Fitting Self-Care, Movement, and Healthy Options into the Homeschool Day

By Julie Brow-Polanco of Julie Naturally

As homeschool moms, we put our children before ourselves in almost everything. And, our children are important and need us. But, consider this—even Jesus went off by himself to pray and rest.

You have needs, too, dear sister and you don’t need anything fancy to take care of yourself. You can integrate the ideas I’m about to share with you into your day-to-day schedule.

Doing so will not only re-energize you, but it will teach your children that you are not their servant, but a sister in Christ who loves her Savior enough to care for the temple He gave her!

It took me a while to find ways to satisfy my own needs for solitude, movement, healthy food, and balance while still meeting my children’s needs. But, I did figure it out and now I am sharing some of my best tips with you!

Rethink Self-Care as “Built-In” Moments

When we hear “self-care,” we often think of long baths, spa days, or solo coffee shop escapes. If we limit our thinking to indulgent moments, we end up resentful and burned out. We have to be more creative than that!

Try these built-in ideas:

• Morning pause: Before breakfast, take five quiet minutes for prayer, breathwork, or journaling. Let your children see you doing this—it teaches them how to center themselves too.
   
• Read aloud + recharge: While the kids listen to a book or audiobook, do a quick stretch, sip tea, or lie on the floor with your eyes closed.
   
• Quiet time for all: When my kids were small, I had a mandatory quiet time. You can start with 20–30 minutes after lunch and gradually increase it to an hour, even for older kids. It gives everyone space to recharge, including you.
   
• Outside time: Sit in the sunshine while your kids play or explore nature. Even 10 minutes in the fresh air can lift your spirits. This was another one of my favorites! I set them loose while I got a few moments to just breathe, pray, or read.

Remember: self-care isn’t selfish. It’s stewardship of the body and mind God gave you.
 

Build Movement into Your Routine—Together

This was an area of struggle for me. I was intentional about the kids’ exercise, but not always myself. I had to think outside the box and weave it into my day. Otherwise, the extent of my movement was carrying laundry from one floor to the next. Here are some ideas from those days and some things I’ve learned since then as a personal trainer.

Start the Day with Movement

Begin with a 5-minute stretch or dance break before starting school. YouTube channels like The Good and the Beautiful Kids, Grow with Jo, or P.E. with Joe offer kid-friendly options you can do alongside your children.

Movement Breaks = Focus Boosts

Build short bursts of activity between subjects or integrated into them:

• Jumping jacks after math
• Animal walks before reading
• A “recess” walk around the block or backyard scavenger hunt
• Hopping or jumping games to teach spelling, math facts, vocabulary, and more

These small moments improve focus and reduce restlessness—for you and your kids.

Turn Chores into Workouts

Crank up the music and clean together, racing the timer. Squats while folding laundry? Lunges to put away toys? This was an easy way to both teach life skills and make the most of something I was already doing.

Keep Healthy Options Simple and Visible

I loved my slow cooker! That was my tool of choice to make affordable, healthy dinners. But, what about breakfast, lunch, and snacks? Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean prepping elaborate meals or battling picky eaters. The first thing I did was keep junk food out of the house.

I simply didn’t buy it. All my children and I have food allergies, so eating food the way God made it was the easiest and cheapest option. Here are some other strategies.

Grab-and-Go Snacks

Keep a basket of cut fruit, cheese sticks, boiled eggs, and veggie sticks within reach in the refrigerator. When your kids get the munchies, they will see real food first—and you will, too.

Make Lunch a Learning Moment

Turn lunch prep into a mini cooking lesson. Kids can help:

• Wash and chop veggies
• Assemble wraps or salads
• Learn about macro-nutrients or food origins

It’s practical, educational, and empowering.

Hydration Station

Keep a large water pitcher or water bottles on the table during school. Add lemon, mint, or berries to make it fun. Staying hydrated reduces fatigue, improves focus, and supports digestion.

Cook Once, Eat Twice

This is a favorite among homeschooling moms. Double your dinner recipes and repurpose leftovers for lunch or snacks. Another version of this is freezer meals. Using my slow cooker made this super easy to do. For example:

• Roasted chicken = tacos or salad bowls
• Chili = chili mac or stuffed baked potatoes
• Veggie soup = warmed thermos lunch

Protect Margins in Your Day

As homeschool moms, we want the best for our kids. Sometimes, we find ourselves doing more driving than teaching. And, because we often feel we aren’t doing enough for our kids, we end up doing too much.

A packed homeschool schedule can leave you—and your kids—frazzled. Protecting margins allows time to move, breathe, snack, or simply rest without rushing.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start your day slower with devotion, stretching, or simple breakfast conversation.
• Say no to over-scheduling: Limit outside commitments to what truly enriches your family.
• Build in buffer time between subjects and errands.
• End your homeschool day early enough to allow for play, chores, and mom decompression.

Margin creates space for the unexpected—and for grace.

Final Thoughts

Fitting in self-care, movement, and healthy options doesn’t mean overhauling your life. It means weaving wellness into your homeschool lifestyle in ways that are sustainable, joyful, and rooted in God’s grace.

Small choices—stretching before school, prepping simple snacks, walking after lunch—add up to a healthier, more balanced homeschool for both you and your children.

Because when mama thrives, everyone benefits.