When Life Hurts: Strategies for Teaching Health and Manners, Mama

There are plenty of good homeschool products to teach the kids health and manners. But let’s look at what to do when we, as teachers, have bad health or bad manners. 

Bad Health Hurts

We hurt in many ways when we are sick or unhealthy. Everything seems to fall apart, and we feel guilty for not doing more, depressed for not being better, and just plain miserable. We want to wrap up in a comforter and stay there forever. Instead, let the Holy Spirit comfort you as only He can and rest in Him!

Lack of sleep is a real thing. We can easily allow our cranky tendencies to rule and feel justified. If you’re waking up through the night, use that time to pray. In the morning, pray again. Make it a habit, and it will bring good fruit. It sets the day up in victory and not defeat . . . and napping during the day should not induce guilt—it’s healthy!

Skipping social media at night may help. Our brains take time to put all that information away, keeping us awake, as our minds are not able to shut down. Instead, Bible reading at night can heal our mind and soul. Notice how Satan’s distractions lead us away from God, especially when we are weak or idle?

“I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (III John 1:2).

Bad Manners Hurt

The kids and I just talked this morning about how unkind words can hurt for a lifetime. I am often asking, “Are you building up with those words or tearing down?” Good manners go beyond please and thank you. Manners should be carried over into kindness on our lips, especially to those in our own household. Ouch!

“She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26).

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).

“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

Lord, change us, heal us, and give us wisdom.

~Deborah

Deborah Wuehler is the Senior Editor and Director of Production here at The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. She would say she is a very ordinary homeschool mom–with one exception: she has an extraordinary God Who provides all she needs for life and homeschooling. She has eight children aged 11 to 29. Deborah’s mission is this: to point other homeschoolers to the Lord in all they do, think, and feel—and to confirm that they, too, can find everything they need for life, godliness, and homeschooling in their knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3-4).