Dear mom buying school supplies and feeling overwhelmed,

Stop and pray. Ask God to help you envision each child as the young adult they can be.

Write out your goals for that child . . . fair warning, there will likely be very little academic success in your goals. You may even have to go back and write those in.

Take a deep breath.

Keep this list of goals nearby.

Go back and read them when the world is telling you your child doesn’t stack up somewhere.

They aren’t reading as fast, they’re not “getting” math, their handwriting is wonky, they talk too much, etc., etc.

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What they are saying is they don’t fit in a box of what we have decided is normal for that age or conform with someone else’s standard of behavior. Take a minute and assess. Are they on track with your goals for them?

Are they being uniquely who the Lord made them to be?

Are the boxes we have made for ourselves the problem? Do you need to add a tutor or switch curriculums or supplement their learning in a more “interesting to them” way?

Repeat after me—you are the mama.

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You get to decide what’s best. You know your child best. You and God get to say if they are living up to who they are made to be. No one else.

Just a reminder for us all before the school year begins and you are rushing to keep up and everywhere around you is “noise” and “busy.”

You and God got this!

Also remember Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It’s OK if they don’t “fit the mold.”