Do we depend too much on our kids? ~ Written by Kari Patterson

The wording might sound weird, but the idea resonates with me deeply: Once your child’s a teen, you’re no longer the star of the show.

You might be thinking, Star of the show? What show?

My daughter Heidi (15) is in youth theater and we have a running joke that I keep waiting for the artistic team to call and ask me to play some lead role. Come on, I can totally be Elsa! Give me a chance!

Yeah not happening. I had my season on the stage. I now work backstage, and I love it! It’s my children’s time to shine.

Most moms I know aren’t looking for a spotlight (and I’m not saying parents literally shouldn’t be on stages), I just mean that life really isn’t about me anymore.

Of course this starts from day one as parents. We mamas give up our bodies, time, sleep, energy, we set ourselves aside over and over as our little ones grow up.

But sometimes, we might miss the memo that this not-about-me aspect of parenthood only increases as they grow older.

And if we don’t wrap our minds around this and establish our own well-being, secure identity, and mental health, we can dangerously depend on our children or inadvertently make their journeys too much our own.

Do we depend too much on our kids?

Let’s consider how this can play out in our lives and our children’s.

Do we depend too much on our kids for SIGNIFICANCE?

For those hungry for significance, we can easily look to our children’s world to establish our own worth.

This begins early! If our toddler tantrums in public we’re wrecked emotionally, angry and embarrassed. A healthy pride over our child’s accomplishments can grow into increasing pressure placed on them to perform, because we see their success as ours.

As they grow, we can make their endeavors about our own pursuits.

Do we lean on our kids for SECURITY?

For those hungry for security, we can subtly use our children to give us emotional comfort and support.

Perhaps all introverts can identify with how helpful it is to have a child to “hide behind” in social settings. No shame in that, it can certainly make parties easier.

But as they grow, we can become unhealthily dependent on them, especially if our adult relationships are problematic.

Both of these place a pressure on children they were never meant to bear. Children were never intended to be our source of significance or security, and though they might never be able to articulate it, the result of having to shoulder that ill-fitting burden often ends in resentment.

So how do we avoid this? Asking ourselves a few questions can help.

For the little years:

Do I get angry and resentful when my child’s behavior interrupts my day or causes me discomfort?
Do I display these feelings in such a way that my child feels responsible for my own emotional state?
Am I modeling emotional regulation or am I sending the message that my child has the power to make or break my day?
Do I overly depend on having my child with me as a sort of social security blanket?

For the middle years:

Have I over-booked my child’s life with activities that he or she may not actually want to do?
Are there any ways that I’m demanding my child go a certain route because it’s what pleases me most?
If I am involved in coaching or leading these activities, am I making the activity too much about me?

For the teen years: 

Am I pushing my child OR holding back my child because of my own emotional needs?
Am I pushing them out of panic that they might not be doing as well as I wish?
Or am I holding them back because “I’m not ready” for whatever is next in their life?
Do I have an unhealthy emotional dependence on them?
Am I expecting them to meet a relational need that should be met through a spouse or friend?

While I’m not to the grown years yet, all of these things pave the way for a healthy launch into independence and adulthood for our kids. Our children should feel the freedom to fly the coop and establish their own lives in adulthood without worrying about whether we’ll be okay without them.

Simply put: They cannot fly freely with the weight of our needs around their necks.

Friends, I’m working on this too. Let’s enjoy our children thoroughly without depending on them for our significance and security. For their good. And our own.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Do we depend too much on our kids? ~ Written by Kari Patterson The wording might sound weird, but the idea resonates with me deeply: Once your child’s a teen, you’re no longer the star of the show. You might be thinking, Star of the show? What show? My daughter Heidi (15) is in youth theater …  Read More inspiration Simple Homeschool 

National Seashell Day is on June 20th which offers endless options for celebrating the beach!

Use this fun activity mat as a summer boredom buster, this no-prep worksheet is designed to provide fun and learning anywhere you go.

The printable includes a variety of activities such as a word search, tic-tac-toe, and cute pictures to color. It offers a delightful mix of puzzles and coloring sections, making it perfect for different interests and skill levels. Simply print it out, and your child can start enjoying it immediately.

It can be used in various settings, providing a versatile tool for keeping kids occupied. It’s perfect for car rides, quiet time at home, or as a brain break during school. You can also bring it along to restaurants to keep kids entertained while waiting for their meals or use it outside on a sunny day. The compact, one-page design makes it easy to carry and use anywhere, especially when clipped to a clipboard for stability.

In addition to being fun, this activity placemat helps children develop fine motor skills and cognitive abilities. Coloring enhances hand-eye coordination, while puzzles like the word search and tic-tac-toe foster problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. It’s a simple yet effective way to keep kids engaged in learning while having fun with a summer theme.

DOWNLOAD The Seashell Activity Placemat

Check out these links below for more free printables about the Beach:

Beach Scavenger Hunt

Shell Fine Motor Activity Pages

Jellyfish Coloring Page

Find more FREE Homeschool Printables & Worksheets on our Pinterest boards!

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[[{“value”:”National Seashell Day is on June 20th which offers endless options for celebrating the beach! Use this fun activity mat as a summer boredom buster, this no-prep worksheet is designed to provide fun and learning anywhere you go. The printable includes a variety of activities such as a word search, tic-tac-toe, and cute pictures to
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Looking for an enjoyable way for second graders to practice telling time? The Spring Clock Telling Time Practice printable is an excellent resource that transforms learning into a fun activity.

This printable includes a clock matching game that helps children practice reading both analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes.

It includes printables of cloud and umbrella puzzle cards. Each cloud card displays a digital time, while the matching umbrella card shows the corresponding analog clock face. The cards are available in color or black and white, allowing for flexible printing options.

This activity not only helps children practice telling time but also improves their memory and matching skills. To play, shuffle the cards and lay them face down. Players take turns flipping over one cloud card and one umbrella card. If the times match, the player keeps the pair. The game continues until all pairs are found, and the player with the most pairs wins.

For additional learning fun, several extension activities can be included. In the “Beat the Clock” challenge, players race against a timer to find matches. In the “Minute Match” race, players identify the number of minutes shown on the digital clocks. “Create-Your-Time” encourages children to design their own clock faces and set them to specific times. Finally, “Story Time with Time” integrates reading and time-telling by having kids match times mentioned in a story to the clock cards.

These activities not only reinforce the basics of telling time but also make learning an interactive and enjoyable experience. Perfect for rainy days, the Spring Clock Telling Time Practice printable offers a delightful way to develop essential time-telling skills.

DOWNLOAD the Telling Time Practice!

Check out these links below for more free printables about Telling Time:

Watermelon Time Telling

Spring Time Draw Yourself Coloring Page

Time Telling Winter Pages

Find more FREE Homeschool Printables & Worksheets on our Pinterest boards!

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[[{“value”:”Looking for an enjoyable way for second graders to practice telling time? The Spring Clock Telling Time Practice printable is an excellent resource that transforms learning into a fun activity. This printable includes a clock matching game that helps children practice reading both analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes. It includes printables
The post Spring Clock Telling Time Practice for 2nd Grade appeared first on Free Homeschool Deals ©.”}]]  Read More Free Homeschool Deals © 

Explore the wonders of Kentucky with activities perfect for young learners that offer a fun way to dive into the state’s natural and cultural heritage.

These worksheets feature a variety of images and words related to Kentucky, including the state outline, animals, and plants. Children can color these pictures and practice handwriting by tracing the names of various Kentucky-related items such as the honeybee and blackberry.

Using these worksheets, children enhance their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and creativity by coloring the state symbols, wildlife, and plants. The handwriting practice helps them improve letter formation, recognition, and spelling as they trace the names of these elements. This dual approach reinforces vocabulary and strengthens handwriting skills while making learning enjoyable.

Beyond the worksheets, kids can deepen their understanding of Kentucky’s geography by studying its diverse regions, such as the Appalachian Mountains. Creating 3D models of the mountains and learning about their formation and resources offers hands-on learning opportunities.

Additionally, exploring Kentucky’s cultural heritage through bluegrass music allows children to appreciate the state’s artistic contributions. They can even make simple musical instruments to engage with the music actively.

By investigating Kentucky’s agricultural history, kids can learn about the state’s key crops and livestock. Activities such as visiting a local farm or starting a small garden project can provide practical insights into agriculture. These worksheets and related activities spark curiosity and inspire a love for learning about the Bluegrass State.

DOWNLOAD the Kentucky Coloring and Handwriting Worksheets

Check out these links below for more free Coloring Worksheets

Antarctica Coloring Pages

Iowa Coloring and Handwriting Worksheets

Free I Will Trust God + Coloring & Handwriting Printable Packet!

Find more FREE Homeschool Printables & Worksheets on our Pinterest boards!

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[[{“value”:”Explore the wonders of Kentucky with activities perfect for young learners that offer a fun way to dive into the state’s natural and cultural heritage. These worksheets feature a variety of images and words related to Kentucky, including the state outline, animals, and plants. Children can color these pictures and practice handwriting by tracing the
The post Kentucky Coloring and Handwriting Worksheets appeared first on Free Homeschool Deals ©.”}]]  Read More Free Homeschool Deals © 

The post Dog Bookmarks to Color: Cute Ways to Make Reading Fun (Free) appeared first on Rock Your Homeschool.

​Read More [[{“value”:”These dog bookmarks to color are delightful ways to enjoy coloring fun and boost reading time. This free printable set of coloring bookmarks with puppy themes includes 5 styles. These DIY reading accessories have cute dog and puppy puns plus paw prints, bones, balls, and more. Find out why these bookmarks with dog themes mean…
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 Coloring Bookmarks, Fun, Learning Fun Rock Your Homeschool 

The post Shark Nature Study appeared first on Our Journey Westward.

​Read More [[{“value”:”We don’t often go underwater for nature study, but that’s where we need to go – at least in our imaginations – to discover some of the tiniest sharks in the ocean. Enjoy shark nature study in another fun No Sweat Nature Study Podcast episode! Sharks Nature Study Test your listening skills! How many of…
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We hope these 5 strategies help your child cope with his or her math anxiety! While anxiety may never go away completely, negative cycles can be broken with support and consistency.

Don’t be unsocialized! Click over to read the rest at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

[[{“value”:”We hope these 5 strategies help your child cope with his or her math anxiety! While anxiety may never go away completely, negative cycles can be broken with support and consistency.
Don’t be unsocialized! Click over to read the rest at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.”}]] Read More  Math, Encouragement, Posts by Katie, CTC Math, math anxiety, math help Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers 

Introduce kids to the life cycle of zebras with these free and fun worksheets designed for grades 2-6, filled with zebra facts.

The post FREE Printable Zebra Life Cycle Worksheets for Kids appeared first on 123 Homeschool 4 Me.

Read More [[{“value”:”Introduce kids to the life cycle of zebras with these free and fun worksheets designed for grades 2-6, filled with zebra facts.
The post FREE Printable Zebra Life Cycle Worksheets for Kids appeared first on 123 Homeschool 4 Me.”}]] 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, Animals, FREE Printables, Life Cycles, Science 123 Homeschool 4 Me  

Explore the fascinating world of zebras by combining math and literacy skills with a detailed exploration of the zebra’s life cycle.

Ideal for animal science, zoo-themed units, or letter ‘Z’ activities, these printables offer a hands-on learning experience that is perfect for both classroom and homeschool settings.

The printable pack includes a variety of activities that help children learn about zebras while practicing important academic skills. Activities include mazes, line tracing, letter and number tracing, alphabet cards, counting puzzles, and more.

Children will also find exercises like I Spy, beginning letter sounds, syllable cards, and addition and subtraction cards. The worksheets are designed to improve fine motor skills, handwriting, and letter recognition, all while teaching about the stages of a zebra’s life.

Learning about the zebra’s life cycle is both informative and fun. Zebras, known for their distinctive black and white stripes, are born after a gestation period of 12-14 months. Newborn foals can stand and walk within minutes of birth, a critical survival skill.

Zebras live in social groups called harems, led by a dominant male, where they form strong bonds essential for protection and survival. These social structures and the zebra’s resilience in the face of predators and competition for resources are key learning points.

In addition to the life cycle stages, the worksheets offer opportunities for creative learning. For example, children can graph zebra-related items, match shapes and shadows, and engage in coloring activities that reinforce their understanding of patterns and sequences.

By incorporating these diverse exercises, the Zebra Life Cycle worksheets provide a comprehensive educational tool that nurtures both cognitive and motor skills. Download your free printable now to bring the world of zebras into your educational activities.

DOWNLOAD FREE Printable Zebra Life Cycle Worksheets For Kids

Check out these links below for more free printables about the Zoo!

Zoo Animal Activity Pages

FREE Z is for Zebra Craft

Zoo Animals Coloring Pages

Find more FREE Homeschool Printables & Worksheets on our Pinterest boards!

The post FREE Printable Zebra Life Cycle Worksheets For Kids appeared first on Free Homeschool Deals ©.

[[{“value”:”Explore the fascinating world of zebras by combining math and literacy skills with a detailed exploration of the zebra’s life cycle. Ideal for animal science, zoo-themed units, or letter ‘Z’ activities, these printables offer a hands-on learning experience that is perfect for both classroom and homeschool settings. The printable pack includes a variety of activities
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Discover a fun and educational way for children to improve their visual and motor skills with this fun “I Spy Under the Sea” activity.

This twist on the classic “I Spy” game focuses on finding and marking sea creatures, offering a playful approach to skill development.

The “I Spy Under the Sea” printable consists of three pages filled with various sea animals for children to identify and mark. Kids can use pencils, pens, dot markers, or crayons to mark the correct creatures as quickly as possible. The activity requires children to scan from left to right and top to bottom, helping them develop directionality and attention to detail.

In addition to being fun, this activity enhances several important skills. Visual scanning skills are honed as children learn to efficiently process visual information by locating specific sea creatures.

Visual discrimination skills are also improved as kids differentiate between similar-looking objects. Fine motor skills are developed through the action of marking the sea animals, which involves precise hand movements and coordination. The activity also encourages hand-eye coordination and focus, essential skills for various everyday tasks.

For added excitement, children can compete to see who completes the worksheet the fastest. To modify the activity, print on cardstock and laminate it for repeated use with wipe-off markers. This printable can also be used in different educational settings such as fine motor stations, occupational therapy sessions, or as a fun summer activity at home.

Download the “I Spy Under the Sea” printable to give children a fun way to practice and enhance their visual and motor skills while exploring the underwater world.

DOWNLOAD THE I SPY UNDER THE SEA PRINTABLE

Check out these links below for more free I SPY printables:

I Spy Summer Activity

Earth Day I Spy

Thanksgiving I Spy

Find more FREE Homeschool Printables & Worksheets on our Pinterest boards!

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[[{“value”:”Discover a fun and educational way for children to improve their visual and motor skills with this fun “I Spy Under the Sea” activity. This twist on the classic “I Spy” game focuses on finding and marking sea creatures, offering a playful approach to skill development. The “I Spy Under the Sea” printable consists of
The post I Spy Under the Sea Visual Scanning FREE PRINTABLE appeared first on Free Homeschool Deals ©.”}]]  Read More Free Homeschool Deals ©