A Lenten Guide for Homeschool Moms

We are again at the holy season of Lent, and for busy moms, it can be hard to approach it in a meaningful and prayerful manner. We are called to try for holiness all year, but Lent brings about the desire for holiness more profoundly for many of us, which is an entirely good thing.

What can be challenging is the practicality of achieving that holiness. What is holiness for us? Defining it is less important than desiring it, and this guide will help you, as a busy mom, settle your mind into that desire and help you, at least in some part, achieve what you desire.

A Mother’s Lenten Journey

This guide is not for your children so much as for you to quietly grow closer to Our Lord this season and lead your family to a closer relationship with Him as well. It is a few pages of suggestions and prompts with space for lists and reflection if that is something you choose to do.

However, suppose none of that fits into your life now. In that case, it is important to remember that taking care of your family, doing laundry, cooking, changing diapers, and teaching numbers and letters is holy work. You can make all these daily tasks your Lenten practice.

“Whatever you do for your family, for your children, for your husband, for your wife, you do for God. All we do, our prayers, our work, our suffering, is for Jesus.” – Saint Teresa of Calcutta

This booklet was written to encourage you to make Lent your season to desire closeness with Jesus and to discern His will for your life and family. We hope you find it helpful and that your Lent is one that bears fruit in every aspect of your life.

Tell Me About Prayer

Lent is a perfect time to incorporate new devotions into your prayer life and create habit of prayer that your busy life may be lacking. Try beginning in a simple way, by offering up your work of the day to the glory of God. This is something you can do the minute your feet hit the floor in the morning. You can set a reminder to your device that coincides with your alarm.

Other small ways to incorporate prayer include saying a sentence of prayer in your tasks each day. Folding laundry? Thank God for a washer and dryer or thank Him for the person who will wear the clothes. Cooking? Thank God for food, a stove, the bellies you need to fill, etc. Soon it becomes a habit to be grateful to He who blessed us with all we have.

Is there a devotion that you always wanted to make yours but have had trouble with? Focus on it this Lent. We complain about these devices, and how they consume our lives, but they can be useful when trying to create good habits. The Hallow app (which is one for which you pay) and another called Pray Catholic Prayers (free) can remind you to pray each day. It makes completing a novena or listening to the Word much easier each day.

I also take a photo of a particular prayer (novena, a new prayer to learn) and I make it my screen saver on my phone. That makes saying the prayer several times a day much easier because I am reminded when I use my phone and it’s right there. No stopping to look it up or find a prayer book.

Building a Lasting Prayer Habit

Lent is a beautiful opportunity to deepen your prayer life in ways both simple and meaningful. By incorporating small moments of prayer into your daily routine, using technology as a helpful tool, and committing to a new devotion, you can build habits that last beyond the season.

Remember, the goal is not perfection but consistency and a growing relationship with God. Whatever steps you take, may they bring you closer to Him and enrich your faith long after Lent has passed