Managing Back-to-School Guilt Before It Becomes All-Consuming

This week  I will focus on Back-to-School as it’s fresh in my mind and the minds of many of you I’m sure. Today’s post looks at guilt as it relates to school time. Wednesday’s post will address letting go (as I will once again be waving goodbye to my boy). I pray you are encouraged. 

I’m also thrilled to announce that I’ve climbed over 2,000 in my Joy Dare challenge (see below for the gifts that sent me over the threshold)! This has been a life-changing practice for me, rekindling a joyful ember whenever it threatens to be snuffed out. Thank you Ann Voskamp for your inspiration behind the count. 

Guilt unmanaged will consume even the most infectious joy. 

I dread school every year. I always have. 

While other mothers beat feet to the nearest discount store come mid-July to stock up on those precious back-to-school supplies in eager anticipation of the cherished start of school, I hide from even the ads. 

While parents across the country are breathing a sigh of relief as their munchkins march to the bus stop on the first day, I drag out each minute of morning prep time, wishing it didn’t have to come. 

{Public Domain}

It’s not because I’m some superior mother who dotes on her children’s every breath or because I know there is something dreadful about school. While I do miss my kiddos when they are gone and there are some issues at school, my biggest problem with back-to-school time is guilt. 

Yep, plain old guilt. When it comes to education for my children, guilt rears its ages-old ugly head once again. 

My issue is I’ve never felt settled about where and how our children should be educated. I’ve always had the desire to home school but was the only one in the entire family to feel the pull. We tried a tiny Christian school for our oldest’s kindergarten year, but it then closed. So for 13-plus years, our three sons and one daughter have been in the local public school system. 

And, really, they’ve thrived in many ways.

But guilt weasels in and says, “But what about the inappropriate language they hear day after day on the school bus?” “What about the lies they are being taught about creation and evolution and God?” “Where is there any mention of Jesus throughout their day?” “You should be their primary influence; why pawn them off on strangers?”

With all the boys loving the Lord and doing wonderfully in school and Rachel being supported and challenged, you’d think I’d be comfortable with our education choice by now. But whether you home school your children, send them to a Christian school, or choose the public school system, guilt lurks in the wings, trying to convince you it’s a poor choice. 

The truth is, there are positive and negative aspects to all forms of education. There is no right or wrong for everyone. Each family must be in prayer about which option is best for them. 

But arm yourself, once you make that decision–whichever it is–Satan will hit hard, in the form of doubt, which turns into guilt. Our children are our most precious possession and where they’re concerned, emotions run close to the surface and are easily stirred up. 

Yet if we sit back and let guilt run rampant, it will consume us, robbing us of the joy found in the now. Share on X

Therefore it’s important to manage guilt, all guilt, even back-to-school guilt: