5 EASY Ways to Deal with Homeschool Frustration

Bekki — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 08:06:00 +0000

Inside: Real solutions for the Frustrated homeschooler

You woke up ready to rock this homeschool gig.

You even had it all together. Until… You find the baby decorated her wall with her diaper contents and your middle schooler needs help with math.

You begin to cry.

When 5:00 rolls around you look in the mirror and realize the person staring back at you not only looks like she fought a battle and lost but she forgot to plan for dinner… again.

So you cry again and pour cold cereal for dinner.

I bump into home-school moms all the time who are frustrated.
Are you one of them?

So you’re having a lousy homeschool day.

You decided to tackle that Pinterest Art Project with your toddler.
Things are going great until your 12-year-old needs help with math.
The baby is due to go down for her nap, so you push your 12-year-old off for “just a minute”.
You come back to find the toddler swimming in glitter and glue and your sweet 12-year-old is playing video games.

Quick, grab the toddler, throw her in the tub (gently) and ask 12-year old to watch her while you clean up.

47 minutes later, you think you found all the glitter.

Pop on a movie to keep your toddler occupied while you finally try to explain math lesson to 12-year-old…

And are startled by his sudden outburst of anger and tears. (Where did your sweet son go?)

This is not the perfect homeschool day that you planned.

5 Strategies for Killing Homeschooling Frustration

1. Stop for a second and snuggle with your kids.

Did you know it that hugs are good for you? It’s the best kind of science!

2. Begin “Cocoa Corner”

This is one of the easiest, and hardest traditions to begin. Simply grab a good book, a cozy blanket, and a cup of hot chocolate (or something else your kids love) and snuggle and read to your kids. It’s easy because it feels like wonderful. It’s hard because your mind will play tricks on you.

“You should be doing “real school” or “You don’t have time for this”.

Ignore your mind. Snuggle and read.

3. Make Someone’s Day.

Someone who needs to know they are not forgotten.

Go to the store and buy your kids some special stationary (or borrow some stencils and make their own) and have them write a letter to Grandma or a Soldier overseas.

4. Make a batch of cookies.

Whenever we find ourselves in a homeschool funk, we go to the kitchen and bake. I have five boys after all. Food is the way in, trust me on this.

We cook or bake something to give away: a plate of cookies, a home-cooked meal. Funny how quickly doing something nice for others helps you escape the “woe is me’s”

You can make it a learning opportunity too!

5. Leave.

Really. Pack up the kids, grab some snacks and leave the house.

Go to the park, the store, your mom’s, the library, the beach, or the museum.

Sometimes, the only way to snap out of a funk is to leave the funk behind.

If you visit your nearest museum and ask the elderly volunteer to give you a tour. It’ll make their day!

There.

You’ve loved on your kids and accomplished lessons in love, literature, art, writing, fellowship, charity, math, chemistry, and history.

You are perfectly suited to teach your children.
You will not be perfect. And yet… your kids have an amazing opportunity to learn from you.

Just this morning I was sitting in between two of my boys as they worked on math lessons.

My little guy was leaning against my arm as he worked out his problems and I found myself kissing the top of his little head. I sat there thinking, “I would miss this if he were in regular school.”

Sure, there are other days that the same child will disassemble every mechanical device in the house in the two minutes it takes me to explain division to his older brother, but this morning was peaceful.

Forget “trying” to do it all.

Choose a dirtier house over a spotless house if it means the home is happier.
Choose fewer math problems and concentrate on mastery rather than endurance.
Choose to hug and encourage rather than bark and complain.
Choose to accomplish less, but to do it well over scheduling a multitude of tasks that can only be completed rather than absorbed.

If the baby decorates her wall again, it’s ok to cry.
But realize that moment doesn’t define you as a homeschooler.

You can do this homeschool thing.

Laugh a lot. Love your kids!

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

Download Your Free Printable

Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.

A Better Way to Homeschool