Hello Mamas, our special #CovidCompassionProject series continues to spread hope, positivity, and tons of tips and strategies to help you make the best of this time at home for yourself and with your family, no matter the current state circumstances globally.

Today's episode features Lindsay Leiviska, founder of A Heart For All Students, an organization with the mission to empower children who think and process the world differently by equipping the moms who raise them. Lindsay is a Christian wife, mom of three and an educator with her Masters Degree in Teaching. She has been working with children for over 20+ years and homeschooling her own for more than 10.

In 2013, Lindsay and her husband adopted a newborn boy. The story of his adoption transition into their family radically transformed Lindsay as a mom and educator. Her mission is to change the parenting and educational narrative as it relates to neurodiverse children so that they can thrive as the people God has designed them to be.

In today's episode, Sabrina and Lindsay chat about all things motherhood, but especially homeschooling and navigating being a parent and teacher to your children in a way that feels good, that resonates for you and your children.

It's no secret that navigating working from home alongside parenting kiddos is a juggle in itself. Now add to that equation the pressure of homeschooling your children, especially if you haven't done it before. Add to that the need and necessity to cater to different learning styles and personalities of our little humans, it's no wonder many mamas feel overwhelmed, frustrated, stressed out, and much more. We want to enjoy this time with our children in the best way possible and we also want them to learn new things and still stay on track for growth and education (given the current situation). And for those of us who are working from home full-time (be it as employees or business owners), we want to balance it all relatively tantrum and guilt-free, especially if we are letting our kiddos get more screen time than normal.

Below are some ways you can move through this time with relative grace, ease, and peace of mind, so that you can make this time count and enjoy it for the gift that it truly is (even if it doesn't always feel like it!):

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• Focus on the relationship you have with your children first, instead of focusing and stressing about iron-clad rules, curriculum, and routines. It's totally okay to be flexible with your day, with your learning. Allow yourself and your children to navigate their learning based on what they love. Your child has his or her own interests, their own personality, their own likes and dislikes. Allowing for play-based learning - it helps your children discover their learning styles and the way they communicate their needs. Play-based learning allows your whole body to develop language, express emotions, and of course advocate for themselves - verbally. So take a deep breath Mama, and embrace this time for the gift it is. Focus on spending time with them through daily activities. Involve them in your activities and day to day, you'll be surprised at how much they absorb like the little sponges they are!
  
• The way you show up matters. Your energy matters. Children absorb your mood and energy even if they may not vocalize itHow are you showing up for your children? What is the language you use around your children? Are you glorifying 'busy' or are you being intentional about your day? Depending on how you perceive it, this is a time for reflection, for creating the life we desire and our children are watching and learning. So how can we, as parents, embrace more play? How can you continue to learn and grow outside the confines of a classroom and a curriculum? Use your children's interests as a cue for the learning and development you will partake in for the day.
  
• Focus on helping your child(ren) develop their foundational skills first - reading, writing, math. Look for the gaps and where they need most help. Instead of pushing your children to do more, learn more, identify the gaps first, identify the areas where they need to spend time the most (hint, this is often something they dislike doing or feel anxious doing eg: reading aloud... math etc). Focus on helping them develop practical skills in math in a fun and relatable way (be it counting the number of grocery items, measuring items for a recipe, even incorporating Monopoly as a board game to help them learn about money and tangible concepts of subtraction, addition, multiplication etc).
  
• Incorporate technology in a fun and healthy manner - technology is beautiful and a great gift when used intentionally. Take your phone with you on nature walks, take pictures of the plants, animals, and birds you see on your walk. Create a photo collage, do some story time and talk about the walk- let each child narrate their perspective. Use apps such as Vooks or Epic Books that have audio books, educational series on them as well as Netflix. Understand that learning doesn't always occur within set guidelines or within a textbook. While those are great resources, be flexible with how your child chooses to learn.
  

Give yourself and your kiddos grace, Mama. You are human. You have been given these children for a reason. Nobody knows them better than themselves and you. Trust that you are enough to inspire them, love them, help them, and guide them. That even when you're not "learning," you are always learning and growing - the same goes for your kiddos. Build more memories with them instead of forcing things that don't always feel good. Allow yourself to surrender to the day and watch the magic unfold. Children are wise beyond measure, they can sense every emotion, so simply communicate with them as best as you can, and when all else fails, hug and hold them tight and get in those extra snuggles. Have a cuppa hot cocoa and watch a movie or get some movement and outside playtime (if possible), and breathe! We are all in this storm together. Let's love our children fiercely and freely. Let's help one another fiercely and support one another. No judgments, no shame, and absolutely no guilt! This too shall pass and in its passing, may you carve out a life that you have always resonated with, a life you desire, and a life that makes you feel inspired!

To connect more with Lindsay or to learn more about her programs and resources for homeschooling mamas, reach out to her at:

Website

Instagram

Facebook