Mom in High Heels Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 It seems that every Feb, I run out of steam and get antsy. I'm tired of the year, tired of the curriculum, tired of the routine. ACK! We have taken breaks, but we HAVE to get the work done. Normally in this situation, I'd take a week off, but we took over a month during the holidays because my mom was visiting (we could NOT do school with her around-we tried and it didn't work) and we'll have to take several weeks off when the baby comes, so we can't afford to break now. Indy is fine, it's just me. Maybe because I'm 8 months pregnant, but probably not, since I was wasn't pregnant the past 2 Febs. We're on week 22, so only 14 to go, but OMG, I don't think I'll make it. It seems like soooo long. Can't we just move on to next year? Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 February is just a difficult month all around. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefurfamily Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 My kids just pointed out, "hey it's February and mom hasn't had the February freak out yet". There's still time though. I freak out like clockwork. Keeping calm and carrying on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 February is a hard month! This year I am pushing through a bit better but I'm starting to wear down also. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 This is my 15th year, and I still want to quit every February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Find something that you love doing to get you through. I've been doing some sewing for a creative outlet and listening to homeschool audio files to try to find my motivation again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Oh, yay! It's not just me. So, it's Feb, then? Does it have a name? Can we call it the February Funk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 It seems that every Feb, I run out of steam and get antsy. I'm tired of the year, tired of the curriculum, tired of the routine. ACK! We have taken breaks, but we HAVE to get the work done. Normally in this situation, I'd take a week off, but we took over a month during the holidays because my mom was visiting (we could NOT do school with her around-we tried and it didn't work) and we'll have to take several weeks off when the baby comes, so we can't afford to break now. Indy is fine, it's just me. Maybe because I'm 8 months pregnant, but probably not, since I was wasn't pregnant the past 2 Febs. We're on week 22, so only 14 to go, but OMG, I don't think I'll make it. It seems like soooo long.Can't we just move on to next year? Sigh. Yep, that shortest month is always the longest. Can you spice things up to give yourself a break and bring a little more enthusiasm to school for right now? Surprise your kids with Game Day Friday. You can do no school, or only what the bare minimum is to you (math? read alouds? both). For the next several hours, it's games only. The kids take turns choosing games, and you can determine ahead of time to play each game just one time, or two or three. Personally, I'd add in the Wii Sports as an option, but not Mario Olympics ;). Fix something a little silly, out of the norm, for lunch (friend PB&J, or cut up everything small enough to eat with toothpicks, or pancakes, something different). We'd have Beach Day in the middle of winter when my kids were younger. I'd turn up the heat, they'd get in their swimsuits, lay towels and umbrellas out on the family room floor, and school there. Watch an animal documentary on tv, call it school, and have your kids act as those animals for the next 30 mins. Buy each child an instant camera, and have them document something specific for the next three weeks. (We used to do this in December for Christmas.) They must write, using one page per picture. Make the writing age appropriate. Your oldest is in 3rd grade? Assign him one, two, or three sentences for each picture. For your younger, you might have to just write the title for that child. They take ONE photo and then sit down and write. The next day, they use the next page. When the project is done, spend and enjoy the morning gluing the photos into the proper pages and remembering how fun it was. For your topic, you might choose weather, signs of spring, animals (including stuffed!), meals they eat, the view outside, etc. Whenever possible, school outside, front porch, yard, park, and while you are waiting for it to warm up, just take a daily walk (and that could be the kids' photo topic). My kids are older now. February is nothing like the tedious month it used to be. And I'm so glad!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 You can do it! Read a fun book, bake, laugh, etc. With a third grader, take a solid week of mid-winter BREAK 100% guilt-free, and then get back to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Have you seen this? February is when I pull out whatever it is we haven't got to yet, just for a change of pace. Some things have to keep getting done or they'll never get done, but even just switching them up for the month (alternating a couple of things either daily or weekly), helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hisglory Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Always February. It always feels like the drag to get back to it after Christmas really hits its peak in February. For some reason it coincides with me contemplating what I will be using next year and I start looking at the sale boards a lot more. I have noticed the numbers looking at the sale boards go down after school starts and back up now. It hasn't hit me yet this year. It could be because my daughter is graduating and I just have to push through or it could still be coming (Jaws theme plays menacingly in the background.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I can't remember what company it was from but I just received a flyer/mini-catalog in the mail that was talking about February and homeschooling. The thing that really struck me is that the author said that one of the rules she has made for herself is to never change curriculum in February. (I'm sorry, I really don't remember what company it was from so I can't give credit.) I suddenly realized that that's what I usually end up doing and then I regret it later, so I've made the same rule (we'll see how long I last at it :) ). For me, February is the time I'm usually analyzing what has worked well and not so well and start planning next year and then I get antsy about next year's materials. I'm trying to force myself to finish this year and if I'm changing something up for next year, we'll start it then, not now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Yes, February is a hard month for hsers. Cut out all unnecessary busy work or review he doesn't need. Switch some subjects to reading only and small discussion a couple times a week. Take a couple days off and think about how to school your kiddo the absolute most efficient way. You are 8 months pregnant so you are going to be tired. I know people complain about advice recommending relaxing more, but honestly I think on these boards we are so diligent about homeschooling our kids that relaxing a little is solid advice at times like these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I too drag in February. But this year I changed a bunch of stuff in February and I discovered that to be the trick! We have been going steady for so long...it's boring to us all. So we stopped some grammar and changed to the book we plan for next year. Yep, only half way through this year and we moved on. Suddenly the kids want to do a second lesson! Why? Simply b/c it's new and something different than the same old stuff. Why hadn't I thought of this before? Obviously you wouldn't want to do this with expensive choices, but by stopping our current thing and doing part of next year it gives us options for the fall....finish up this other stuff or keep going on this new stuff. And who knows by next Feb what we may want to try! We kept our history and science but dumped some extra history stuff. ironically I am making a list for next year and they want the extra stuff....but are just tired of doing it now. So I realize we just needed to change things up. My plan next year is to make changes again in Feb. Have something on hand that will continue our studies but change the program in how we do things. It's what has worked for us this year. And I will try it again next February. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The trick for us this year (and yes, every February is a drag) was to plan for a weekend away with friends in the spring. We are going to hit the Renaissance fair in Tampa. Just knowing this time away is on the horizon has given us both the gas we needed to get through the month. Being sick certainly hasn't helped our gas tank any though. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I'm feeling much the same way - ready to finish up what we're working on now and start on the NEW goodies we bought with tax $! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anissa Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Just the other day a hs friend was talking about her temptation to send her dd to school next year. I told her every hs mom has the same thought in February and she had better put the decision off for now. Just keep telling yourselves how much you love your little darlings and would miss them sooooooo much if they weren't with you every hour of every day.....oh, this is a "long" month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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