Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith: Heidi, most homeschool moms are busy—you know all about that! But how can they know when they’re too busy?

Heidi St. John: I think you know when you’re too busy by taking the pulse of your family. So, in other words, you gotta look at the calendar. And I know, if my pulse is racing at the sight of the calendar, I need something called “white space.” I need a few days in a row that don’t have anything scheduled on them. If I can’t see a day like that, I know we’re doing too much.

I’m not talking about occasional busy stretches. I’m talking about a lifestyle of too-busy, a lifestyle of lacking white space on your calendar. So when you’re too busy to find personal time with the Lord and alone time with your husband and time to nurture the hearts of your children—in that order, by the way—you’re too busy.

Mike: Heidi, does having white space mean the same thing for you and your husband, Jay? Can you give us some examples?

Heidi: Yeah, that’s a great question, too! I was surprised to discover, after asking Jay what white space meant to him, that we see our time commitments completely differently.

I need to have totally unstructured free time in order to unwind and stay connected with the family, but Jay enjoys practically any time we have together as a family or as a couple. For him, as long as we’re together, even if we’re working or traveling, his cup is filled rather than drained. And you have to communicate in order for that to happen.

Mike: Heidi, thanks for opening your life up to our listeners! And, until next time, I’m Mike Smith.