Fighting Home School Burnout!

Hello!

I wanted to take a minute to jot down some challenges to the call of home schooling. I often write here things dear to my heart. I pray that as the Lord guides and directs my thoughts to come in align with His, that it blesses those who might be going through something similiar.

Well, recently home schooling has been so difficult! My children are precious. I am realizing that I am not! LOL! Just kidding, but honestly my attitude toward the challenges have not been....precious! Anyway, I know a lot of mothers who are venturing out into the home school realm. I am by no means a pro as I have only been doing it 3 years now, but I do have some insight to some challenges.

Why did I want to home school.... Well, initially it was a group of reasons.
1. We were moving to the foreign mission field.
2. I wanted to be the influence in my childrens lives.
3. I see raising children more as discipleship than education alone.
4. I thought it would be fun!

I am sure there are many more that might come to mind, but those are the ones I remembered. Well, home school is just like everything else in life. There is a excitement of the curriculmn & the anticipation of what it will be like. It is still fun, but for me it grew into the reality of the discipline of it. There is also challenges as to the responses from your children. Some days I just think, "Are they getting it?!" Another difficulty is the 24/7 of child rearing. "Mother's day out programs" being something of the past at this point - I realize it for those refueling times they had been.

I see the beauty of home schooling. But! How do I avoid that burn out feeling? Feeling home school burn out , I just read was described by examples such as a lack of patience or maybe even overreacting to minor things. Well, the last 2 weeks that was me to a T! I don't know how it crept up on me, but I was in burnout. 3 years non stop homeschool, 24/7 with the kids, motherhood duties like laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.

So, I had to reflect. I have such HIGH expectations of my kids and myself. We have had 3 moves in the past 2 years(2 being international), and lots of change. Not to mention we are moving AGAIN at the end of the month. And I am trying to find a way to finish our late started school year with the worlds calendar system.

I realize...I need to relax! I need to quit trying and let the Lord do it! Yes, I have to get up and fill up & teach, but I need to rest in the Lord. I also realize that I have to not go by the worlds standards - even to the calendar months! Of course the standards by which I hold my childrens education to is still the highest. So, today we did 1 Math class. We had fun at school today & are going to have a GREAT weekend! By taking a little break, and learning what the Lord had to show me through it - we will all be able to restart again Monday.

SO! If you ever get to the point of feeling the burn out in home school. Don't feel condemned! Take a break, give it to God, and follow the desire that took you to home schooling. For me, discipling my kids in the way they should go. That is it. If we don't finish our school year until AUGUST! There is liberty! If I feel overwhelmed to be perfect in their education, well that is a good thing, but I am learning to take a day off to get my house caught up if that needs to be done. Freedom, baby!

My brother in law Todd Pruett once said to me, "Amy, everything, every person, every situation as a child of God is to form you into the image of Christ". That 100% applies to HOME SCHOOLING!

LET LOVE REIGN in YOU!

And you know I love my kids, so here are some snapshots as we decorated Christmas cookies yesterday :)