We Were Mamas First

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As we continue in our series of posts using the word HOMESCHOOL as an acronym, we come to the letter M. I hope these thoughts can encourage you on your own homeschool journey. 

What I’ve Learned About HOMESCHOOLing:
We Were Mamas First

I am known by many names: Mrs., Auntie, Sis, Beth—but one that is beyond precious to me is that of “Mama” (even when I hear it 20,000 times a day). Ever since I was young, I dreamed and prayed that one day I would be a mother. My journey to motherhood was not an easy one. There were many tears and times of great fear as we wondered if we would even become parents. However, God has blessed us with two beautiful children and I could not be more grateful.

Those days of babyhood, now long past (they are currently eight and ten years old), are sweet memories for me—baby snuggles, first steps, silly songs, bedtime stories, all those moments we spent simply playing together... How could time have gone by so fast? 

Now that my children are older, it is easy to forget to cherish this time we have with each other. This can be especially true when it’s time to do our schoolwork. 

 See, I am a Type A, list-driven kind of girl. I love the feeling of marking things off of my to-do list as I go throughout the day. Sometimes I find myself in this “get it done” kind of mode when it comes to our school day. I feel an urgency to move onto the other items on my list and I don’t want to linger over our school lessons.

This past year I have really been challenged in this area. (Perhaps because my oldest hit the decade mark?!?) The days are passing quickly and I don’t want to rush through moments that will one day be only memories in my heart.


I must never forget that I was a mama before anything else. Before I taught them how to read, before they learned about the Civil War or 2 + 2, long before they had handwriting or spelling—I was their mama.

  As important as being their teacher is, I do not want to lose sight of our relationship as mother and child. I need to make time for those extra questions and tangent moments. I need to relax and enjoy their snuggles while reading together on the couch. 

 I want to relish the sound of their voices as they describe the stories inside their heads. I want to be all there, connecting in my heart with these little ones I call son and daughter.

Sometimes we forget to appreciate the great opportunity we have to spend each day with our children—to watch them learn new things, ask us their multitudes of questions, join in as they explore and discover this amazing world, simply being together….

 These days of childhood, will all too soon be past, and will only be sweet memories. 

 I don’t want to miss a single one!


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