5 Crucial self-care tips for homeschool parents
Real talk about how to avoid homeschool burnout and actionable ways you can take the load off and take care of yourself.
As a busy parent, you've heard the platitudes surrounding self-care. From empty cups to oxygen masks, society constantly reminds you of the importance of taking care of yourself. Too often, though, life's responsibilities get in the way, and parents put themselves last.
This can be especially true for parents who homeschool. They wear more hats than most, and often, spend more time on child duty. So, it’s not surprising that even the happiest homeschooling families can struggle with fatigue and even homeschooling burnout.
Although you may wish your homeschool storybook was always filled with rainbows and unicorns, real life sometimes brings exhaustion, frazzled nerves, and a short fuse. At the end of the day, you're only human.
So let's get real and talk about some of the personal challenges homeschooling can bring, and how to prioritize self-care as a homeschool parent.
Why self-care is non-negotiable when you homeschool
When it comes to self-care, many quick fixers will remind you that you can't pour from an empty cup. But the truth is, sometimes you have to. Too often, parents pour love and attention into their children, even when their own life is hard, and their cup is dry as a bone.
But of course, you can't do it forever. Just because you're able doesn't mean it's sustainable. At some point, doing everything for everyone without any breaks or rest will take its toll, and you'll feel the burnout.
So what's a homeschooling parent to do? Make caring for yourself an absolute non-negotiable priority. Self-care will look different for everyone, but you have to make sure it happens.
This approach may feel selfish or give you doubts, but remember, by giving yourself rest and support, you'll be able to provide your kids with quality learning opportunities. So, let's talk about some practical ways you can get the support and reprieve you need.
Tip 1. Schedule self-care
Most people prioritize activities through scheduling. For busy families, if something doesn't make it on the joint calendar or list system, it probably isn't going to happen.
So, when you’re creating your family's homeschool learning schedule, get creative, including opportunities for rest and catching up on other home tasks.
Tip 2. Plan multiple breaks throughout the day
A predictable routine and schedule benefits the entire family, particularly younger learners. As you create your schedule, find ways to build in parent breaks throughout the day. Consider all the material you need to cover and alternate activities that require lots of parental assistance with more independent work.
Alternatively, you could front-load the parent-intensive work in the morning, leaving more independent tasks for the afternoon if that works better for your family.
Either way, find ways to sneak in rest time–and remind yourself to actually take it. Yes, you may need to do the chores eventually, but you also deserve to sit with your feet up and take a few minutes to read your own novel during your child's independent reading time.
Bonus: your child will also benefit by watching you model reading for pleasure.
Tip 3. Save time by ‘batching’ tasks
Another sanity-saving tip is to find ways to decrease your lesson planning and curriculum workload. Start by estimating how many hours per week you spend planning lessons, grading, and organizing the work ahead.
Then buy yourself some focus time and try ‘batch’ tasking. For example, take an afternoon to plan several weeks or months of lessons at a time. Not having to ‘task switch’ or break focus can be far faster and less stressful than staying up late to plan every week.
Tip 4. Outsource and get help with the mental load
When it comes to homeschooling, you don't have to do it all yourself.
Fostering independence in your homeschoolers provides numerous benefits for them and for you. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Try supplementing your homeschool program with options through local co-ops.
Signing your kids up for educational volunteer opportunities or internships.
Using online options to create fun social ‘breaks’ in the day, like homeschool clubs, social clubs, or virtual book clubs.
Sign your kids up for special interest online classes like beginner coding or learning to paint.
You can also outsource subjects you don’t have time or capacity to teach (or that you don’t like teaching) on everything from full homeschool curriculum courses and semester-long courses.
Use 1-on-1 tutoring to boost your child's confidence, try a new approach, or get a fresh set of eyes.
Giving your children opportunities to learn from others both broadens their perspective and builds their community. It can also free you to take a break and focus on the areas of homeschooling you’re most passionate about.
Tip 5. Manage your expectations
A big part of making homeschooling work includes managing your expectations and kicking comparisons out the window.
In the land of social media, influencers often portray homeschooling as a constantly peaceful environment full of spotless homes with curated learning rooms and smiling children. It's easy to compare your own often messy, sometimes chaotic homeschool life to others and feel like you aren't making the cut.
But of course, you’re only seeing someone's highlight reel on social media. Your own highlight reel is just as beautiful in its own way.
Connecting with other homeschooling parents who will be honest about the good and the bad, is a solid way to balance your perspective. Whether it’s local homeschooling support or an online group, look for people who will admit where they’ve struggled or failed. And who realize everyone’s homeschooling needs and approach are different–and that’s a good thing.
You're doing a great job. Getting a front-row seat to your child's learning is a magical experience. Just remember, you don't have to do it alone. Find homeschooling support on Outschool today.
You might also like
[Video] Homeschool burnout: why you're tired & what to do about it
3 ways to customize your homeschooling for neurodiverse needs
Add more fun to your homeschool curriculum with gamification
