5 Tips to Stop Homeschool Burnout

Homeschool Burnout...

Today I have my top 5 tips for avoiding homeschool burnout.

1.  Don't OVER program the academics.   Set realistic age appropriate goals.  Be mindful with your selection of materials. Keep in mind your child's personal ability, and what you as a parent need to do to keep it all running smoothly.  It is often better to be a master of only a couple of subjects than to be less than adept with many.  

2.  Set aside a regular time to do school, but don't let it rob you of having a life, so keep it shorter rather than longer.  Alternatively, don't do life so much that you end up labeling school as the reason for burnout.  Sometimes trying to do too much in life is the reason for burnout - not the school work itself.  Keeping a good routine, even a simplified one, will make a lot of progress.  Don't forget to get yourself out for sunshine during the day at some point.  My personal philosophy is do the school in the morning and be free in the afternoon to pursue personal interests.  If you must do school in the afternoon, do so after an outdoor rest.

3.  Lower your expectations and have less ambition.  Not every child can do an adults work plate day in, day out.  It's a journey, not a sprint race.  It's a long journey, so pace the children and yourself accordingly.  There's plenty of time for those finishing touches near the end.  Additionally, you should not have to hold your child's hand for every. little. subject. The more a child can do on their own, the less subtraction from the parent, and thus less burnout, both for them and you.  Go for self learning as much as possible.  

4.  Don't over commit to outside activities. Nearly everyone that I've met thinks that once they leave the institution of daily public school life that they still need to leave the house everyday to meet up for socialization.   That's not school, that's socialization.  

5.  Take regular no school weeks.  No school.  No books.  No reading.  Nothing that even remotely looks like school, including the parents.  Go outside.  

Yes, so that's what I've got this morning.  I almost made it six points, but I just wanted to keep it trimmed at 5 in case I turn it into a video.

So many tips and I am sure to have more by tomorrow morning.

What are your top 5 tips for avoiding homeschool burnout?  I hope you will share with me.  I'd love to know.