Sometimes you get burned out. Sometimes you get frustrated. Sometimes you cry. But you know what? It’s your homeschool and you can cry if you want to! Ask a doctor, a teacher, a hair dresser, a circus performer; do you ever get burned out? Go ahead and find someone who has never experienced feelings of frustration, burn out or failure. Did they quit their job? Did they just throw in the towel saying it was just too hard and maybe they were not cut out to be a doctor, teacher, hair dresser or circus performer? Has your husband ever come home from work stressed out? Did your mother, neighbor or other naysayer ever suggest to him to quit his job?
The point is simply everyone gets burned out but that does not mean you are failing or that you are doing the wrong thing. Homeschool moms do not get raises, bonuses, vacations or sick days. Of course there will be times we feel burned out. Children are challenging and ever changing so we need to adapt but in the meantime we flounder until we find what works. Does that mean we are ill equipped? No. My husband is a manager for a large company and is constantly telling me that his job and my job are very similar. We manage people, encourage people, and guide people. And you know what? People are not easy to deal with. Thankfully, homeschooling moms have the blessing of dealing with the most important people in our lives on a daily basis no matter the challenges they can bring.
Are you burned out? It is okay to be burned out. What is not okay is not taking care of yourself and thinking that because you are burned out you are not cut out to be a homeschooling mom. Just because you have a bad day does not mean your children do not need the most important teacher in their lives. Homeschooling takes heart and hearts get weary and broken but they can also be restored and filled with joy. Take time to care for yourself and take a break but never think you are failing because things are tough.