Episode 243
For many homeschooling parents, January can feel like a fresh start ~ and a pressure cooker ~ all at once. Maybe you’re welcoming the new year without a plan (yet). But what if the most supportive thing you could do right now is pause and reflect?
In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling Podcast, I invite you to welcome the new year without a plan (yet) and get grounded before making big homeschooling decisions or changes.
Inspired by a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke, this gentle January reflection explores why orientation comes before action ~ and how clarity emerges when we slow down and listen.
Rather than rushing into new curriculum choices or rigid routines, this episode of the podcast encourages you to reconnect with your homeschool values, mindset, and the season your family is truly in. For anyone craving a calm, meaningful homeschooling fresh start, this nourishing conversation is for you!
Why a January Homeschool Reset Doesn’t Need a Plan (Yet)
January often brings “fresh start energy.” But without grounding yourself first, that energy can turn into overwhelm. When homeschool planning begins from pressure instead of presence, we parents tend to overthink, second-guess, and compare ourselves to others.
A gentle January homeschool reset begins somewhere else entirely ~ with a reflective orientation.
Before asking, “What is my next step on the homeschooling path?” …it helps to ask:
- Where am I right now?
- Where is my child right now?
- What season is our family actually in?
In Waldorf homeschooling, rhythm grows out of real life ~ not from seeking perfection. When we take time to return to center, homeschool planning becomes steadier, more intuitive, and more sustainable.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why January pressure can knock homeschooling parents off center
- How orientation supports better homeschool planning
- The role of homeschool rhythm in Waldorf homeschooling
- Why slowing down creates clarity and confidence
- A simple reflective practice for a meaningful homeschooling fresh start
A Quote to Welcome the New Year
“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
This quote reminds us that the new year doesn’t need to be controlled or fixed ~ it just needs to be met with openness and trust.
A Gentle Reflection for Homeschooling Parents
Take a quiet moment this week and sit with this question instead:
What wants to grow in our homeschool this year ~ and what needs to be released?
You don’t need to rush an answer. Sometimes clarity comes as a feeling, a resistance, or a quiet knowing. All of it matters.
Thanks so much for being here. May you move gently, trust the timing, and make space for the things that have never been.
Related Episodes
Ready for a Deeper Reset? Come to Taproot Online
If January feels like a tender reset and you’re longing for deeper clarity ~ not more pressure ~ Taproot Online 2026 is coming up at the end of the month.
Taproot Online is a hands-on, heart-centered weekend experience designed to help homeschooling parents return to center, reconnect with their inner compass, and step into the rest of the year with confidence and trust. We’ll have time for personal reflection, community conversations in breakout circles, and lively learning activities like songs, verses, music, stories, and handwork.
👉 Learn more about Taproot Online 2026 here.
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