When Mom Finally Goes to the Doctor

A gentle but honest reminder that we matter too

Yesterday I did something that many of us put off far longer than we should.

I finally went to the doctor.

Nothing dramatic. Nothing scary. I do need to have a small procedure, but overall everything is fine.
And yet, sitting there in that exam room, I caught myself doing the very thing I know so many of us do.

The very first question out of my mouth was:

"How much downtime will I have?"

Not because I was worried about my recovery.
Not because I was anxious about pain.

But because my brain immediately went to…

Who will take care of everyone else?

If you are a homeschooling parent, especially one who carries a lot of the daily load, you probably just nodded your head.

Because we all do this.

The quiet habit we don't talk about

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to put ourselves last.

It does not happen overnight.
It is not usually something anyone teaches us outright.

It just… grows.

We nurture.
We protect.
We manage schedules, meals, emotions, laundry piles, learning plans, appointments, and a thousand invisible details that keep a home running.

And slowly, almost without noticing, our own needs slide to the bottom of the list.

We tell ourselves:

• I will make the appointment next month

• I just need to get through this busy season

• The kids need me more right now

• I do not have time to be down

Sound familiar?

Friend, I say this with so much love…

This pattern catches up with us.

The honest moment I had to face

As I sat there yesterday, it hit me.

My family could survive a few days without me running at full speed.

Would it be perfectly smooth? Probably not.
Would things look exactly how I would do them? Definitely not.

But would they survive?

Yes.

And if I am being really honest… yours would too.

That realization can feel uncomfortable. But it is also freeing.

Because taking care of our health is not selfish.
It is responsible stewardship of the body and life we have been given.

Nurturing is beautiful… but not at the cost of your health

Let me be very clear about something.

The instinct to nurture and protect our children is good. It is God-given. It is part of what makes parents so incredibly strong.

But it was never meant to come at the cost of our own well-being.

When we ignore symptoms…
When we delay appointments…
When we run ourselves into the ground…

We are not actually serving our families well in the long run.

Healthy parents are better able to:

• Show up with patience

• Think clearly

• Teach consistently

• Love generously

• And endure the long homeschool journey

Taking care of yourself is not stepping away from your family.

It is investing in your ability to keep showing up for them.

The permission some of us need to hear

So today, consider this your gentle nudge… or your loving reality check, depending on what you need.

If your body has been whispering to you…

• Make the appointment

• Fill the prescription

• Go to bed earlier

• Rest when you are worn down

• Follow up on that thing you have been ignoring

Please listen.

Not because you are weak.

Because you matter too.

From one homeschooling parent to another

If you are anything like me, your heart will probably always lean toward caring for everyone else first.

That is part of who we are.

But we can hold two truths at the same time:

We deeply love and care for our families.
And we are still allowed to care for ourselves.

You are not just the driver of the homeschool ship.

You are a whole person… with a body that needs care, rest, and attention.

And friend, you are worth that care.

You matter too.

💛 Jen
Homeschool Unshaken