Mom of Nine shares how to Homeschool While Pregnant

kids putting hands on a pregnant moms belly

Are you a mom who is homeschooling and pregnant this year? Maybe you have many doubts and questions about how this will work or even if it’s possible. Are you afraid like I was that your other children will miss out because you can’t do as much when you are pregnant? Listen in as this mom of nine shares how to homeschool while pregnant.

Video: Mom of Nine shares how to Homeschool While Pregnant

I am excited to share about this topic because this is a season I have just been through. It is also one I have been through many times. Of our nine children, I have homeschooled through six of my pregnancies so this topic is very familiar to me. In fact, for our very first year of homeschooling, I was pregnant.

At some point in each of my pregnancies, I doubted myself and our decision to homeschool because on many days, I could barely keep up! But you know what? I really shouldn’t have. And neither should you.

It is not easy to homeschool while pregnant, BUT let me encourage you that it is possible and not only that, this can be a wonderful growing time for you and your kids. Here are my suggestions for how to homeschool while pregnant.

Don’t worry about what you are not getting done.

You will have stretches of time in your years of homeschooling where life events happen and you are only able to do the bare minimum for school. Then you will have other stretches of time that are very rich and productive.

This balance is normal for homeschooling and I have found that these two seasons even out in the end. If you foster a continued love of learning, your kids will be FINE.

You may be just getting by with school work this year, BUT this same time next year, you may be stuck inside for a wintry month or more getting twice as much done!

Maybe you are falling behind in your housework or keeping up with laundry. Just getting meals to the table all day can seem monumental, but it’s ok to let things go a little during this time.

It can be hard to see the long term perspective when you are in the moment, especially when you are pregnant. BUT what I have learned from homeschooling through six pregnancies is that, in the whole scheme of things, pregnancy is really very short in comparison with the rest of the time you are with your kids.

So it’s ok for a period of time to cut yourself some slack with the school and house work. You will have plenty. of non-pregnant time with them to accomplish all you dream of doing.

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Be Flexible

The beauty of homeschooling is that you can make it fit around your schedule and your family’s needs. Use the flexibility of homeschooling to your advantage. Do school around the your energy level or wait until Dad gets home and he can carry on what you are unable to do.

Are you struggling to get by in the early months of nausea/fatigue and the last few months of waiting for baby? This is a time to lower your expectations.

Accept the lack of progress on the slow days, knowing that they will be followed by a few days where you will probably have a little more energy. When those higher energy moments come, try to get a few things done while you have the stamina…and before the next wave of nausea and fatigue starts!

Some days you will do more, some less. Make it your primary goal for your kids to ENJOY learning and that itself will be fuel for their fire on days when you don’t have even a spark.

Take care of yourself.

Why do we as moms give, give, give without fueling our souls, feeding our minds, taking care of our bodies? Consider that by TAKING CARE OF YOURELF, you will be more productive, more fun, more productive, and have more perseverance.

Eat well. Take time to eat and eat healthy foods. Take your vitamins! Choose one change that you will make to eat/drink to your health this pregnancy. I did this for my first pregnancy. I cut out all sugar drinks. This was initially a challenge for me, but became easier over time and I could feel the difference in my mood and energy!

Take regular walks. The great thing about walking is that everybody can do it! Additionally, the fresh air and sunshine is not only good for your body, but your mood and mind as well! If you spend too many consecutive days at home without going out, you may find as I do, that you can get depressed! Start walking not only for exercise, but for my mental health! You may have to really push yourself to get out the door on the cold, blustery days, but walking is so good for rejuvenating the body and sparking ideas.

Rest. Your body needs more rest periods when you are pregnant and with energetic bambinos all day! Work a little, rest a little. If you have littles, make them have an afternoon quiet time. If your kids are older, they can work, read, or play quietly so that mom can lay down for a few minutes. Rest will fuel you!

Feed Your Soul. Don’t neglect time alone with the Lord in prayer and reading His word. Moms are busy. We have very little time to ourselves. When you get a little time alone, what’s the first thing you turn to? Facebook? Instagram? These things are empty and leave you feeling drained, not energized. Instead, spend those first few moments alone going to a source that will truly feed your soul. Find perspective and get your mind right. Time reading God’s Word and communicating with Him is time well-spent.

nine months pregnant mom homeschools surrounded by kids — Even though one of my kids has a random fork in his hand, I just love Juliana’s expression in this photo!

Simple Tips

Stick to the basics. Keep biting off little chunks of work every day. This is not a time for projects or starting that new unit study you’ve been meaning to try. Make sure they do reading, writing, and math every day. Whatever else gets done after that is a bonus.

Use this time to teach them to work independently. It is good for kids to take ownership of their work. Write a daily checklist. Print it and put it in a slipcover for them to refer to throughout the year. (They don’t have to necessarily put checkmarks on it. Keep the lists general and you can use the same sheet all year.) A checklist gives them something that they have to work towards every day.

Work with them from the sofa. It is OK to rest on the sofa when you need to. They can work around you or bring their work to you when they need help.

Read aloud to them. Read a lot as a family. Other than Math (which is a developmental skill and writing which is the overflow of reading), almost all the other subjects are acquired through reading. If you can’t do any thing else, READ TO THEM! Reading will fill in any of the gaps that you worry you aren’t getting done. See Teaching a Child To Read for more ideas! Read in regular small increments throughout the day. Just don’t read too long or you might fall asleep!

Keep toddlers entertained. Make a list of quick ready-to-go educational toys that will keep toddlers occupied. Puzzles, bubbles, dominoes, memory, coloring, magna doodle…any kind of busy bin. Write it down and have it handy so that you don’t have to think in that moment when you are overwhelmed. You can just pull out your list and pick one.
This is a great time to let your kids explore their interests. You may not have energy right now, but your kids are everlastingly curious. Use that to your advantage!

Your attitude is key so keep the right perspective!

If you can enjoy this special time in your life, it will be so helpful to you. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. Make an active decision to have a positive attitude. Stop and think of all the blessings God has given you. Your attitude has so much influence on the atmosphere of your home.

You have been given the gift of life. This child inside you and the relationships your kids will have with siblings….these will last a lifetime. This investment of pregnancy is so small in comparison with the reward that comes from it.

See your work with them through a broad lens. Pregnancy is temporary, so make the most of this time by accepting your limitations and taking things one day at a time.

While you are waiting for baby, embrace the season you are in knowing that many moms have successfully homeschooled while pregnant.

And you can too.