Let’s face it… 

Homeschooling is tough. It’s basically a full-time job all on its own.

Add on top of that housekeeping and just being a mom…

It doesn’t take much to become overwhelmed. Every homeschool mom ends up experiencing that dreaded homeschool burnout at some point.

Homeschool Burnout Tips

Today I wanted to share 7 tips to overcoming homeschool burnout, but these tips are not just for when you’re already overwhelmed. These tips are good for every day to completely avoid burnout in the first place.

Lower Your Expectations

We all want what’s best for our children. At some point, the decisions we make for their future become fear-based decisions.

Fear of missing out…

Fear of forgetting something…

Fear of them failing…

So what happens then? We add more.

If you reach the point of fear and adding more to your day then it’s time to start eliminating things. Go back to the bare minimum and lower your expectations.

Our job is not to pump our kids with a bunch of random facts and skills. Instead, it’s our job to prepare them for their future. The keyword being THEIR future.

Go back to the bare minimum of academics and the rest of your day should be exploring rabbit holes and interests.

Be Flexible

It’s hard to let go of the control, but our kids are natural-born learners. If we can learn to step back and be only a guide, their natural curiosity will only grow.

Be flexible and let them learn what they want to learn and how they want to learn it. As I mentioned above, this is their future. Letting them discover and explore what they want to learn about is building the motivation and skills needed for their future.

Limit Structured Activities

When homeschool burnout hits you hard, it’s time to take a step back and get rid of those commitments which leads me to my next tip…

Related: 4 Pillars of Natural Learning

Do The Things That Bring You Joy

Fill your day with the subjects and activities that bring you and your children joy.

Burnout usually happens when your children start to push back. They start to refuse to do their work and your day just ends up being a huge argument.

Avoid that by only doing the things that bring you joy.

I can hear you now…

“But how will they learn the important things?”

Trust!

Step back, prepare an environment that motivates them to learn, and let their natural instincts take over.

What our children decide to study may not always be what we want or on our timeline. But it’s our job to trust their unique learning time.

Our job is to be a guide, to provide an encouraging environment, and ask questions that spark curiosity. The rest is up to them.

Related: How to Easily Get Started With Project-Based Homeschooling

Get Support

You do not have to do it all! I’m a single, homeschooling, entrepreneur mom. If I didn’t lean on my family for support, I would surely burn out quickly.

Need a break? Ask someone to watch your children for a few hours while you hide out in a coffee shop – guilt-free.

Don’t want to teach math anymore? Get a tutor or find an e-learning experience. You don’t have to teach everything. Outsource the subjects you despise.

Take Care of Yourself

As homeschool moms, we can get so caught up in taking care of everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves.

I’m giving you permission to put yourself first…

Actually, I’m demanding that you put yourself first.

This is important, so listen up!

You cannot fully take care of anyone else unless your bucket is overflowing.

Self-care is more than wine, chocolate, and bubble baths. It’s eating healthy, exercising, exploring your passions, and most importantly taking care of your mind.

Go in Nature

In our house, Fridays are our nature days. After spending all week learning, it’s important to take a day to relax.

Think of nature as your natural spa. As soon as you step outside and take a deep breath, nature begins to heal that homeschool burnout.

We love going on nature walks and just sitting in a beautiful spot experiencing all the joys of nature.

Homeschool burnout is inevitable, but with a little trust, self-care, and flexibility you can learn to avoid and easily overcome that dreaded homeschool burnout.