Hi everyone! I'm new and need some help! I have been homeschooling for about 14 years now and this year I am down to just 2 kids out of the 5 I started with. I am so burned out and overloaded. We are all just hating it this year and I just don't know how to fix it. I have always loved homeschooling my kids and really want the "zing" back. Has anyone else gone through this?
In A Fluster, That is the hard side of homeschooling! No amount of information is a substitute for motivation, energy, joy and life. Here are three ideas: 1. Change your routine and try something different. Maybe you can change the schedule, curriculum source, or other major components of your homeschooling. 2. Take a brake and reevaluate the core of why you are doing what your doing. Sometimes recalling your own foundation and purpose can be a true source of encouragement. If you have a journal, look back to when you started homeschooling. 3. Get yourself around success stories. They don't even have to be homeschool success stories. It is encouraging to hear how other people survived. I often find this in biographies and my church friendships. Don't give up! As you said, you have made it this far. It sounds like your getting close to the finish line!
I think you're right. I think I need some big changes. I just never imagined feeling this way. Time to go back to basics and rethink the whole way we're doing things.
It sounds like it's time to take some time off! What about trying just field trips and hands on stuff for a while? I love all of Joshturks Ideas too!
Field trips could be fun. I think I've just got wrapped up in everything that needs done everyday and lost my fun side. We use to be very hands on but lately it's just been "sit down and get it done". I think maybe I need to eliminate some of the other stuff in my world and focus on the the priority which is homeschooling...just feel like I'm pulled in too many directions to do anything well.
I am in the same boat, only I am down to one now. We are doing a co op twice monthly and going to band daily to give him interaction with other people, this has been good for him but for me I am laxing with my routine of teaching.
In A Fluster - I am not even a homeschooling mom, just getting ready for it, but let me first say I feel for you. 14 let of homeschooling sounds like huge lots of time for me. No wonder you are not the same, and your feelings about this or anything else aren't the same - life is never still, always moving and changing. we we are not getting younger and fresher LOL But let me ask you: maybe reason is you have some changes in you marriage? in your health? (I am in menopause, just enered it, - and gee it's hard at times), is finacial situation all the same? maybe you just feel a little tired and want a little rest? I believe your feelings are reasonable and normal, don't panic. change something this year, do something totally different, hire a sitter for few hours a week and go out and have massage or pedicure or a glass of wine with a friend... relax a bit - and you'll get your zing back I am sure)
ivanna, There are so many changes! Menopause..Yes! My oldest daughter has moved home with a 2 yo and 3yo....Oldest son just had his first baby 5 weeks ago...I took a part time job, 3 nights a week to help make ends meet. My car broke and right now I'm in Iowa dealing with a medical emergency with my mom..Things are just so tough right now. I try to stay positive and get on with it but it's hard!
After all these years flustered I totally relate, I know I could do more if there was just another me, I have found that I am more busy now that I have two college students than I ever was while they were growing up. There is no time for me to change things, but I am going to make an effort to write up a daily lesson plan and make sure ds sticks to his end of it at least. Then maybe we can tell the kids to look at the lesson plan ( we can post it?) and have them remind us when they are supposed to be taught something in a respectful way? That puts a bit more responsibility on the kids, I am not sure what age yours are right now mine is 13.
Mine are 12 and 14. One is very easy to teach and happily does what he is told...the other is stubborn and takes a real effort to teach.
ok, my one is back and forth, he is sweet helpful and does what he is told most days, has a few "what?" days I call them, when he questions what I tell him to do lol. He is working on Math now, ag1.
Oh no wonder!! Your hands are probably fuller than years ago with 5 kids to homeschool. You are under stress and tired and have so many priorities and homeschooling (might) seem like it is not one of them. Is sending kids to school for the rest of this year is an option at all? Sounds like you need time for your own and for your family needs.
I suggest a relaxed approach until the holidays, then take Novermber through New Years off. This will give you time to relax and see where changes might be made.
My youngest 2 have never attended school. The 14 yo has aspergers and it would really be traumatic for him. I think it's a matter of just stepping back and making these 2 the priority again and letting others deal with their own issues for a while. I also think we should consider some field trips and unit studies to put the enjoyment back for all of us. If I work it out right, I should be able to include the grand daughters in some of it and maybe get my husband and the older kids to get involved. Just going to have to breathe deep and think it out.
fluster thats what my problem is , you nailed it! I have not made my ds my priority this year.. the older two were supposed to take back seats and I was supposed to be able to deal with school not housework, laundry and driving everyone where they need to go to make them all happy. This is our year to decide if we are staying home for High School or going to Christian school next year... We have things going on in evening so are running then and early mornings to school or college then back to do hs then back to pickup or drop off someone, so I can relate to the back and forth stuff.. if your oldest dd is home with her two kids can she help out with the schooling or does she work and can help make ends meet so you can do your schooling better?
Our oldest DD doesn't work. She got married at 19 and we felt that her time was better spent in college getting a career that would allow her to support her girls well. She is in classes 3 mornings a week and does help with some of the household stuff. I'm sure that we could work out some things to do that benefit her kids and mine if we put our heads together.
Thats great that she is working on college I am sure it will all work out for you guys, just as I am sure it will work for me and mine.I wanted to thank you for getting my brain in gear though, when I brain storm for someone else it helps me see areas I can fix , so I am going to get the schedule up and see if that helps us get our acts together, otherwise I think I will just run with it and hope it all works out in the end lol!
Get your kids an ereader and just let them read for a couple of months. You go out and get a massage. ha!
