Are you the homeschool mom who looks a little tired, worn out and stressed. Or perhaps you have lost your zest and zeal for the calling you were 100% sure was from God in August, but now it’s January and you’re looking longingly at the yellow school bus going down the road and second guessing your decision to homeschool.
If you can relate to any of the above, then you may be suffering from ‘Homeschool Burn Out’. It’s a somewhat common malady among homeschoolers and I believe that at some point, each homeschool mom is faced with some degree of homeschool burn out.
I believe there are two main reasons for homeschool burn out:
- Unrealistic Expectations Those would be the expectations we put on ourselves to be ‘perfect’. We get this picture in our head of what homeschoolers are supposed to be like, do and act and we strive to live up to that image we have. Truth is, it’s not a realistic ideal – it’s much like the ‘Keeping Up with the Jones’. Whether your ideal image is going to every single support group activity offered, enrolling your child in every available extra curricular activity to ’socialize’ them, or you are being overly ambitious in your daily schedule: it all boils down to unrealistic expectations.
- No Mom Time ALONE No doubt, homeschooling parents love their children. They have devoted their whole lives to teaching and nurturing them and being with them nearly 24/7/365. A noble concept; but mom’s need time alone – with your spouse, other adults, or just completely by yourself! But you do need time to recharge, unwind and relax. To be ‘off duty’ for an hour or two, or a whole day once in a while. Once a week would be great, or take an hour each evening to unwind after the kids are in bed.
The best way to avoid homeschool burn out is to adjust your expectations to be more realistic. Don’t try to be supermom – just be you and enjoy your day, your family and your homeschooling lifestyle. Relax!
Get some time alone to recharge, regroup and unwind. This time will help you reflect on your priorities and will allow for the Lord to reveal to you any areas where you may need to change. Even Jesus went off alone and prayed (Matthew 14:23); if it’s good enough for our Savior, it is good enough for us.
Tags: homeschool burn out, homeschooling