‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: An Exhausted Homeschool Mom’s Tale

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the home,

Was a mom making magic, though her strength was unknown.

The stockings were hung, the lights twinkled so bright,

But her to-do list loomed large in the glow of the night.

Laundry was piling, dishes stacked in the sink,

There were cookies to bake and last gifts to think.

The house needed tidying, the wrapping wasn’t done,

And tomorrow held promise of so much more fun.

The kids were excited, their hearts filled with cheer,

While Mama was clinging to her peppermint tea near.

She wanted perfection, a season to savor,

But she wondered if joy required all this labor.

Yet through her exhaustion, her heart softly said,

“Remember the moments, not the checklist instead.”

So she paused for a moment and looked all around,

At the magic her children had effortlessly found.

Their giggles while frosting the cookies with flair,

The sparkle of wonder as they found the elves there.

Their sweet, whispered dreams of Santa’s sleigh flight,

The hugs and the laughter that warmed up the night.

And in those moments, lessons appeared,

A chance to teach love, not just what’s revered.

She taught math with the recipes, fractions and more,

And writing with letters for Santa to store.

She wove in some history of St. Nick’s kind heart,

And science with snowflakes, their intricate art.

The true meaning of Christmas—what she longed to instill—

Was shared through their kindness, acts small but so real.

Filling boxes with hope, or a card’s heartfelt art,

Became gifts of compassion to warm every heart.

But most of all, she hoped children would see,

That love is the best gift from Mama to thee.

Not the perfect house, nor the fanciest tree,

But the joy of a family together, carefree.

So this Christmas, she vowed to let go of the guilt,

To savor the memories her family had built.

She’d embrace every cuddle, each giggle, each kiss,

For these were the moments she surely would miss.

For homeschooling, too, can be woven with cheer,

As Christmas provides lessons so rich and so dear.

From art in the ornaments to music’s sweet tune,

To reading by firelight with cocoa by moon.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the space,

Was a mom who decided to give herself grace.

Her heart felt so full as she whispered goodnight,

“Merry Christmas, my loves, and to all a good night.”

This season, let us as parents find joy in the beauty of simplicity, the magic of our children’s wonder, and the lessons hidden in everyday moments. Merry Christmas from our family to yours—may your holidays be filled with love, laughter, learning, and light.