This One Simple Trick Revolutionized My Mothering and My Life.

I get that being a mom is hard work on a daily basis. As mothers, we are expected to provide support, advice, and nurturing while still managing the house and our own careers. The days spent providing comfort and support can be long, tiring, and overwhelming. But what if I told you that there is one simple trick that could change all of that? It’s true. One small shift in my thinking has not only changed my approach to mothering but also changed my life for the better.

In this blog post, I will share with you the story of how this one simple trick has transformed my mothering mindset and opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me as a mom.

If you're still feeling harried as a homeschool mom, maybe adding a daily schedule will help? If you missed the previous post about the freebie, you can find it here. 

No More Feeling Burdened With One Simple Phrase

When times are tough or you feel burdened, my MOST IMPORTANT TIP FOR THE HOMESCHOOL MOM (or any human being, for that matter!) is extremely simple. It's actually incredibly easy. Ready for this?

Change just ONE word in all of your thoughts and what you say. Instead of saying "I HAVE to," simply replace it with "I GET to."

This changes every situation from a burden to an opportunity! Feel the instant change when you read the phrase "I have to teach my kid to read" to "I get to teach my kid to read!" It’s almost magical!

My mindset and then my life changed when I consciously changed my mind in this simple way. Whenever I feel down, I force myself to change this one word.

I get to fold my babies' laundry.

Change "I have to fold the babies' laundry" to "I get to fold my babies' laundry." It's a labour of love that I get to do for them. I cherish each and every moment that I spend folding their little clothes. It's a time for me to reflect on all the amazing moments we've shared together and to look forward to all the wonderful moments yet to come. 

When you shift your thinking from a negative thought to a positive thought, you are creating a new neural pathway in your mind. That's powerful!

I get to have my kids around all day.

Change your thoughts of "my kids are always hanging off me" to "I get to have my kids around all day," and it's the best thing ever. As a homeschool mom, it's easy to overlook the beauty of each and every moment with our kids as we struggle through daily math lessons. 

But when I changed my mindset from a negative "I have to" to "I get to" spend time with them, I found that my feelings shifted to pure love. I found that my feelings shifted to pure love. I cherish each moment, even the bad ones.  I can spend as much time with them as I want, but I know it won't be forever. One day, little hands will be grown and no longer need me as much.

For now, though, we can go on adventures, play games, and just be together. What an opportunity for them to learn and for us to grow together. It's the best feeling in the world.

I get to teach my kids.

As a homeschooling mother, I get to teach my kids and bring them up in a way that truly reflects my family's beliefs and values. This is a huge freedom that not even all states share. As part of their home learning journey, I've had the opportunity to teach each of my lovely daughters how to read.

The fact that I get to make a curriculum at all is truly a reason to be grateful. And, of course, I am grateful for the opportunity to teach my children through our homeschool reading program.

Last year I got to create our free reading log, and I am so excited to be able to announce that our new 2023 reading log will let you follow along with Fan and Sam in all of our early reading books  and then some! Kids can colour each book spine as they finish reading each of the levelled books. Two similar versions are included: one titled "100 books in 2023" and one titled "Dash into 100 Books" if you don't want to do it by the year.

 I get to answer emails for my company.

As a work-at-home mom, I am constantly having to check my email for my business. It can be hard to find the time between dishes, laundry, homeschool lessons, and all of life's ups and downs. However, being a work-at-home mom has given me a great opportunity to spend more time with my kids while they are small while still contributing to the family's income.

So instead of saying to myself, "ugh, more emails to answer," I say, "I get to answer emails for my business." I look forward to seeing those questions flood my inbox about the reading and writing curriculum I developed.

I get to work at a job I love while helping fellow homeschooling families improve their children's education. What a blessing!

I get to make dinner again.

I used to dread dinner time. It was always such a hassle to come up with something everyone would eat, and there was the endless pile of dirty dishes that followed. But then I discovered that using this one simple trick changed how I thought, and I started to think instead of how I get to make dinner again.

Now, I know what you're thinking—why would getting to make dinner again be a good thing? Well, I am lucky enough to have enough food to feed my family. I have the option to add to our diet in healthy ways, to innovate new meal plans, and to come up with food that brings us together more as a family unit.

This shift in my mindset has allowed me to smile in the kitchen even though I was just here a few hours ago making lunch. I don't even mind the dishes. Having dirty dishes means I was feeding my family, which is my honor and privilege. 

I get that being free to do things is a privilege.

It's easy to take our daily freedoms for granted. We don't even realize we are doing it. If we really think about how lucky we are as free individuals to come and go as we please, we are free to make our own choices and to pursue our own interests.

There are many people in the world who are not free to live their lives the way they want to. They may be oppressed by their government, trapped in poverty, or subjected to violence. When we think about the struggles of others, it can help us appreciate the freedoms we have.

This is why this simple mindset shift has had such a huge impact on my own mothering, and I hope it will help you too on  your difficult days.

How you can add "I get to" into your own life

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life and forget to stop and smell the roses. One way that you can make sure to add some "I get to" into your life is by taking a few moments each day to appreciate what you have. Maybe it's taking a deep breath and looking around at all the beauty that surrounds you, or maybe it's taking a moment to reflect on all the incredible people and things in your life.

Practice on yourself the next time you are feeling rushed or stressed. Take the negative phrase in your head that is causing you strife and change the wording to "I get to." I guarantee you will smile to yourself in that moment.

Try taking even just a few moments each day to focus on the positive. It can make a world of difference in your outlook on life. And, when you're feeling good, it only makes sense that those around you will benefit as well! So, go ahead and add some "I get to" into your life today; you will feel so much better about all the mothering tasks and demands that you face on a daily basis.

I want to know if it's worked for you. Drop a comment below and tell me about the moment you caught yourself and added "I get to" into your mindset.