For those that home educate, the subject of avoiding burnout presents itself a lot. Often times it comes at the end of a school term. For me, it can come when I’m planning curriculum for my six children! Decisions, decisions!
Aggravation comes in the middle of the day when I’m being overwhelmed by having to choosing to repeat myself several times to one child; even when I’m sitting next to them and calmly explaining what the lesson is all about. I’ve learned to walk away.
Simply…walk away.
There are different temperaments in each home, that of the mom’s, dad’s and children.
If I see something as not being a “big deal” to me, one of my children may be the most frustrated with the same situation; and vice-versa. I have to learn and recognize that about them.
First thing’s first. I’ve gotta know myself.
Do you “know yourself”?…
What gets you flustered? Is it incomplete assignments, a messy work area, a kid that’s slacking for no good reason, not enough time in the day, you looking at your own short-comings (that, dang it, you’re gonna conquer them today)?
Come up with a game plan BEFORE you have a moment of meltdown.
Determine to maintain peace.
In all honesty, that one thing that’s getting to you probably wont make a difference in a month when weighed with the eternal things.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
The things that your children will remember far past a “homeschool fire” is not what they should have learned by doing that assignment, but how you either blew up at them or showed them a little grace.
Hey, I’ve done both. I’m not saying anything to you that I haven’t experienced myself.
I’ve learned a thing or two and I’ve found some things in God’s Word that totally apply to every area of my life and home:
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Romans 12:17-18
Okay, I’ll give you that we wouldn’t think our children are evil, but boy, some of their actions seem to be evil (and sometimes we are positive that they’re out to get us). What I want to focus on in the above Scripture is, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Oh friend, it’s possible to live peaceably. God wouldn’t have told us to if He didn’t equip us to be able to.
Your child is one of those “all men”. Just as you’d straighten up with a neighbor, we should be just as much so with our children.
Our children do require accountability and we, as their parents, are charged with that. There are times to dive head long into something that certainly needs correction and there are times to choose your battles. Sometimes there are ways that our children do things the way that we wouldn’t prefer, but they get the same results that we would have. Let it go. Acknowledge what is done right.
So, let us keep our cool. Walk away if need be. Maintain composure. Show grace.
I don’t pretend to know it all, so I heavily rely, first of all on the Holy Spirit’s leading through prayer and then sitting quietly to listen to God. I also seek the help of my home educating girlfriends.
I’ll share ways that a few friends have found helpful in handling being overwhelmed and putting out homeschool fires.
(disclosure: I am a writer at The Homeschool Village, but the links below are not my work).
- 10 Ways to Avoid Homeschool Burn out ~Educating Laytons
- Am I Always Doomed to Fail? ~ The Homeschool Village
- 3 Things to Do When Plans Don’t Follow the Plan ~ Simple Homeschool
- Homeschooling Through a Move ~ The Homeschool Village
- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
