The Unexpected Thing That Has Gifted Me So Much Joy, Meaning, and Purpose at Home
By Karla B. Monterrosa
Opening: A Personal Reflection
In 2017, my husband and I made a big decision: I would step away from my longtime government career to focus on our children and consider a career change. We thought it might be a short break—maybe a year or two. Eight years later, I’m still at home.
And what a journey it has been.
Homeschooling was not part of my original plan. But looking back, it has been one of the most meaningful gifts of this season—one that has brought deep joy, purpose, and peace to our home.
How It All Started
When the world shut down in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were all asked to isolate. Life as we knew it stopped. We weren’t allowed to leave our homes except for essential needs. Parents were suddenly tasked with supporting their children’s education remotely. Schools scrambled to digitize learning. Screens became our children’s classrooms.
Fear, confusion, and desperation spread like wildfire. And it wasn’t just the virus we were trying to avoid—there was another pandemic unfolding in many homes: emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and a deepening disconnection from what truly mattered.
We knew we would need to be intentional with our time and the messages we allowed into our hearts and minds to combat the fear and uncertainty that could potentially fill the forced isolation. We didn’t want that for our family.
It was then that I became aware of homeschooling. A close friend from my women’s Bible study vented during a Zoom call, sharing her frustrations about what the schools were offering online. “This isn’t homeschooling,” she said. “They’re calling it distance learning, and it’s nothing like a homeschooling life.”
That statement stuck with me—and there was no turning back. I needed to know: What is homeschooling, really?
As I often do when I’m curious, I took a deep dive. I researched what homeschooling actually was, who was doing it, and why. The more I learned, the more interested I became. I read books, browsed blogs, and watched YouTube videos from homeschooling mothers addressing the very questions I had.
What struck me most was that many Christian families were choosing to live differently—not out of fear, but out of a desire to raise their children with a Christian worldview. They wanted to be the ones present during the formative years, shaping hearts and minds with faith and truth, rather than allowing political or cultural ideologies to do it for them.
I don’t know why I hadn’t heard about this way of life before then, but God brought it to me at just the right time. So—we went for it. We didn’t know exactly how it would work at first, but we were willing to learn and grow together.
We knew one thing for certain: we didn’t want our daughters in limbo, unsure when they’d return to school, facing strict social distancing in classrooms and playgrounds, and stuck behind screens. We didn’t want them to fear the world or lose their curiosity and joy in learning.
Our third grader sat in front of the screen with tears in her eyes. Our fifth grader loved seeing her friends on Zoom but wasn’t actually learning much. She could barely see the board in the virtual classroom and was distracted by the noise and faces on screen.
The environment wasn’t working—for them or for us.
So, we made the leap into homeschooling.
What I Found on the Other Side
At first, it was overwhelming. I wasn’t sure how to structure our day, how to fit it all in, or whether any of it would work. But I embraced the process with humility. I knew I didn’t have all the answers, but I also knew that families had been doing this successfully for years.
I didn’t need to reinvent the wheel or go it alone. So, we joined a local homeschool group, asked lots of questions, and stepped into it the best we could. Over time, we adjusted when something wasn’t working or discovered curriculum better suited for our children’s unique needs and learning styles.
Each day at home became a chance to go deeper with my girls—not just in academics, but in life.
We read together. We explored history and God’s Word. We laughed, grew, baked, prayed, and learned.
The most surprising part? I could actually do it. Not perfectly, but by asking God for grace and provision each day and moving forward in faith, and I became more fully me—more present, more grounded, and more in touch with the values we always wanted to prioritize as a family.
With time, I learned that beginning our day with prayer and Scripture set the tone for everything else. Whether we completed every assignment I had planned or not, I knew we had accomplished the most important thing (reading scripture, covering them in prayer, and modeling our faith)—and that brought me tremendous peace. The next day, we simply picked up where we left off and kept moving forward, one lesson and one moment at a time—educating our children in the Lord and equipping them for life.
I also discovered that children are always learning—not just when they’re seated in front of textbooks or worksheets. The whole world is an opportunity to learn. Once I embraced that truth, I realized my calling was not only to teach the required subjects, but also to prepare my children for life itself.
This approach to homeschooling is one I’ve learned to lean into. It’s an ongoing process—because as our children grow and change, so must we. We adapt, we adjust, and we continue to do our best while trusting God with the outcome.
Now, five years into our homeschooling journey, we still love it. We’ve settled into a rhythm that works for our family and a pace that allows us to go deeper in learning while truly enjoying our time together. It has been such a blessing—one that has drawn us closer as a family and strengthened our faith along the way.
What About My Skills, Career, and Purpose?
If you’re a working mom who wants to come home full-time and you’re wondering, “What would I do all day?” or “How will I keep my skills sharp?”—please know, I wrestled with that too. But homeschooling gave me a beautiful opportunity to flex new muscles and use my abilities in a different way.
Here’s the truth:
You do give some things up when you become a stay-at-home mom. Financial resources may be less, but you learn to value and steward what you have more wisely.
You don’t lose your purpose—you redirect it.
You don’t lose your influence—you deepen it.
You don’t become less intelligent or capable—you grow in new ways.
Coming home didn’t invalidate my education or my gifts. It gave them a new canvas and gifted me a renewed sense of purpose.
A Word to the Woman Who’s Unsure
Maybe you’re stuck in a job that’s draining you. Maybe you’re unsure whether to keep your children in public school. Maybe you’ve heard the whisper that there’s something more—but you’re afraid to take the next step.
Friend, ask God.
Ask Him to give you wisdom, courage, and faith to move in a new direction—if that’s where He’s calling you.
Your children were given to you for a reason. You’ve been their teacher from the beginning. You taught them how to walk, to talk, to eat with a spoon. That same heart and instinct still lives in you today.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
There are so many resources, curriculums, and communities to support you. Homeschooling looks different for every family, but I promise you—it is possible.
God will provide. He has for us, again and again. I can’t promise the road will be easy, but I can say with full confidence: He will not forsake you.
Is Homeschooling Right for You?
Only God knows. But if you feel a nudge, a longing, or even just curiosity, I invite you to explore it with an open heart.
You don’t have to figure it all out today.
You just need to take the next faithful step.
The thing you never expected—like homeschooling—might just be the thing that transforms your home, your children, and your own heart.
And remember this:
There is joy, purpose, and deep impact waiting for you at home.
Not because it’s easy—but because it’s exactly where God can do His most intimate work in you and through you.
God bless you, sister.
If you would like support on your journey, I offer 20-minute complimentary clarity calls. This is a no-pressure space to share where you are, name what is stirring in your heart, and explore whether coaching might be right for you. Visit the “Work With Me” page to learn more about my 1:1 coaching.
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