Beating Homeschool Burnout - Children Article

By:Joyce Jackson

Why do we get burnt out in the first place? Fatigue and discouragement, are the prime reasons. For most of us, if we don't see results right away, we get discouraged. When we get discouraged we get fatigued.

It's sometimes much harder to see the results of our homeschooling, our work, than it is for someone working 8 to 5 and getting a paycheck for it. That paycheck, the result of their labor, keeps every employee going but what do homeschool parents have in which to motivate ourselves when we don't see the results of our teaching? That's when discouragement can set in.

If you are burnt out because you are tired, then take a week or two off of schooling! Sleep, rest, and do some fun stuff with your kids. Get the laundry and the cleaning caught up. It's amazing how strongly clutter, and those nagging unfinished jobs in back of our minds, can sap our energy. Make a dent in the stack of papers needing grading and filing. Taking some time off will not hurt the kids. The only consequence is that you will finish school a week or two later than you planned in the summer.

In order to beat this kind of burnout before it happens, we school for six weeks, then take a week off. We do this for six blocks of six weeks each, for thirty-six weeks of school, which meets my state's requirement with two weeks to spare. During our six weeks of school, we do not take off holidays such as Columbus Day or President's Day. We keep the momentum going, Monday through Friday, with our week break in the not-too-distant future as the reward for our work. The six-one ratio has worked well for us, and God used the same ratio in working for six days to create the world, then taking one day to rest.

1. Meeting the Physical Demands
We only help ourselves head off both fatigue and discouragement before it happens when we help our bodies work efficiently. We should be getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, taking a walk everyday, getting out in the sun (when it's shining), and taking our minerals and vitamins. Often as homeschoolers, we might think we can't afford the time it takes to get enough sleep or take a walk everyday.

We might think we can't afford vitamins or minerals. Really, we can't afford not to. When we let our bodies get run down through overwork, fatigue, lack of exercise, and lack of the vitamins and minerals it needs in order to work properly, then we are more susceptible to burnout and discouragement, as well as illness. We end up paying the piper anyway, both in time and in money. Better to pay it in small daily increments of daily exercise and vitamins, and remain healthy with a positive attitude, than pay it all at once by being ill for several weeks with expensive doctor visits.

We can also prevent burnout by finding ways to do our work more efficiently. Read Don Aslett's books on housecleaning and learn to clean your house like a professional: they know how to get the job done in the least amount of time possible. Cook once a month or every few weeks and put meals in the freezer for school days. Delegate chores to your children. Even five-year-olds can dust or fold laundry. Get up early if you are a morning person or stay up late if you are a night person, and use that one or more hours of uninterrupted time to study, prepare lessons or grade papers. You can accomplish more in one hour if you are focused and undistracted than in six hours with constant interruptions.

2. Meeting the Emotional & Spiritual Demands
And of course, besides the physical demands of homeschooling and homemaking, there are emotional and spiritual demands as well. When these demands become too great, then we get fatigued and discouraged, and that leads to burnout. We must replenish our resources continually by abiding in the vine that is the Root of Life and all good things.

Develop the habit of living in God's presence. When my children were small, I found it nearly impossible to maintain a separate daily prayer time as had been my wont. The demands on my time and energy were just too great. I learned to speak to God while washing dishes and hanging laundry on the line; I learned to listen to His voice while cooking and settling sibling disputes. I found my daily relationship with Jesus deepened rather than compromised when I took Him out of my prayer closet, and included Him in the diaper-changing and rocking the little ones to sleep. I found that rather than being aware of Him and being in His presence for one hour daily, I was now aware of Him and living in His presence for twenty-four hours daily.

Develop an "attitude of gratitude" by giving thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and praise is becoming to the upright. No matter how black the situation, there is always something we can find for which to sincerely thank Him. His glory and majesty are not diminished because we are having a bad day; take a minute and worship the Lord of Heaven and Earth just for no other reason than who He is.

When we are living in His presence, maintaining an attitude of praise and thanksgiving for all He does for us daily, then something happens to us. Jets travel in the stratosphere because all the weather happens in the troposhere, and it's a lot easier to just avoid the weather than fly through it. That something that happens to us is like flying through the stratosphere and avoiding the weather in the troposphere. Life on the one hand has not changed for us, and yet on the other hand everything has changed. We find the inner peace, strength, and patience with which to cope, with enthusiasm and exuberence. It is because we are living "in Him," and He Himself is the Prince of Peace; God Almighty whose name is like a strong tower, the Everlasting Father who is long-suffering and forbearing.

Maintain daily or consistent Bible-reading. If it seems like no matter what, you cannot make the time for it, get the Bible on tape and take a Walkman with you when you have your daily walk; exercise your body and feed your spirit in one time slot.

3. Realizing our Limitations
And finally, we have to realize our limitations. In homeschooling, we have committed to two full-time jobs: teaching and homemaking. Each one by itself is a full-time job, so it's no wonder that we get tired and discouraged. We need the Lord's strength in order to do the job. We cannot do this job by relying on our strength; it's too big for that. Our strength, our resources are not adequate. But the Lord's strength and His resources are more than adequate! He is generous and willing to give freely. His help is available. So how do we "get" it? Ask and receive by faith through grace, just as we "got" salvation. "We have not because we ask not."

If we can't get organized, then we need order. If we are discouraged, then we need encouragement. If we are overwhelmed, then we need help. If we no longer care, then we need motivation. The Lord is able to order, encourage, help, and motivate us, and provide anything else that we are in need of, if we only ask Him.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: homeschool, homeschooling, homeschool curriculum

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Top Children Articles
1). A National Holiday for Tolerance and Parenting (Part 1) By : Paul M. Jerard Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is explained in classrooms, to our children and grandchildren, in simplistic terms. Just this past week, I was surprised to listen to local children�s views on the subject. They explained discrimination with such acceptance that I just listened in amazement.
2). Your Preemie Is In The NICU - What Can You Do? By : Sjona Lindquist Your feelings are tied up in that tiny little preemie bundle, and you have a hard time comprehending this small, wrinkled resemblance of a baby that is attached to every conceivable contraption...could belong to you. But when your heart is broken in more places then you could ever dream possible, and waiting seems endless, you are harshly welcomed into the world of parenthood.
3). Health Tips For Your Baby By : Robin Darch There are always concerns about a baby�s health. Many parents overreact to the smallest problem, but you really can�t be too careful when it comes to your baby�s health. Recognizing the symptoms to the most common diseases is very important to early diagnosis and treatment. Rubella or German Measles: It�s sometimes referred to as the 3-day measles as well.
4). Learning To Apply Information By : Esther Andrews There are many definitions of intelligence, but the one I have learned in high school claimed that intelligence in nature is the ability of an animal or a human to use the information they have learned. I have also read about the idea that there are several levels of learning. The lowest level of learning, is just memorizing the material and being.
5). Kid Friendly Games By : Sandra Stammberger Kids love to mimic the adults in every whatever fashion that they see adults do. They see their elders tinker on computers; they'd love to bang on the computer as well. Parents would love nothing more than to indulge their kids in everything that could be useful to them. The dilemma that parents usually face is if the kid computer games that they are after are really kid friendly. So how can parents choose from among the hundreds of computer games that are circulating in the market?
6). Helpful Tips For Planning A Wonderful Baby Shower By : Susan Anderson A baby shower can be one of the most thoughtful gifts you can offer a new parent. Baby showers are a lot of fun, and can be a good first memory for the new parents. And of course, the obvious plus to the parents to be is all the great baby loot they get as well. Well planned baby showers can help save new parents a ton of money on baby necessities, often taking a lot of financial stress and worry away from them.
7). Baby Shower Ideas: Gifts To Consider Buying By : Jennifer Adair The time of planning a baby shower is a special one. An expecting mom could be the happiest person in the world should she give birth to a little angel. And in anticipation of the new baby, baby showers are commonly held about three months before the baby is born. It is possible to hold it after the baby is born. It has advantages in doing that plus it would be little easier selecting gifts if it were held after.
8). Baby bedding can be exciting to shop for By : Roger King Many baby bedding; quilts and blankets that you can find for your baby are made with polyester or acrylic, plastics that, when heated by the baby's body, can emit gases that irritate the baby's sensitive skin and eyes! As parents we understand how much you love your children and want the best for them. Walk into any baby supply store, or open any catalogue offering baby supplies, and you'll be hit with adorable baby bedding designs: bedding with tiny flowers; little animals; and Disney characters, stripes, zigzags, or bugs.
9). Three Kinds Of Baby Clothes By : Kirsten Hawkins When buying baby clothes parents are suddenly inundated with multiple choices that can become quite confusing. How many cute and adorable outfits does little Bill or Hillary need? How many �Onesie� body suits are enough? For little people that grow so quickly there are certainly a wide variety of clothing options, how does a new parent know what to get? To help settle the dilemma and answer these questions, parents need to keep in mind a simple �rule of three.
10). Kicked in the Ribs - While Giving Birth By : kacycarr Sacrifices have to be made as soon as your result from the pregnancy test proves positive. Bungee jumping stops as of now, cut down on the intake of alcohol and tobacco. It is common sense to follow the rules from all medical advisors which in return will help you to understand the needs of your new unborn child. By adhering to all advice from your doctor/midwife may help making the birth a pleasant experience.

New Children Articles
1). Personality Matters In Homeschooling By : Joyce Jackson Learn what personality type lend sitself to better homeschooling.
2). Travelling with Young Children By : ian Williamson When grandma and grandpa live in another state or your family wants to travel on a summer vacation then a road trip might be what you plan. If it is and you are traveling with preschool age children you will need your own personal arsenal of things to keep their little minds busy.
3). Weak Cognitive Skills Are Cause of Learning Disabilities By : Paul Counts Learning Disabilities affect people in all walks of life each and every day, but the good news is that something can be done to correct them.
4). Make Your Backyard Fun Again with an Outdoor Toy Structure By : Mayoor Patel A lot must be done if you hope to get your kids outside again, and it could end up costing your hundreds of dollars on something spectacular like an outdoor toy structure, jungle gym, swing set or playhouse. But after all, is it not worth it?
5). Flexibility In Homeschooling By : Joyce Jackson Learn why homeschooling your children give paretns a lot of flexibilty in many areas.
6). Spelling Games Parents Can Play With Their Kids By : Dave Poon There are many spelling games that parents can play with their children to improve their vocabulary.
7). Suitable Clothing for Children By : Ivar Rudi Infants are very susceptible of the impressions of cold; a proper regard, therefore, to a suitable clothing of the body, is imperative to their enjoyment of health.
8). 3 Reasons Why Your Child Needs Strong Memory Skills By : Jim Sarris Being able to memorize is one of the best tools a child can have in their educational toolkit. The author gives parents three reasons why they need to help them develop strong memory skills.
9). How to Keep Your Child Earning Top Grades in School! By : MITCHELL HAMPSON There is one surefire way to keep your children earning the best grades and that is to get a private tutor.
10). Tips in Choosing the Right Kids Games for Your Developing Child By : Dave Poon Kids games play a major role on the development of every child. It is not only a leisure activity but also helps in the growth process of a child.

� 2006 articles2k.com - Privacy Policy