Homeschool Mom Retreat
It never ceases to amaze me how the Spirit weaves experiences together.
This was our third year gathering for a retreat with our Mothers of Influence group, and it was amazingly beautiful. If I could, I wish I could share every detail of the day with each one of you because there is just something so sacred about stepping away together.
I mentioned this at the retreat, but April and May are such demanding months. It probably seems like an unusual time to plan something like this. But, I’ve noticed by April I’m often feeling the weight of the school year. It seems like I’m always reflecting on what worked and what didn’t, but especially this time of year a lot of the time I feel like I’m ready to hand all this over to someone else and let them take the lead. And while that path may work for some, it’s really worth asking…is this feeling coming from peace or from burnout?
That’s exactly why I love gathering this time of year. It gives us a chance to slow down, gain clarity and make decisions from a place of intention instead of exhaustion. It refreshes us and reminds us that we’re not alone and that many of us are walking this path together. Obviously there’s never a wrong time to gather, but it’s just simply a good time to have a little reminder of who we are and why we chose this path in the first place.
My greatest wish is that I just could’ve shared this day with so many more people. If you’re feeling burned out, just know that’s so normal for this time of year and you’re not alone. I hope sharing a few details from this retreat inspires you to gather women in your own circles and uplift one another, anytime during the year! And maybe someday, this will grow into something even bigger…a retreat or conference where we can all be together.
What does a homeschool retreat look like?
You can plan a retreat however you’d like! If you have a vision, I say go for it. I love slow, restful retreats as much as anyone, but for these particular ones tend to feel more like a mini conference since our group is rooted in monthly discussions and personal growth anyway. We’ve also just done a full day retreat because that really helps keep the costs down.
So I usually choose a theme, invite a handful of women from our group to speak, and then let them share whatever they feel inspired to talk on. We keep a mix of shorter “mini classes” (about 20 minutes) and one or two longer sessions (60-90 minutes) and this has worked really well. (For privacy I edited out the names on the picture that shows our agenda.) We also bring in a keynote speaker each year! This year we were blessed to hear from Ali Eisenauch, the author and founder of the Millennial Instructors.
The rest of day has changed depending on the year. We’ve also done things like curriculum swaps, crafts, hikes, or other simple activities. This year, we ended with a sound bath meditation. Sharee Carlisle led us in one and did amazing (I’d definitely recommend her if you’re looking for a private experience.)
How do you manage expenses?
We do charge to attend so we can cover the bigger things like lunch, dinner, snacks, the venue, any gifts, and our keynote speaker. I volunteer my time.
How do you coordinate help?
Because we’re all friends, there’s always a lot of people willing to help, but I try to be mindful not to ask too much because this is a retreat after all! I rotate through helpers and ask for volunteers. Some people are more involved than others. For those who take on larger roles behind the scenes, I try to build their registration into the budget so their cost is covered. Others help with everything from teaching classes and decorating to food prep, setup and takedown, cleaning, graphic design, and putting together gifts.
A big thank you to my dear friend Brianna with Amaretto Rose for helping with so many details. She also made the beautiful springerle cookies that were in our take home gifts.
Also, I wanted to mention, my sweet girls helped me so much this year! My husband even offered to take them and my boys out of town for the weekend, but they really wanted to stay and be part of it. I ended up actually really needing their help, so it worked out perfectly. And, can I just say? I love that they know all my friends and get to learn right alongside us. They are truly surrounded by some of the best examples of faith, motherhood, and divine purpose. I think it’s so special for them to see women gathering and learning and uplifting one another in such a beautiful way. I hope it will help them grow into becoming a good friend and also a wonderful mother someday. They helped me prep so much food and run so many errands. They put together all our welcome gifts and the night before the retreat they told me how tired their feet hurt…but that they were so glad they stayed home to be apart of everything. They especially loved the class on parables & plants and have now done multiple sound baths with me. So, just a little plug in to let your girls see you do these type of things…I know I’m preaching to the choir…but we’re their greatest examples and teachers.
Any questions I didn’t answer? Feel free to reach out and I’m happy to help!
Other Posts You May Like: