Mom to Mom

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Graphic with the blue scripted title "Mom to Mom," featuring quotes from Rachel Martin, Tracy Klicka, Jane Lambert, and Durenda Wilson.

In Memory of Durenda

Durenda Wilson went home to be with Jesus on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving. Please pray for her family. She was a columnist for Homeschooling Today starting in 2018. Her words, which always dripped with authenticity and hope, have made an enormous impact on me personally, and I know on our readers too.

Durenda, you will be so missed. Thank you for investing in many of us moms while you were here.

Please consider donating to the Wilson family to help them carry on with her work.
hs.today/Remembering-Durenda

Ashley Wiggers signature custom cursive typography in black

Timeless Wisdom

Over the years, we’ve been blessed to have some very wise women write to you—mom to mom. As we seek to love God with all our minds, we want to remind you of some timeless truths to consider when your thinking gets a bit off track.

You can embrace the crazy in the middle of the everyday.

“Homeschooling is an incredible giving of self, and some days, it can seem that even though you’re working terribly hard, you’re actually walking backward. You’re not. In a world that is crazy and fast and full of new things, sometimes we just need to step back and embrace the crazy in the middle of the everyday. Normal is something that is beautiful, but often we forget about it.”

—Rachel Martin, Spring 2013

The idea of the perfect, have-it-all-together mom is a myth.

“Don’t be weary, dear mother, in trying to keep up with a supermom agenda. There is no supermom, really. That whole idea of the perfect mom who has everything together is just a myth. Real, authentic moms are the ones who admit that they don’t have it all together, but keep on fighting anyway. They can be scared and tired at times, overwhelmed by trying to keep up with little ones all day long. They’re just moms like you and me who sometimes feel lost in a world measured by outward accomplishments.”

—Rachel Martin, Summer 2014

When you think to yourself, “I’m a terrible mother,” replace it with “I matter.”

“Having a bad day doesn’t make you a terrible mom….So, listen to me. Then next time you hear yourself say that you are a terrible mother, replace it with ‘I matter.’ Trying without success is not failing. It’s just real motherhood.”

—Rachel Martin, Winter 2014

achel Martin is the author of Get Your Spark Back, Mom Enough, and The Brave Art of Motherhood, and the founder of FindingJoy.net, a global online community reaching millions each month. Her work has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, NPR, and The Huffington Post. Through her writing and speaking, Rachel helps others rediscover their spark, create alignment in the in-between seasons of life, and live each day with intention and joy. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a mom to seven.

Children need your failures, too.

“You are also the mom your kids need when you must lean hard on God’s strength and grace in the midst of your hardship, weakness, and sin. It’s seeing you struggle with pride, or exhaustion, or fear, watching you run to the Lord for forgiveness and help, listening to you share God’s Word with them, and observing Christ’s peace fill you with calm and courage. Your children don’t just need your successes, they need your failures, too. They need to learn, by your example, how to fail well, and how to be real with themselves and not try to hide behind a veil of perfection. They need to throw themselves anew on God’s mercy and grace—just like you do.”

—Tracy Klicka, Winter 2016

Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed by the Lord.

“You are laying down your life to nurture your children and teach them at home. You probably love what you do…most of the time. For the times you struggle to keep at it….Every little way you invest in your children through your sacrifice, as you teach and nurture them, adds up….God sees it all and longs to bless you.”

—Tracy Klicka, Summer 2017

The little things matter.

“[God] called you, perhaps not to do great things, but certainly to do small things with great love….Because of this truth, the little things matter immensely. Doing them faithfully adds up to a life of steadfastness, and the sum of all the little expressions of love and the sacrifices and daily dying to self we engage in as mothers makes a huge impact on the lives of our children.”

—Tracy Klicka, Autumn 2017

Gratitude is a great workout for both your heart and mind.

“Gratitude was a steady pulse, like my own heartbeat. Not because I took three deep breaths and said, ‘I am blessed,’ or because I made a list of everything I was grateful for. Doing these things might help—like adding ankle weights when you go walking—but being thankful is mostly a process of your heart and mind, much like exercise is a regimen for your body. Warning: it’s not a leisurely stroll, Mom. It’s more like a regular, sweaty workout.”

—Tracy Klicka, Autumn 2018

racy Klicka the widow of former HSLDA senior counsel Christopher Klicka, is a homeschool mom of seven, now adult children, and Mimi to a dozen grandchildren. As a seasoned homeschooler and gifted writer and speaker for over 30 years, Tracy has addressed thousands of parents at homeschool conventions and women’s events, has written dozens of articles, and has contributed to her late husband’s books on homeschooling.

I am creative!

“‘I’m just not creative.’…Perhaps we should begin to reject that kind of thinking and instead meditate on this amazing truth: We are created in God’s image. He is the ultimate creator, and His creativity is without end. Therefore, we are created to be creative!

Every aspect of our lives and every subject we teach is a creative effort. We will become more and more creative as we learn how to present this amazing world to our children in our daily homeschooling.”

—Jane Lambert, Summer 2019

a mom sitting with her two children on a couch

You don’t need to cram your calendar full.

“When you are planning out your week or month, make sure you leave extra room for the Lord to sprinkle in His own adventures to your days. Leave time for your students to breathe, play, think, and ponder—and time for those serendipitous teaching moments that make the week extra interesting and enjoyable.”

—Jane Lambert, Autumn 2019

ane Lambert began homeschooling in 1981 with a simple but compelling goal: to help her children fall in love with learning. As she taught, Jane developed her signature approach—rooted in rich children’s literature and a highly interactive, relationship-driven style that has inspired countless families for decades. Today, Jane continues to encourage homeschoolers around the world through the Five in a Row curriculum, podcasts, speaking at homeschool events, and homeschool coaching—all while enjoying the joy of her growing family of grandchildren and even a great-grandchild.

You can ask God what He has for your family.

“Sometimes we find ourselves dependent on activities, or keeping up with what other homeschooling families are doing, in an attempt to waylay our fears that we aren’t ‘doing enough.’ What if instead we simply ask God what He has for our families and walk in faithful obedience to that?”

—Durenda Wilson, Summer 2023

You are gently shaping unfolding possibilities.

“It is a journey of faith, much like that of a farmer. Farmers can’t force a seed to grow. They can water, fertilize, and encourage growth, but ultimately it is GOD who causes the growth. We as homeschooling moms have to remember that we are not forcing but rather gently shaping unfolding possibilities.”

—Durenda Wilson, Winter 2023

What do all these truths have in common? It’s summed up in our favorite reminder:

You’ve got this! He’s got you.

urenda Wilson is a homeschooling mom of eight (born 1991 through 2004), seven of whom have graduated. She has been married for 32 years to Darryl, and they have 9 grandkids. Durenda has written The Unhurried Homeschooler, Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart, and The Four Hour School Day. She is the owner/writer/host of her blog and podcast, Durenda Wilson, and mentors moms at simplyunhurried.com. She also enjoys speaking at events where she can encourage homeschool moms to think outside the box and homeschool in a way that is a great fit for their families!

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