Here are discussed the signs and symptoms of burnout which include; overreacting to situations, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, crying often, lack of confidence, yelling, feeling frustrated, overeating, and/or lack of appetite.
It was also discussed the causes of homeschool burnout such as; having expectations that are too high, falling into a repetitive daily pattern, forgetting to take care of and take time for ourselves, and pushing kids ahead before they are ready. Some strategies for avoiding homeschool burnout are:
Care - Make it a Priority
Many absolutely neglect their own personal needs because the work of parenting is just so big. It is difficult to find time in our daily activities to care for ourselves too - but that does not decrease the importance of doing so. Some parents optimistically give all they have to those they love for years and then hit the wall. Neglecting can lead to marital discord, poor parenting habits, psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety, and physical disease such as high blood pressure, heart disease, migraine head aches, to only name a few. Paying attention to our own spirituality, nurturing relationships with our mates, meditating, reading, enjoying hobbies, visiting with friends, exercising having good nutrition, are only a few ways that we can nurture our own mind, body and soul leading to a more balanced life.
Plan a diversity of activities and experiences to prevent a repetitive pattern. Many parents position that when their day becomes too routine they and their children get bored and anxious. Just take advantage of educational TV, movies, field trips, games, classes, and co-ops. Raise Independent Learners
Kids are independent learners but when we educate we make them dependent. Just do things that foster their independence like allow them to make decisions, set goals about their learning program, give them a choice when possible, don't push them too fast - wait until they are ready for more advanced learning, let them do things independently when they are able, and hold them accountable to age and skill level appropriate expectations. Independent learners will help with the busywork of homeschooling like planning, organizing, record keeping, etc. They can learn valuable skills in the process, and the work they do eases the workload of homeschooling parents thereby decreasing stress. To Be Less Troubled
Many homeschooling parents are concerned that they will do something wrong or miss a topic, ruining their child's education forever. There is a probability that homeschooled kids will learn more than kids schooled in a group setting because learning is more efficient and kids are able to focus on things they are interested in, when they are interested in them. You should be concerned less about accidentally missing something and instead teach them how to learn. If you accidentally forget to cover the "process of mummification", and your homeschooler someday comes across this as a professional, they will have all the skills needed to teach themselves all about the mummification process. This example also highlights the point that we will undoubtedly teach them many things they will not need to be fully functioning adults. Wasting energy on this worry and raising our stress level is clearly not worth it. Bring up a Responsibility in Kids
Make clear with your expectations about learning requirements, behavior, household duties and responsibilities. Make clear about the consequences if they do not meet your expectations. Always follow through on the consequences. You should also reasonably consider what the consequences are before you state them. Kids will generally do the right thing when they see that we really will follow through with what we say. As kids don’t know clearly what parent’s expectations are and what the consequences are - they can feel very scared and uneasy. They may be able to constantly test their limits attempting to establish a boundary so they can feel safe. The key is Balance for Your Personality
Homeschooling parents find challenging is matching their stress tolerance level with their children's personal stress tolerance level. Children have them too. In planning a structure and schedule homeschooling program - balancing stress levels for parents and children is an important consideration. Is Homeschool Burnout Harmless?
It may seem harmless but the stress overload it can cause you and your family is certainly not harmless. The excess stress can lead to irrational decisions, like giving up on homeschooling prematurely, changing curriculum or materials too often because of insecurities, harsh and unintended words towards a child, loved one, or friend that could contribute to the breakdown of relationships. Excess stress is a know cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, addiction, and anxiety attacks. Reasons to be practical to decrease stress overload - before it is too late and homeschool burnout sets in.
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