The following is a post from contributing writer, Paula, from Average Housewife.
Being a homeschool mom, you will go through many emotions. The excitement of setting up your school room and getting new books. The joy of teaching your child to read. You may also experience anxiety. Anxiety can be present in any situation, and homeschooling is no exception.
Seven Sources of Homeschool Anxiety
- Your first day of school. You are responsible for teaching this little mind all that they need to know to go out in the big world.
- Your first bad day. You wake up on the wrong side of bed, the coffeepot isn’t working, and your not prepared to begin school for the day.
- Teaching something you’re bad at. You have never enjoyed Grammar, and this year you’re supposed to teach your child how to diagram a sentence.
- Teaching something your student doesn’t understand. You are a math whiz, but your child just can’t wrap their mind around long division.
- Feeling Overwhelmed. You have the responsibility of housework, teaching three children, and getting dinner on the table by 6. How are you going to get it all done?
- Being questioned by friends and family. Your friends and family don’t understand how you ,as a mom, could even begin to educate your children.
- Feeling alone. You don’t know anyone else who homeschools.
How to Overcome Your Anxiety
- Prayer. Bring your anxieties to the God, who knows all things and cares for you. (I Peter 5:6-7)
- Truth. Read God’s Word, filling your mind and heart with truth. When you are enveloped in truth, it is easier to recognize the lies and cast them off. (John 8:31-32)
- Share it with your husband. Being married means you’re a team. Don’t carry this burden on your own. Talk with your husband about it. He may have some insight that you hadn’t thought of.
- Find friends. Talking with others. Find some other homeschoolers in your area, they have most likely gone through the same anxieties that you have.
- Outside Help. Sometimes you may just need someone to help you. Maybe your child needs a tutor for a subject.
- Make a Plan. Realize that you may have some hard days ahead. What will your plan be when one of you get’s sick or you need to work a couple days longer on a lesson.
- Take a break. When your in the thick of it, it’s hard to see clearly. Take a some time off so you can refocus.
I hope these tips will be helpful to you the next time you feel that rising feeling of anxiety come over you.
What ways have you found to overcome your anxiety of homeschooling?
Paula is the homeschooling mother of three. She writes about homeschool, faith, homemaking, and healthy living at Average Housewife. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
I try not to get to worked up if I do, I just come to these sites and read for a little while. After, I’m pretty good and things run smoother. I do my best to not get caught up in trying to make him learn more than he can, we go with our flow. My poor kid is so sick right now his allergies are really bad. I just wanted to comment though and say don’t stress, we keep em home to care and teach cause we love them, we can do it, just relax take a breath, you got this covered Mom!!
Thanks, MzB! I’m glad you mentioned visiting websites. You can definitely always find encouragement on The Homeschool Classroom and other homeschooling websites. What a blessing they can be, especially to those who don’t have a good support system or many homeschoolers in their area.
I hope your son starts feeling better soon!