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.
Combatting Family Consumerism
Nov 18, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers! Pushing back against a consumerist culture is an issue all year but is on our minds even more during the holidays. My guest today has experience in teaching kids to combat consumerism with good old-fashioned hard work. I’ll introduce him after this message from our sponsor. Now programs.
Keith Phillips is a former US Army helicopter pilot who, along with his wife Becky and their six children, is dedicated to building productive families and enduring Christian legacies. He introduces BUNKEYS, small DIY linked log cabin kits to America, promoting family unity through shared meaningful work. Keith believes in the power of family and community with work as the cornerstone and advocates for living a life of biblical producerism. I so enjoyed our conversation.
Takeaways
Consumerism thrives on neglecting our inherent call to produce.
Family work fosters cooperation and contributes to family unity.
Saying no to passive entertainment encourages creativity in children.
Boredom can lead to innovative play and activities.
Fear of missing out drives consumerist behavior in children.
Creating space for meaningful activities is essential for family bonding.
Overcoming societal pressure is crucial for resisting consumerism.
Hard work can replace addictive behaviors and foster fulfillment.
Engaging in family projects teaches valuable life skills.
Reading together strengthens family connections and shared experiences.
How To Close The Complaint Desk In Your Homeschool
Nov 11, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers!
Are you dealing with complaining when it’s time to start school, or time to do chores, or time to do anything your kids don’t like to do? If so, you will want to listen to this episode of the homeschool sanity show. I have six ideas for you that will result in a complaint-free homeschool.
Subscribe to the podcast
Before we dive in, I would love to have you subscribe to the podcast. You’ll get links to new episodes, but I also provide a weekly sanity saver newsletter and a monthly fun homeschool sharing calendar. Simply go to Psychowith6.com/subscribe. I would love to connect with you..
Special Thanks to Our Network Sponsor -Overcomer Movie
Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to fill-in and coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth… until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey. Filled with a powerful mix of faith, a twist of humor, and a ton of heart, the Kendrick Brothers return to theaters with OVERCOMER, their newest feature following FACING THE GIANTS, FIREPROOF, COURAGEOUS, and the #1 box-office hit, WAR ROOM. The inspiring family film stars Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, Shari Rigby, Cameron Arnett, and introduces Aryn Wright-Thompson.
Opening nationwide on August 23, OVERCOMER dares to leave you filled with hope, inspired to dream, and asks the question: what do you allow to define you?
Using Fantasy To Teach Scriptural Truth
Nov 04, 2025
Show notes
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should introduce your child to the fantasy genre, you’ll want to listen to today’s episode. And if you feel discouraged about training up young men and women of God, you’ll want to meet my inspiring guest that I’ll introduce in a moment.
The sponsor of today’s episode is Fun to Learn Books, the publisher of story-based curriculum like Grammar Galaxy and Training Aliens. Kids love this fantasy-based learning for its funny, short lessons and parents love it because it’s low prep, screen-free learning. Learn more at FunToLearnBooks.com.
Podcast Guest: Wilson Hickman
Wilson Hickman is a follower of the Lord Jesus with a strong passion for storytelling. He was homeschooled and from a young age, began writing books in a variety of genres. His passion for creativity led him to the visual medium of storytelling. When crafting a film, he often draws inspiration from his own life, vicariously learning and growing with the characters he creates. His latest project is an award-winning proof of concept episode for a Christian-themed fantasy TV series called The Lost Healer. Inspired by real-world spiritual warfare, the series is designed to transport viewers to an exciting new world while inspiring them to navigate the struggles of this one. Recognizing the power of stories to shape the culture, Wilson seeks to make compelling, God-honoring entertainment that can be enjoyed by a broad audience.
How To Get A College Degree Debt-Free
Oct 28, 2025
Show notes
If your student wants to attend college but doesn’t want to be loaded down with debt, I have a treat for you. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where guest Kara Walker shares uncommon but practical tips for saving money on a college education.
Hey, homeschoolers! I absolutely love chatting with homeschoolers. That’s just one reason I wanted to interview Kara Walker. Kara graduated from college debt-free, and is now on a quest to help other students do the same with her podcast, “Money and Mental Peace,” and her online course “The Debt-Free College Blueprint”! She is a twenty-something Christian entrepreneur, amateur snowboarder, and recovering over-achiever. Kara enjoys goal-setting, budgeting, and living a debt-free lifestyle, and wants to help YOU do the same!
Kara is absolutely delightful. If you have a college-bound or finance-interested teen, have them listen to this episode with you. You won’t be disappointed.
The Future Of Home Education
Oct 22, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers! Homeschooling has changed so much since I started teaching my kids. I wonder what it will look like if and when my kids start homeschooling their children. I wanted to talk with someone who is on the cutting edge of education. I know you’ll be interested in what my guest has to say because it can change the way you homeschool now.
For over 30 years, Matt Bowman has been reimagining education for the digital age. As a former sixth-grade teacher turned tech executive and education entrepreneur, Matt saw firsthand how the traditional education system often fails to meet the unique needs of individual learners.
Together with his wife Amy, Matt founded OpenEd (formerly My Tech High), which has served more than 100,000 student enrollments across multiple states, including many military families worldwide. Their approach focuses on blending personalized learning with technology and entrepreneurship skills, giving students the flexibility to learn in ways that work best for them.
Matt holds multiple degrees in education and is an alumnus of Stanford’s Executive Business Management program.
He lives in the mountains of Utah, where he and Amy enjoy spending time with their five married children and four grandchildren (and counting!)
How To Help A Child Who’s Hurting
Oct 14, 2025
Show notes
We know what to do when our child gets hurt – a skinned knee, a bruise, a cut. But we may feel ill equipped to help when our child’s heart is hurting. Teasing, feeling different, even bullying can cause woundedness. I have written Training Aliens Social & Emotional Skills curriculum because I am passionate about kids and parents having tools to build confidence. That’s why I wanted my guest to share her unique approach to helping parents and kids respond to hurts. Listening will encourage you as you guide your child.
Ruth Wilkey is an educator, musician, and storyteller with a heart for nurturing the souls of children and families. Raised in a generous German-Lutheran family known for their hospitality and faith, Ruth learned early the power of love shared through stories, songs, and community. After earning her teaching credential from Christ College Irvine, she taught English, Spanish, music, and drama before founding Creative Cottage Piano Studio, where she inspired students for over thirty years. Today, through Sonflower Press and her new children’s book series at SociableBunny.com, Ruth continues to shine God’s light, helping families grow in love and joy through story and song.
Homeschooling Through A Season Of Discouragement
Sep 30, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers! If you’ve been discouraged lately, know that I can relate. I’ve been through a season that has diminished my courage to keep podcasting, writing, and building relationships. I went through similar seasons while homeschooling.
There are three lies the enemy tells us that can deflate us and three responses that can get us homeschooling courageously again. Before I share them I want to thank the NIV Application Bible for sponsoring the podcast.
I am taking the three lies from a biblical account that is well known to you if you’re familiar with Scripture. In Luke 4:1-12, we read that Jesus fasted for 40 days and was hungry. Hungry seems like an understatement, but I like the word for our purposes. We are often hungry for things in our homeschooling: hungry for order and organization, hungry for our children’s hearts to be turned toward us and the Lord, hungry for our husbands to be our partners in every sense of the word. We can be hungry for so many other desires that have gone unsatisfied–a return to health for us or our family members, financial provision, healing in relationships.
Lie #1: There is no help.
When we are hungry, the devil comes calling. To Jesus, the devil said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” I’ve read excellent theological commentaries on this statement, but when the devil tempts me this way, he is saying, “There is no help. Meet this need yourself. God hasn’t provided and He won’t. It’s time for you to do something.” And with my classic “If it is to be, it’s up to me” attitude, that’s what I so often do.
I research. I consult. I buy books, courses, supplements. And when I remain hungry, I spend even more time trying to find the answer to my need. Never mind the fact that most of the time the food that will fill this aching need of mine is not what I’m shopping for. The food that fills me comes from the Lord often unexpectedly, subtley, gradually.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with looking for the equivalent of bread when we’re hungry, Jesus tells the devil that we need more than what’s available in this world to live. In fact, it’s been when I have stopped trying to fill my own gnawing need that it seems my needs are attended to as they were for Jesus.
The devil says to us: “Meet your own need because God won’t.” Our response can be to repeat to ourselves Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
A book that has helped me so much in waiting on the Lord is Hind Feet for High Places. I have read a chapter a day and it feels like I am journeying with the main character Much-Afraid every step of the way.
Lie #2: There is no Holy One.
When we are in a discouraging season, the devil comes back with lie number 2. There is no Holy One. The devil shows Jesus the kingdoms of the world and says, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” In this, the devil shares a partial truth. The Bible calls him the prince of this world with some power and control. That is true.
In times of vulnerability, we can start to believe that he’s the ultimate authority. Worldly steps to success may seem better than waiting on God to meet our family’s needs in homeschooling or our personal needs. The worldly way can seem like a sure thing–Door #1 that’s open to reveal what’s inside versus Door #3 that holds an unknown future.
Most of us when tempted in this way don’t become atheists. Instead, we make some compromises. We give a little here and a little there because maybe God isn’t as good as we thought. That’s why Jesus’ response is so powerful. He says, ““It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
I pray most days for a nation using the Operation World app. One of the most common descriptions of a nation with a church in crisis is that its believers have mixed aspects of their pagan religion into their theology. Whenever I’m tempted to judge, I realize how well this describes our own culture. We can compromise and justify a little bit every day until we are nearly indistinguishable from our unbelieving neighbors.
When the devil says, “There is no Holy One,” we can answer with 1 Samuel 2:2: “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” Although the devil has some power, he is certainly not holy. If you need a reminder of that and you’ve been off the grid for a long time, read the news for just one day. Otherwise, I advise reading a Christian hero’s biography. One of my favorites is If I Perish by Esther Kim.
Lie #3: There is no hope.
For the final temptation the devil took Jesus to the top of the temple. He said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here…” Because the devil also tells him that God and the angels will protect Him if He jumps, I didn’t realize that he was suggesting Jesus kill himself. This is the final lie the devil tells us in a season of discouragement: There is no hope.
Hopelessness is not just a symptom of depression but a warning sign that the depression is severe. We are more likely to be hopeless when we have tried to help ourselves and we have tried worldly prescriptions for getting what we need to no avail. Jesus hadn’t bought the devil’s first two lies and so answered with more truth: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’
As discouraged believers we don’t put God to the test by jumping off a tall building, but we might be giving Him ultimatums: If this tutor doesn’t help; if my husband doesn’t get this job; if this medication doesn’t work… The unspoken end to that sentence is I am giving up hope.
When we are tempted by this lie, we can say Romans 5:5: “…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Why would our loving God who lives in our hearts disappoint us? When I am wondering why God isn’t giving me what I ask, I remember Matthew 7:11, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” The only reasons we refuse to give gifts to our children is because the thing they’ve asked for is not good or we have something better in mind.
When we are tempted to give up hope, we can list the unanswered prayers we are grateful for. This current prayer of ours may one day be added to the list. As we wait, we can know for certain that God will either answer our prayer as requested or He will give us the grace to accept His will. I love the song “Sometimes He Calms the Storm” for reassurance of this.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I want to point out that Luke Chapter 4 begins this way: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.” If you’re in a season of temptation to discouragement and you’ve been tempted with the lies of there is no help, Holy One, or hope, it is not punishment but preparation. You cannot guide your children through a similar season if you have not been in the wilderness. You cannot mentor other homeschool moms in the future as I am now doing if you have not been in the wilderness. I don’t think we can even fully serve God if we have not been in the wildnerness. Another favorite book I want to commend to you for this season is Sidetracked in the Wilderness by Michael Wells.
If this podcast encouraged you, please share it with others. Have a happy homeschool week!
Special Replay: What Are You Trusting In?
Sep 23, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers!
In 2019, I started a monthly podcast series I called the Trust Project. I wanted us to focus on how to trust God in multiple areas of our lives.
Today, though, I’d like to check in with you–not by asking whether you’re trusting God in your homeschool, for your kids, for your health, and so on–but by asking you WHAT you’re trusting in. Life can be very difficult when we trust in something other than God. We may live in constant fear. We don’t have peace or joy. And we are unlikely to be successful in what we undertake.
I want to begin our discussion of trusting God with the account of King Asa from 2 Chronicles 15. If you end up believing that you’re like Asa and not putting your trust in God, I’ll have a suggestion for changing that.
2 Chronicles 15:1 reads, “The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.”
The Israelites were not following God at this time. Homeschooling also became popular again at a time when fewer people were following God. Certainly fewer were following God in public education. And parents like me were distressed about it.
2 Chronicles 15 continues…4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. 5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
When we first begin homeschooling, we need that encouragement to be strong and not to give up because it rarely goes the way we hope and expect. Those of us who persevere believe that our work will ultimately be rewarded.
Continuing with 2 Chronicles 15:
8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of[a] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side. 17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 18 He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated. 19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
When we made the decision to keep our kids home, where we could teach them God’s Word, I was relieved. Like Asa, I felt a lot more secure because of God’s blessing of our family. But as time went on, a temptation entered.
2 Chronicles 16 reads: In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. 2 Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 3 “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”
King Asa had to deal with a rebellious king of Israel. Sometimes when we have a rebellious child or another challenge that God doesn’t seem to be handling, we think we have to take control. We need to lean on our own understanding. We are willing to let go of what should be sacred in our homes. Continuing with 2 Chronicles 16:
4 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim[a] and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6 Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
It seems like King Asa succeeded in his efforts. And often when we rely on something other than God to help us, we see initial success. But what’s the long-term implication? We read in 2 Chronicles 16, beginning in verse 7.
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cushites[b] and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen[c]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”
Uh-oh. It honestly didn’t seem like a foolish thing at first, did it? And so often our choices in response to trouble seem wise. But if we aren’t trusting in the Lord, we will likely live to regret it.
Like Asa, we may trust in political power rather than God. We may put our trust in our country’s bill of rights, our state’s favorable homeschool laws, or a pro-homeschooling leader. But even though these are blessings we want to support, they are not what we want to put our trust in. This election season, we want to remember that God is ultimately in control. Romans 13:1-2 reminds us: “There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” and Proverbs 21:1 explains, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
Politics aren’t the only foolish choice for our trust. We can place our trust in classes in curriculum. We may believe if we just choose the right ones, our kids will be sure to succeed. We want to consider the options and pray over them, of course, but there is no class, curriculum, or college that will guarantee our kids’ success. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
We may also trust our alternative healthcare approach, our money, or our prepping for our health and safety in these tumultuous times. Yet Psalm 4:8 encourages us: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Despite the truth that we should trust God with every aspect of our lives, we are constantly being tempted to trust in other things. From the beginning, our enemy Satan has questioned whether we can trust God. Now we are bombarded by media with the same message.
When what we are truly trusting in is gone, we may panic as Asa did. That’s how we know we were trusting in it. Ask yourself what besides God gives you security for the future. Of course, we don’t have to eliminate these things! But we do need to put more trust in the One who can truly deliver us from any disaster.
How can we do that? My number one tip is what I’ve already demonstrated in this episode: spend time in God’s Word. Asa quickly forgot how the Lord had delivered him despite being outnumbered. Had he often reviewed God’s character and actions, he likely would have sought the Lord first and avoided war in the future.
How much time do we need to hear from God? Consider the ratio. How often are you hearing from the enemy? I know for me it’s constantly. Here are some practical tips for increasing your time in the Word.
Read or listen to the Bible in short sessions throughout the day. Start by reading Titus 3. It’s a wonderful reminder for such a time as this.
Meditate on and memorize Scripture as you drive or drift off to sleep.
Write out Scripture with your kids for handwriting practice.
Follow social accounts that share Scriptures.
Sing hymns and Scriptural songs.
Read devotionals as a break after completing a task.
Do Bible studies online or with family and friends.
Listen to sermons and biblical podcasts as you cook, clean, or exercise.
Attend church regularly.
Tell others about God’s faithfulness in your life. I always want you to know that every blessing I’ve had in my homeschooling life is from the Lord. It’s certainly not my doing.
This single approach of spending more time in God’s Word is simple to implement, but we will experience resistance to it. We will be interrupted, too tired, or just bored. But at these times, pick up a dollar bill and read our country’s motto that is still In God We Trust. We must fight the good fight to keep living that motto out.
Special Replay: How To Help Your Child Manage Emotions
Sep 16, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers! How to help an anxious, frustrated, or bored child is the most common question I get. In this episode, I’ll share a three-step approach you can use to help your child manage any negative emotion.
In this episode, Melanie Wilson addresses the common concern of homeschooling parents regarding their child’s ability to manage emotions. She emphasizes that emotional struggles should be seen as skill deficits rather than character flaws. Melanie highlights the lack of emotional management education in schools and the need for explicit teaching in this area. She introduces a three-step framework for teaching emotional skills: prevention, recognition, and substitution. The chapters cover topics such as the importance of sleep, diet, and environment in preventing negative emotions, teaching children to recognize signs of frustration, and finding constructive responses to boredom. Melanie encourages parents to provide practice and grace as children learn to manage their emotions and emphasizes the role of prayer and faith in this process.
Out Of Overwhelm: 3 Steps For Homeschool Moms
Sep 09, 2025
Show notes
Hey, homeschoolers! Are you overwhelmed? Is it embarrassing to be overwhelmed this early in the year? I can empathize. I’ve been feeling the same way, even though I’m a homeschool business owner and not teaching this fall. I asked the Lord for wisdom and I wrote down three steps we can take to get out of overwhelm now. I already feel so much better after taking them, and I pray that you will too.
SPONSOR: NOW Programs
Before I share more, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast. Be sure to check out their resources if you have a student with a learning difference. Watch on YouTube
What Overwhelm Really Is
To begin, let’s clarify what we mean by overwhelm. First, it’s not a true crisis. If you’ve just been in a car accident or your parent just had a heart attack, your response to that is stress and shock that may feel overwhelming, but that’s not the kind of overwhelm I’m talking about. Plus, if you’re in a true crisis, I doubt you’re listening to me now!
Instead, overwhelm is when we respond to life circumstances as though they were a true crisis. Our kid hates the Spanish class we signed them up for. The kids keep arguing. We didn’t get through the 20 different curricula we thought we could cover in a day. We forgot to put dinner in the crockpot and the dog just rolled in mud.
Overwhelm feels like everything is going wrong, but it is really garden-variety anxiety. I didn’t realize that overwhelm is just anxiety until I felt overwhelmed myself this week. But I am well aware of how we tend to respond to anxiety. When we’re anxious, we avoid. If crowds make us anxious, we avoid them. Elevators, avoid. Algebra, avoid. Obvious, right? So what does that look like with overwhelm?
We avoid the anxiety of overwhelm in multiple ways. First, we distract ourselves. We doomscroll, watch a show, or eat chocolate. If you’re like me, you do all three. Next, we try something new to avoid the anxiety of overwhelm. We research new curriculum. New curriculum will fix everything, we are sure. We may think that a whole new approach to homeschooling is the answer, so we start reading and watching YouTube videos. Or we decide that now is the pefect time to start a business and we spend time working on that. When the anxiety of overwhelm is severe, we may decide that we have to stop something. We may think we aren’t cut out for homeschooling. We start looking into other options. We may consider dropping out of a co-op or leadership role.
And it’s possible that some of these avoidance responses could create positive change, but they are all reactions to anxiety and not carefully considered. I finally understand why I start a new hobby, dive head first into a new business idea, or try a new productivity approach when I’m already overwhelmed. It’s my way of avoiding anxiety.
If you’ve ever heard me talk about anxiety, you know what I always say: avoiding makes anxiety worse, not better. If crowds make you anxious and you avoid them, pretty soon you’ll consider your in-laws and even your church a crowd that you need to avoid. Fortunately, there is another way out of overwhelm.
Step 1. Do the next thing.
You’ve likely heard the poem by the same title made popular by Elisabeth Elliott. I’m going to read it for you again so we can truly take it in.
From an old English parsonage down by the sea There came in the twilight a message to me; Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven. And on through the doors the quiet words ring Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”
Many a questioning, many a fear,Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing.Do it immediately, do it with prayer;Do it reliantly, casting all care;Do it with reverence, tracing His handWho placed it before thee with earnest command.Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,Leave all results, do the next thing.Looking for Jesus, ever serener,Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,The light of His countenance be thy psalm,Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.
Ah. I feel better just saying it. I hope you feel better hearing it.
Many times the next thing is obvious. The baby needs changing. It’s time to make lunch. Trash pick up is this morning, so we have to get the cans out.
Other times, we aren’t sure. I have some suggestions for the other times.
First, take a walk. When I was overwhelmed recently, walking outside, getting some exercise, and listening to praise music via my earbuds. Many homeschool days when I was overwhelmed, I would get the kids outside to walk with me and I felt better. The kids are less likely to argue and fuss if they’re outside walking. That’s a bonus.
My next suggestion for do the next thing is clean up. A cluttered environment contributes to the feeling of overwhelm. Every misplaced object seems to cry for our attention. Set a timer for five minutes and have the kids race to see if you can get the whole room picked up before the timer goes off. Play some upbeat music while you work. An uncluttered space will help you feel more in control.
Finally, doing the next thing may be to rest. Like our kids, we often struggle with overstimulation. If you haven’t gotten enough quality sleep, if you’re hormonal, or if you’ve had lots of stress, rest is key to getting out of overwhelm. Mercifully, short naps are even more effective than longer ones. If you can’t nap, give the whole family a quiet time. If you need to use an electronic babysitter for a short time, do it. Your mental well being is worth it.
Step 1 is do the next thing.
Step 2 is do what you know to do.
When I’m overwhelmed I start thinking about all the things I’m confused about. In my homeschool years, I wondered what to do about foreign language, whether I should teach a speech class, and whether or not I should be blogging. I would be paralyzed by my indecision.
Many years ago our pastor shared our church’s philosophy on the Bible: “We focus on the parts of the Bible that are clear, not the parts that aren’t.” That made so much sense to me.
In the same way, we can focus on the things in our homeschool lives that are clearly something we should be doing. Practically speaking, here’s what we can do.
First, stick with your routine. I wasn’t clear about foreign language, teaching a class, or blogging. But the rest of our routine of Bible, memory work, read alouds, etc. was clearly on point. Not only that, but staying on routine as much as possible makes me feel less overwhelmed. The anxiety may tell us that we need to stop everything until we make decisions, but we will feel worse, not better. Continue using your workable routine.
Second, stay with your calling. There were many frustrating days when I felt that I was failing. But one thing I knew for sure: God had called me to homeschool. But that’s not all. I wasn’t sure about teaching a class or blogging, but at the time, I knew God had called me to write for a parachurch ministry and to speak for women’s retreats. I wanted a five-year plan, but God wasn’t ready to reveal the future to me. And truthfully, I wasn’t ready to hear it. Continue in your current calling and you will feel less overwhelmed.
A third way to do what you know to do is to do what you did at first. This admonition is straight out of Revelation. Whether you had a practice that worked when you first began homeschooling or worked when you began the new school year, return to it. Often we don’t have a good reason for abandoning a positive practice. We may have gotten distracted, lazy, or bored, but when we are overwhelmed, we are well served to return to what we did well at first instead of researching a perfect alternative for hours. Consider the schedule, habits, or ideas that you were excited about early on and use them again.
Planning my day the night before was working for me. I then got out of the habit, leaving me overwhelmed by a vague list of tasks in the morning. I’m recommitting to this practice now. What will you do that worked for you at first?
Do What Jesus Is Doing
After doing the next thing and doing what you did at first, the third step out of overwhelm is to do what Jesus is doing. I’ve been reflecting on the overwhelm that Jesus’ disciples must have experienced. They left their occupations and families, dealt with large, demanding crowds, and were then tasked with being traveling missionaries. Instead of looking for a different Savior, researching good recipes to feed a crowd, or checking napsack reviews on Amazon, these men dealt with overwhelm by following Jesus and doing what He did.
Whenever they stopped following and imitating, they were right back in overwhelm. Of course, we can’t see Jesus the way they could. But we can do what Jesus is doing first, by staying in the present. The disciples wanted to know the future. And while Jesus often gave glimpses of what to expect, He was crystal clear in saying we weren’t to worry about tomorrow.
If worry is overwhelming you, I recommend the book Stop Worrying; Start Living by Dale Carnegie. I also recommend a practice that helps me. I ask myself, “Am I okay right now?” If the answer is yes, I know my overwhelm is based in the future. If the answer is no, I know I need to ask for help.
Stay focused on the present to do as Jesus did. Next, welcome the unexpected. We all feel more secure in routine. We even have less of a tendency to be overwhelmed. But we also have a need for something new. Fortunately, God is a fan of new too. Often we think the knock on the door, our child’s insistence that we watch a particular video, or the power outage are distractions from our real life. I have learned that these interruptions are often God’s way of spicing up my life. We chatted with an interesting person at the door, laughed until our stomachs hurt at the video, and made memories reading by the window during the power outage.
Imagine the disciples trying to keep Jesus on a schedule. It’s laughable! Instead, they could be open to experiencing what He did each day. We can be the same.
After staying present and welcoming the unexpected to get out of overwhelm, we can stay connected to the Father as Jesus did. When overwhelmed, the tendency is to think that we don’t have time for relationships. Unfortunately, our relationship with our Heavenly Father is one of the first to be sidelined.
In the Garden, Jesus dealt with overwhelm by spending even more time in prayer. We probably don’t have the bandwidth for formal prayer. The Bible says that at these times the Holy Spirit will pray for us without words. What that often looks like for me is just to sit quietly. It’s a struggle not to pick up my phone. Avoidance, remember? But if I stick with it, I will often feel the tears come–a release of stress hormones. I make myself present and vulnerable to my Father, who already knows I am struggling. In fact, at one of these times recently, I told God that I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t manage the overwhelm. I was out of tricks.
You won’t be surprised that I immediately felt better. I pray that when you do the next thing, do what you know to do, and do what Jesus is doing that you too will come out of overwhelm to feel His peace.
If this episode spoke to you, I would love to hear from you. Email me, message me, or tag me on social media.
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Hey, homeschoolers! Are you overwhelmed? Is it embarrassing to be overwhelmed this early in the year? I can empathize. I’ve been feeling the same way, even though I’m a homeschool business owner and not teaching this fall. I asked the Lord for wisdom and I wrote down three steps we can take to get out of overwhelm now. I already feel so much better after taking them, and I pray that you will too.
