Feeling frazzled? Do you dread going back to home-schooling after a break? You might be heading for home-school burn out, especially if you’re new to it.
Whether you are an elective home educator or a reluctant home schooler because of problems at school problem, you can still get that burnt-out feeling. You started out eager and buzzing. Maybe you had a timetable and gleefully showed it off to the world. The first few days were tough, but you stuck to it.
Then it all got a bit old. Teaching your children turned out to be less fun, more torture. (I know – I’ve been there too and I chose to do it).
As the weeks have dragged on, it’s harder and harder to get up each day and face the whining, bickering, complaining and crying. Your children might do some of those things too!
Well it’s fixable. And quite normal too. Here’s what you can do:
- Look for the symptoms of burn-out in yourself and your children – snappiness, intolerance, constant tiredness, acting out of character.
- Give yourself a break and stop comparing with others. All the smug people around you and on social media aren’t showing you the brutal reality of educating at home. It can be fantastic, but sometimes it won’t be. Stop beating yourself up that they’re doing better than you, because they will have had their own ups and downs too. None of us takes a photo for Facebook when we look bad, feel bad and are screeching at anyone and everyone for anything and nothing.
- Re-evaluate what’s actually important. Your family’s mental health is far more important than any worksheet. So what, if you don’t complete that project on Ancient Egypt or whatever – it will still be there when you’re ready to start again. Or maybe you’re ready to start something new? Or just take a break and wait until you feel better?
Home-schooling can be overwhelming for newcomers. There are so many things you think you should be doing, but have no idea how to get them all done.
As parents, we always feel the weight of responsibility for our children’s happiness and success on our shoulders. You feel it even more if you’ve chosen to not send you child to school. You think people will be waiting for you to get it wrong, to fall down, to admit defeat. Maybe they are, but it’s your choice and your children.
When I first started learning alongside my children at home, I found one piece of simple advice to be very useful – just do the next little thing. You probably already know what your child needs to learn or reinforce. If not, let them choose. Children will learn about the things they are interested in. Without a battle.
If you’re new to home-schooling and just hanging in there, waiting for schools to re-open, why not just say ‘no’ to all the things that aren’t that important. Take care of yourself and your children – that’s what’s important right now. Not those worksheets.
A tutor can help
If you need help with school work, why not consider a tutor? At Home-School Tutoring, we know the struggles you’re facing and how we can relieve the pressure to leave you free to be a parent again.