holidays. And if you haven’t watched It’s a Wonderful Life, I encourage you to watch it soon. Have a happy homeschool week! Hey, homeschoolers! We wish each other happy holidays, but sometimes it’s hard to be happy through the holidays. I have three reasons it can be hard that lead to three steps we can take toward happier holidays. But first I’d like to thank our sponsor for the podcast: NOW Programs. Sponsor: NOW Programs If you’re homeschooling a student with special needs, check out http://NOWPrograms.com Listen to the podcast My favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. When I find out that someone hasn’t seen it, it’s all I can do to keep from dragging them to my couch and playing it because, of course, I own it. George Bailey found it to challenging to be happy through the holidays. That’s an understatement if you know the movie. Deal with Disappointment The first reason George and you and I find it hard to be happy through the holidays is disappointment. Maybe your homeschool year hasn’t been going the way you hoped. The kids don’t love their classes or curriculum. You’re already behind schedule. A learning challenge has been indentified. Maybe your finances are stretched even tighter than you thought. You’ve been ill. Or maybe you’ve experienced a loss. A loved one won’t be joining you for the holidays. A relationship has ended. Or you or your spouse lost a job. George experienced many disappointments like these. He lost his father, a chance to go to college, and the income he hoped for. Thinking about disappointments is depressing, so we may try to avoid thinking about them. Yet they intrude upon our happiness anyway. That leads me to the first step we can take to be happy through the holidays: Deal with the disappointment. Instead of eating or doom scrolling over it, acknowledge it. You’re disappointed. You hoped and prayed that things would be different, better. But they’re not. The quickest way out of disappointment depression is through, not around. Sit by yourself with no noise and no distractions. Allow yourself to think about the disappointment and feel the feelings. If you cry, you cry. If you get mad, you get mad. Give yourself as much time as you need to think and pray about it. Journaling works too. Write out everything you’re thinking and feeling, without worrying about anyone else seeing it. When you’re done writing, you can delete it, destroy it, or password protect it. When you’ve had the time to process it privately, you can then deal with the disappointment by talking to someone you trust who isn’t a part of the disappointment. You don’t want to worry about hurting someone’s feelings as you share your own emotions, unless you’re trying to resolve a conflict. Sometimes you’ll want to make it clear to the listener that you’re not asking them to fix the disappointment for you, just to listen. Talking it out can make a huge difference in your happiness. Invest in People The second cause of unhappiness at the holidays is people. People are hard. They disappoint us. We’ve already covered that. People also annoy us. Maybe we expect the bad behavior, so it’s not as disappointing as it is frustrating. We may struggle to know what to say or do when they’re around. Maybe we feel bad about something we’ve said or done in the past, so we have a serving of guilt to go along with our frustration. George had a challenging relationship with Mr. Potter, who was a constant thorn in his side. He also had to deal with selfish bank patrons and an irresponsible uncle. While we sometimes avoid thinking about disappointments, we will often ruminate about people problems. We replay the negative things people said and did in the past over and over. We fantasize about what we should have said or done in response. And then we worry about what awful things people will do in the future. George Bailey’s ruminations led him to complete despair. What should we do instead of ruminating about people? Invest in them. The first time I bought a stock, I followed it closely and my mood was up and down with its price. I tried to time the market and cash out at just the right time. If you know anything about stocks, you know that behavior is laughable. Yet it is what we often do in volatile relationships. We say or do something, hoping to see an immediate payoff. We watch the person like a hawk for signs that they are responding to our investment. That’s not what serious investors do. They’re in it long-term. They keep reinvesting and they don’t watch the price. They believe that what they’re giving will pay off. Of course there are times when it makes sense to sell. But if you value the relationship, you’ll want to keep investing for the long haul without worrying if you don’t see the payoff from each interaction. George Bailey invested in people. He believed in people. He gave them a chance. He sacrificed so they could have full lives. But because he hadn’t seen the value he’d accummulated, he was ready to cash out completely. Investing in people means that we continue being kind, loving them, and sharing the reason for the hope that we have. Investing in people means that we help people like themselves when they’re with us. We compliment them and express interest in them. We offer them the gift of hospitality and make them feel welcome. We refuse to stop believing in them. Express Gratitude The third reason it can be challenging to be happy during the holidays is our experience of injustice. We’re doing everything for our family, but the kids keep complaining. We are the ones hosting or helping or changing our schedule again to accommodate everyone else. We’ve been doing the right things for years, but we aren’t as successful or wealthy as people we know who do the wrong things. George felt that way. He did everything right but was wronged. He expected a punishment he didn’t deserve. Our experience of injustice can lead to self-righteousness. Self-righteous people are not happy. Instead of focusing on our experience of injustice, we want to express our gratitude. The gift of children or grandchildren to teach is so precious. The fact that we can legally homeschool them is a gift. The extra time we have to be with our children and learn alongside them is worth more than the extra income we could have were we not homeschooling. And having to deal with imperfect people is a blessing compared to being alone. Gratitude isn’t just something we should express because it’s the right thing to do to honor God. It’s a focus that can make us happier immediately. We can consider every good and perfect gift we have now. That’s the easiest gratitude list to make. But what about gratitude for gifts we experienced in the past? We can express gratitude for the good times we had in relationships and seasons that have ended. I’m thankful that I had family members and friends that were so wonderful that I miss them now that they’ve passed. We can also express gratitude for the good we know God will work together in the future. We don’t know that our circumstances will change the way we want them to in this life, but we know we can look forward to God’s perfect plan and presence in eternity. If you need some encouragement on that topic, I suggest listening to the episode I recorded with Jordan Raynor. We can express gratitude daily in prayer, in writing, and in relationships. George was focused on the injustice he experienced until his eyes were opened to the many gifts he had to be grateful for. He wanted to go back to the old life he had so bitterly complained about. Conclusion The three steps to being happy through the holidays we’ve covered today are dealing with disappointent, investing in people, and expressing gratitude. I recently learned that Jimmy Stewart was in a very similar situation to George Bailey. He was demoralized after serving in the war and was ready to give up acting to run his family’s hardware store when director Frank Capra offered him the role of George Bailey. Although the film wasn’t a box office hit and it didn’t win any of the academy awards it was nomina…
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Hey, homeschoolers! I used to be of the mind that leaders were born, not made. What I mean is, I thought you needed to be a Type A extrovert to be a leader. There didn’t seem to be much point to teaching my introverted kids how to lead.
Feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or like you’re the only one struggling? This conversation will remind you that you’re not alone.
Warning signs you’re heading toward burnout
Tired? Fearful about your family’s health? Overwhelmed by conflicting health information and not sure who to trust? You’re not alone. And this conversation is going to help.
WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER:
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
**Upstream Health** Website: 
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Do you feel like you’re failing because your kids’ character, or math skills, or writing aren’t where they should be? Did you plan to read more books, finish more lessons, and make more healthy meals than you did? Or do you feel like you’re failing personally in your faith, organization, or health? If so, know that I can relate. I’m Dr. Melanie Wilson and this is The Homeschool Sanity Show where I will share three reasons you think you’re failing and how you can just stop that already. Seriously, I want you to feel better after listening to this episode. So grab a cup of coffee, some laundry to fold, or some sneakers and let’s get over this failure fixation, shall we?
Do you feel like you’re only as good as your last perfect homeschool day? Do you struggle with the exhausting cycle of trying to prove your worth through achievement? In this powerful conversation, Pamela Good shares her journey from childhood survival mode to adult perfectionism—and how she finally broke free.
TIMESTAMPS
More from Danika Cooley:
MORE HOMESCHOOL ENCOURAGEMENT
Sharing this special replay in honor of Durenda Wilson, who is spending this Christmas with her Savior, leaving behind family and friends who will miss her terribly.
It’s the end of the traditional school year here and you may be trying to get caught up before summer. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show–the episode where I’ll give you permission to stop trying.
