I'm fried, and homeschooling feels like such a chore lately. I'm in the middle of year 7 and if I could afford to send all of them to private school I would strongly consider it, just to give myself a break. I find that in the groups of moms I know, not many are ever willing to admit being burned out with homeschooling. I've also noticed that if someone puts their kids in school it's like "gasp" a huge deal to the other people, like they defected or something. I don't know how to describe it. Anyway, how do you combat burn out?

Even though I do love hs'ing, I admit, I get burnt out now and then! :hug:

I think, for me, the problem is that I feel I rarely get a break from ds, and I feel so responsible for so much!

I don't know what the solution is though. Maybe plan some fun activities for the next few days, like playing board games, going to the park or zoo, making cookies together. I don't know how it is with 4 kids, but when we stay home too much I start to feel really crabby. Going out and doing something fun really refreshes me! Our daily schedule is hs work in the morning and by lunch we are done, even if we didn't get everything done that I had wanted to. Then the afternoon is for errands, activities, or fun!:)

Hope you're feeling better soon!!

What about those half time programs? Didn't you say at one time those were available to you?

My answer was to put 3 of them in school this year. It has helped with my sanity over homeschooling, and I am excited to get started with all 4 next year. Not dreading it, like I had been.

I think the kids and mom can get burn-out. I find that if we "do school" for a couple of month then take some time off, we all do better.
Because Texas is one of those super easy states to homeschool in, I can do this though. I don't know how that would work in other states. I just contintue to do school year round and breaks year round.

What about those half time programs? Didn't you say at one time those were available to you?



I went and looked at one of them and it was much too academic for Bryce. He wouldn't be sucessful. I'm going next week to look at another program. We will see...

I'm sooo burned out. I miss homeschooling with a support network. I know that made things easier. Taking classes, having co-ops, things like that motivated me.

It's a miracle I'm educating the kids at all this year. Luckily, they're pretty motivated little people. And history kind of come naturally, living here. Science comes naturally to them, too. That doesn't leave me too much to plan and execute if I have a homeschooling lite kind of month (or year).

Oh, I am not sure if I should be posting in my present 'with sick kids day in and day out' sleep-deprived state... but yeah. I get burnt out. And some days all that is between me and calling my kids into the local ps is the fact that my friends will gasp. lol... But I like that aspect of it. If I ever do choose to send my kids back, the truth is, I will have enough reason to go beyond the 'gasp' reflex and be strong in my choice. Just like I was when I decided to pull them out. Others of my friends "gasped" then... lord knows, we made it through that. The other way will be the same.

For now, I am content. Tired... ready for a break... but content with my choice. By the end of summer, I should be ready for "school" again... and honestly, I am excited about starting a year where I am doing the whole thing and know what I am doing. lol!

Val

I went and looked at one of them and it was much too academic for Bryce. He wouldn't be sucessful. I'm going next week to look at another program. We will see...

That is really too bad. :(

Sometimes we need something to just jump start us again.

All I have to say is summer is around the corner and I can not wait!!!!! :)

i just went thru this just last month mama (and we unschool lmao), if you want to talk pm me or i can give you my phone number (i actually talk on the phone sometimes these days lol)

Thanks for the encouragement. Our independent study program has monthly parent meetings and I went to my first one last night. (you'd think after 7 years with the school I would have gone once before LOL) But it was so awesome! Our principal has kids in college and a preschooler :-) I got there feeling defeated, and ready to burst into tears if anyone asked me how school was going. I left feeling like a new person, like I can fisish the year and finish strong.

She talked about high school, and what subjects colleges want to see and in which years. Then from there she moved backward to Jr high, and talked about having fun in jr high and not doing high school classes in jr high because you will have to redo it in high school anyway. I left with 2 sets of paperwork that were quite helpful. I'm so glad I went!