The 3 R’s of Retiring Homeschool Moms

During my years as a kindergarten teacher in the public school system, the custom was to recognize retiring teachers with a reception and present them with a brass apple. So, what happens when homeschool moms retire?

After 24 years of homeschooling, that’s what I’ve been pondering after officially closing our homeschool with the Dept. of Non-Public Education a few weeks ago. I’ve whittled my reflections down to 3 R’s.

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Retiring Homeschool Moms Reflect

There are a few moms who send their children back to the public school system and thus, they are no longer homeschooling. But, for this post, we’re talking about those moms who are retiring because their last baby is about to graduate from homeschool high school.

The homeschool mom places the emphasis on the child who is graduating. She focuses on making the graduation a special day and has little time to think about her retirement. But, she does do a good deal of reflecting.

She reflects on the early years she and this child snuggled on the sofa reading books together, making messes with crafts and cooking, and the fun of learning new things together. She muses over the photos she’s gathering for a graduation video. She’s glad she captured the moments on film of field trips, homeschool co-op classes, and formal dances.

And as she prepares that final high school transcript, she remembers those early years of tears that were shed over math. And writing. Then, once high school began there were a few times when they both wanted to quit. But, the homeschool mom saw the potential and they persevered.

Now, there are tears of joy because somehow they survived and finished well. Many prayers were answered. But the mom knows that even though homeschooling her kids will end, her praying for them never will.

Three R’s come to mind while reflecting on retiring: rejoice, renew, and relax.

Rejoice

Homeschool moms rejoice when their children finish well. It doesn’t matter if they’re straight-A students. What matters is the integrity of their children’s hearts. Knowing that full maturity is still not yet reached and will require time and testing, homeschool moms still rejoice in knowing how far their children have come academically, emotionally, and spiritually.  

Renew

Yes! The lesson planning, teaching, guiding, grading, and testing are done. When homeschool moms retire there’ll be more time to renew some interests that may have been put on hold. Perhaps pick up a new hobby or learn a new skill set. Reconnect with old friends.

For the past month, I’ve reached out and reconnected with a different friend each week. Some I’ve not seen for years. It’s been a blessing catching up with them over lunch or coffee. Also, I’ve had more time to invest in mentoring which is a delight. And, more time to work on a few writing projects which are hard work, but fun.

Relax

Homeschooling is a blessing and a joy. However, for some, it requires balancing between being the teacher and being the mom. When a homeschool mom retires, she can permanently take off the homeschool “teacher hat|” and relax by just being the mom. They’re still “teaching” subtle life- and heart lessons to their grown children. But no longer do they have to make sure their children understand a concept before moving forward in a subject, or that they’re doing their assignments to the best of their ability and in a timely manner.

While there will still be some occasional stress due to other things in life, homeschooling will not be one of them. It’s time to encourage other adventures.

But, What About the Party?

When homeschool moms retire, they’ll do what they always do—focus on the kids. They’ll want the celebration to center around their graduates.

But, after that, maybe a month or two after graduation, homeschool moms should celebrate their retirement. You’ve worked hard, and you’ve finished well, too.

There may be a thoughtful person who recognizes the sacrifices and hard work of homeschooling who will plan a party.

 But, if not, don’t hesitate to plan something special yourself. It doesn’t have to be a party. Treat yourself by inviting your closest friends and family to join you for dinner. Or, think of a place you’ve always wanted to visit but it was too expensive to take the whole family. Plan a weekend getaway for just you and your spouse!

Who wants a brass apple? Not me. It’s one more thing to dust! But perhaps you’ve admired something—a piece of pottery, art, or jewelry. Maybe that’s the thing to commemorate your retirement.

And, yes, the best gifts a retiring homeschool mama can ever receive are eternal ones. To know that God has blessed the seeds of His Truth she has planted and watered over the years is the greatest blessing of all.

What’s Next for Retiring Homeschool Moms?

Sweet homeschooling mama, are you retiring soon? Your patience and persistence will pay off. Finish strong! Then, spend some time reflecting, rejoicing, resting, and relaxing in your “new” role.

Find a way to commemorate it in a way that is special to you. You may not want any fanfare. But, don’t be embarrassed if you do want to celebrate the end of your homeschooling journey. It’s not celebrating with a tone of selfish pride or good riddance. Not at all! It’s a way of rejoicing and remembering how God has worked wonders through your years of homeschooling. You’ve learned as much as your children! You took a step of faith to try this crazy thing called homeschooling, which included a lot of heartschooling for both of you. And, now, you’ve finished running this leg of your life-race. That’s worth celebrating!

But you’re not done yet. Now, it’s time to be strong and courageous again and ask God, “What’s next?”