You may not have known this, but I hit a major homeschool burn-out with my kids a few months ago, and with little to no support locally was ready to put the kids into a local charter school. I actually signed them up and even dropped off all necessary papers. I was convinced that that was the route to go, and that surely homeschooling was failing us. But someone here PM'd me with encouraging thoughts about continuing homeschooling. I wasn't convinced at the time, but they did make me think. Well, over the next couple of months I got more involved in our local homeschool group. I spose I wanted to be sure of our decision not to homeschool. As time went on, I began to feel more convicted that I was just suffering a burn-out and just needed a break. So I took a nice break to do something for myself and when I came back to all my parental responsibilities, it was amazing how much more refreshed I felt and how everything seemed so much clearer.
I started returning here just to read, and felt so encouraged by your posts about balancing curriculum, scheduling, and household chores. We also got involved in our church, which is full of the same homeschoolers in our local homeschool group, and my kids are making friends, and I am feeling a lot less lonely.
So we are continuing our homeschooling adventure, and I think I've managed to figure out how to balance it all. Taking time for a "me" break is essential, as I think I would suffer another burn-out again if I didn't get away at least 2 times a month to just do something for myself. I usually just go to my mom's and we eat junk food and watch chick-flicks, but it is enough for me to get refreshed and feel ready to be with my kids 24/7 again.
I've also come up with a daily schedule (and I normally scoff schedules, but I find it works better for everyone to know what to expect for the day. I still allow for flexibility so if things don't go as planned, no biggie; The schedule is more like guidelines....said with a Pirates of the caribbean accent LOL) that is helping us to organize ourselves so the kids aren't just doing what they want whenever they want. I've set out their time for school, meals, and free time. I think they find it comforting to wake up and know they have an hour before it's their turn for school, or to know they get to have one-on-one time with mommy.

I just wanted to thank you all for being here and being so encouraging to each other. Sometimes homeschooling can feel very lonely and isolating especially if you have a lot of people IRL who disagree with it.

Originally posted by bananamama
I just wanted to thank you all for being here and being so encouraging to each other. Sometimes homeschooling can feel very lonely and isolating especially if you have a lot of people IRL who disagree with it.

This is exactly how I feel. I'm so glad that someone here helped you on your path. You've helped me a time or two, and I've never specifically thanked you.

I know for a fact that if it weren't for the wonderful women here I would have never even tried homeschooling. Until I came here, I never even met anybody that hs'ed. It seemed so odd, and then when troubles in ps seemed just to great to bear, you mama's offered me a ray of hope. It's a decision I have yet to regret.

I remember your posts to me, and I'm glad that someone could be a help to you like you were to me. I'm actually tearing up a little here. I'm glad you're staying around this year. :butterfly

Originally posted by duckydolittle
This is exactly how I feel. I'm so glad that someone here helped you on your path. You've helped me a time or two, and I've never specifically thanked you.

I know for a fact that if it weren't for the wonderful women here I would have never even tried homeschooling. Until I came here, I never even met anybody that hs'ed. It seemed so odd, and then when troubles in ps seemed just to great to bear, you mama's offered me a ray of hope. It's a decision I have yet to regret.

I remember your posts to me, and I'm glad that someone could be a help to you like you were to me. I'm actually tearing up a little here. I'm glad you're staying around this year. :butterfly

Aww, now I'm tearing up :wah: :heart: I'm so glad to have mama friends like you in my life. :heart:

:thumbsup:

I remember reading your post about how you thought you would be sending your kids to school and I really felt kind of sad~ not because I thought you were doing a "bad" thing by sending your kids to school, but because you were a real inspiration to me as a hs'ing mom. I don't personally know you, but I remember when you used to post in this forum a lot more and I was really inspired by your zeal for hs'ing and I thought your ideas for how you were teaching your kids were great. It may sound silly to you but your posts really helped me to feel excited about hs'ing, back when I wasn't sure if it was something that was right for me and my ds.

Anyway, I am so glad that things are going better for you now. I hope you and your kids have a great year learning together.:)

Originally posted by sweet~potato
:thumbsup:

I remember reading your post about how you thought you would be sending your kids to school and I really felt kind of sad~ not because I thought you were doing a "bad" thing by sending your kids to school, but because you were a real inspiration to me as a hs'ing mom. I don't personally know you, but I remember when you used to post in this forum a lot more and I was really inspired by your zeal for hs'ing and I thought your ideas for how you were teaching your kids were great. It may sound silly to you but your posts really helped me to feel excited about hs'ing, back when I wasn't sure if it was something that was right for me and my ds.

Anyway, I am so glad that things are going better for you now. I hope you and your kids have a great year learning together.:)

Those are such nice things to hear :heart: I never thought people noticed my posts much. I'm so glad that they were helpful and inspiring to you. Makes me feel a bit more useful in the world :D
Yeah, I think I lost my joy for a while. The kids were behaving horribly, I was never getting a moment without them, we were stuck at home because we lack a 2nd vehicle, our finances were bad and making me frustrated that I couldn't afford to put the kids into activities that would allow them social interaction (we were all feeling a bit lonely), and I was feeling such pressure from outsiders to do school a certain way (since ds was officially in 1st grade), that I think I lost the piece of me that made our homeschooling experience such a wonderful learning adventure. Getting a break from it all, and just getting a moment to breathe, made such a difference for my ability to cope and look at the situation more proactively.
Now I've got my zeal back, and things are going sooo well.

Thanks you again for your kind words. That just made my heart melt :heart: