This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore.

Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore Our friend, Latonya Moore from Joy in the Ordinary, joins us once more for a chat full of encouragement. Latonya is a familiar friend on Homeschool Highschool Podcast with episodes on getting middle schoolers ready for high school and being an African American homeschooling family.

Latonya is one of the most encouraging and gracious people we know. Although she is not a chatty person, when she says something it is definitely worth hearing. That’s why Vicki wanted to talk to her about an important topic from one of Latonya’s latest Joy in the Ordinary Podcast episodes: Taking a Break.

Since we last talked to Latonya, she and her daughter were in a serious car accident. It has been a long and difficult recovery for them. Through this, Latonya has learned so much on surviving difficult times. As Latonya says, all these ups and downs “make us who we are”. (Vicki points out what a healthy attitude that is: Trials and good times make us who we are rather than we are victims in trials.)

In Vicki’s work as a counselor, she has found that traumas, such as car accidents, affect spirit, soul and body in a person. When she asked Latonya what was bringing her through her in all those areas of recovery, Latonya shared:

• Her daily prayer: Latonya has adapted Joshua 1:9 as a prayer for herself and for her family:
  • God has commanded us: We are strong and courageous. We are not afraid; we are not discouraged, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go.
• Staying in touch with her own story.
  • Because Latonya’s life has not always followed a “traditional” path, she has learned to watch God work in her and open doors for her. She reminds herself that she can relax and be encouraged that things will work out okay through God. God knows her situation and he is working.
• Stay flexible.
  • Latonya found that rigidity would not help her succeed. She educates homeschoolers in the way that works at each phases of life (good times and hard times).
  • Vicki notes that this is a marvelous example of growth mindset. (Here’s a post with resources to develop a growth mindset.)
• Be open to new things.
  • Latonya found that during her recovery, online courses have been enormously helpful in keeping her daughters on task academically. The digital world of classes:
    • Outschool
    • ixl
  • “Crates” that come in the mail also helped keep the fun in schooling. Her daughters love these crates (even though they are aimed for younger folks, they still have fun with them):
    • Raddish kids cooking
    • Tinkercrate
• Stay open to God’s open doors.
  • For instance: As Latonya was using Outschool for courses with her daughters, one thing led to another, Latonya started teaching on Outschool. She sent a video of her online class to the Outschool team and they hired her as a consultant for them and the other teaching teams. Now she is an administrator on staff. In return for her service to the organization, Latonya has been blessed: she shares about the way the Outschool staff have, in turn, supported her through her trials and good times.
• Stay open to the ways God wants to use her at the moment.
  • She has adjusted her rhythms for her podcast, blog and Facebook group.
• Hold onto faith and family.
  • Latonya as found strength in her gratitude for her faith and her family. She has also found comfort and explaining her needs to God and her family. Through the trial of the recovery process, Latonya and family have drawn closer than ever.

One of Vicki’s favorite podcast episodes from Joy in the Ordinary is Take a Break. She asked Latonya to explain what taking a break means to her: When we take a break, we give our minds and bodies a chance to rest and apply.

• Taking a break allows us to listen to others and think creatively.
• It allows you to take a nap or just do something light, if you need to do so, check your calendar (self-care is SO important). It allows time to ask, “What do I need to let go of?”
• Beware of “I can’t because…” (especially if fear of what other folks think is keep ing you from taking a break).
• Take stock of the privileges you have and take advantage of them.
• Don’t talk yourself out of taking a break when you need it.

After we take a break, we have more energy to be present and available in the rest of life! Great lessons learned from great trial in her life; and good inspiration for us all.

Connect with Latonya Moore at:

• Joy in the Ordinary
• Joy in the Ordinary Podcast
• Joy in the Ordinary Instagram
• Joy in the Ordinary Facebook group

Join Vicki and Latonya for advice to take a break!

Also check out more encouragement for homeschool moms with this interview with Misty Bailey.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER 1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page. 2. OR take this IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in “…your favorite podcast source” 3. This will take you to Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast source and our own podcast page. 4. Click SUBSCRIBE. 5. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!) 6. Thanks!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE 1. Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone 2. Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen 3. In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast 4. Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon 5. Tap Subscribe 6. Please tap Ratings and Review

The post Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Click the icon below to listen.