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You are here: TJ Home >> Homeschooling Helps-Burnout
You're frazzled. You're seriously stressed out. You're impatient with the kids, the house is not up to "standards." You ask yourself why you are are doing this (homeschooling) and whether or not you should send the kids to school. These may be signs of homeschool burnout.
Here are some of my thoughts/tips on relighting the homeschool candles as well as some nifty articles that I have come across regarding the issue.
1. STOP! Take a break. Something (or things) are not working and you need to find out what they are. Continuing on without solving the problem may make things worse for everyone.
Just because you take a break does not mean that your kids can't learn. For your readers, give them books to read, or sit down and read to them and the little ones daily. Read books for fun, read science or history books (for those of us without libraries, find something off of the internet to read). Let the kids play educational games or watch educational programs. Just because you've temporarily stopped your formal homeschooling does not mean you've stopped homeschooling. You can focus on life skills such as cooking or skills that revolve around housework, personal development, etc.
While you are figuring out what needs repairing,
Here are some articles that I found helpful and motivating when dealing with or trying to head off getting burnt out.
"As we look at coping with, preventing and overcoming burnout, there are seven different areas where we can have or can develop coping skills. They are spiritual, mental, family, physical, diversion, interpersonal and negative."
Discusses symptoms of burn out, causes of burnout, and tips for what you can do to avoid burnout from lowering your expectations, being flexible, changing your teaching style, limiting scheduled activities and getting support.
Written from a Christian perspective, but some great ideas.
Discusses fatigue and discouragement, meeting physical demands, meeting emotional, and spirtual demands, and realizing our limitations.
Among the tips I found helpful in this article: raising independent learners, worrying less, raising responsible kids, having the kids help clean, and the dinner dilemma.
Getting Support
As homeschoolers, one of the most important things we need is support. If you are like me and do not have fellow homeschoolers that you can turn to in person, here are a few helpful egroups that I have found helpful.
International Homeschoolin' Ummis
I am co-owner/co moderator of this group.
A group for Muslimahs only to come together to assist and support one another in homeschooling, unschooling or any type of educating away from public schools.....
"Homeschooling can be fun and successful with your online buddies cheering you on and supporting your best effort to educate your children in whatever manner you feel suits your needs."
Moderated by the owner of A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling.
This page last updated:
Monday, June 15, 2009
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