Homeschool Burnout: What it is and how to cope
Homeschool Burnout…as I started researching this topic to write this blog post, I realized how the title can be a bit of a downer in itself.
I am all about positivity and this website is dedicated to all the ways to find beauty in your everyday homeschool life with your children.
But I do think the topic of homeschool burnout can actually be considered a positive topic.
It’s nice to know there are going to be some hard times homeschooling, and that’s ok. The hard days help you realize that just because this is a hard job we take on as homeschooling parents, it is & can be so worth it!
I also think as first time homeschooling parents it’s so easy to feel guilty when homeschool becomes a chore or something you dread when you’re knee deep in a burnout season.
It’s important to know that the guilt isn’t necessary – it’s normal to feel this way either in the beginning of your homeschool “career” or later on, even as a veteran homeschooling parent.
Below I’ve compiled all you need to know to recognize what homeschool burnout is, how to beat it and how to help prevent it from happening again!
Signs of Burnout
Knowing how to identify what homeschool burnout is may seem like a no brainer but again, that guilt may disguise it and make you question other causes of feeling lousy.
Here are some tell-tale signs that you need to step back and reevaluate your current schedule/situation:
Dreading each homeschool day
Feeling bored
Curriculum seems “stale”
Getting distracted easily while schooling
Not caring
Falling “behind” on tasks you used to love with school – planning, ordering books, field trips, even grading daily work
Getting frustrated easily
Kids Can Also Have Homeschool Burnout
Kids can and will also, no matter how wonderfully you fill their days with beautiful learning opportunities, encounter some form of homeschool burnout.
This is super common mid-year, or after the winter holidays are over and especially true with spring fever aka end of the formal school year approaching.
Restless minds paired with restless bodies with possibly your own feelings of burnout can make the perfect storm for one unhappy homeschool!
Keeping in mind that your kiddos may be feeling this too, and learning how to fight it will help you get back to feeling grateful to have the gift of homeschool.
Below are my best tips to help prevent or combat homeschool burnout before it even has a chance to begin
Plan to Combat Homeschool Burnout
Get outside, if possible
Fresh air does a mind and body good! Adding in some walk breaks to your days is a great way to take a brain break and get some endorphins going for you and your kids.
Escape to the backyard for the afternoon – work on a flower or vegetable garden, or just spend some time all cleaning up the yard.
Small, tangible tasks like that can make a big impact on your metal state. Leaving you all refreshed and feeling productive.
Move school to another location. If you don’t want to take a break from the school work, take it with you.
The library, a local park, coffee or smoothie shop, even your own backyard. Sometime a change of location or scenery can make all the difference.
Field trips to favorite spots
I recommend favorite spots that you are familiar with and know well. So there is not a ton of “brain power” needed to come up with where to go, what to pack, how to get there, etc.
When you’re feeling low-energy or blah, having to think and plan will backfire and possibly make you resentful while you’re corralling your troops out of the house.
Talk to someone
If you have other homeschooling friends, or a part of a homeschool co-op, reach out to another mom. Guaranteed they have been in the same boat, or if not, will at least be able to sympathize with your feelings of being overwhelmed. Meet at a park, let your kids run around, and just let it out!
If you don’t have a homeschool network, reach out to someone you feel comfortable opening up to. Let yourself vent, it will feel so good to release all of your anxious/exhausted emotions.
Talking can be like therapy – it’s amazing what it can do for your mood!
Don’t worry about checking the boxes – incorporate more fun!
This is hard to do, especially for the list-makers and planners among us homeschooling parents. Sometimes it’s just really good to push the plans aside, or most of them if you can’t let go of all, and have more fun!
Incorporating fun into your homeschool is something I strongly believe in. It’s one of the biggest perks of being a homeschooling family – having fun learning together! Here are a few ideas:
Reading days
Use books you have or make a trip to the library. Spend the day reading, together, taking turns reading aloud, and silently too. If your kids like to make forts, add this to the reading day fun – reading forts!
Board games
Math is a great way to add in some games with learning. In fact, I wrote a whole post on the best math board games!
There are so many other learning opportunities to be had with games. MadLibs, Scrabble, Bananagrams and playing story starter (where each person adds to a story you start telling aloud, so fun!) are all some examples of language arts games.
Even just playing whatever games or cards you have, whether they are deemed “educational” or not, provides a great learning opportunity for your kids. And again, it’s fun 🙂
Watch great documentaries or educational shows
There are so many ways these days to watch educational programs. With all of the streaming options available, and of course with my favorite on my list of homeschool essentials, the library (insert heart eyes emoji here haha!)
Spend an afternoon watching the movie based on your latest family read aloud, or watch a documentary on a topic your kids are fascinated with. Or, just find something totally different that you haven’t studied at all, to peak interest and expose your kids to a new & different topic/subject.
Anything to change up the learning style and give you all an escape from possible burnout.
Get in the kitchen!
If you and your kids like to spend time in the kitchen, this is a great, therapeutic way to spend some time together. Bake cookies or a favorite dessert to have while reading, watching a show or movie or while playing games.
Cook or bake something relating to a topic of study is another fun idea. This works particularly well when paired with unit studies.
TAKE A BREAK!
Not sure if that is clear enough in all caps, haha, but I really mean it. Take a day or two or three off. Mental health days are a real necessity.
Also not that you should ever compare to traditional school, but there are so many substitute days that happen in a traditional school setting. Your kids will be fine, and thrive with these relaxed days off.
Just say no – Say NO to whatever you can.
It’s incredibly hard to do as a mom/parent, I know, but it’s incredibly empowering when you can and do.
Anything that isn’t absolutely necessary to you or your family’s survival (sounds dramatic) is most likely something you can say NO to.
Do it. You need a break!
Don’t fear homeschool burnout
It’s inevitable to get overwhelmed and burnt out in any area of life. Homeschool is really way more than “just school” – it’s your whole way of life. You don’t get “sick days or days off” as a homeschool teacher, so make sure to add those days in when needed.
Take care of yourself, so you can give your kids the best gift, a long, slow, fun filled childhood learning alongside you!
