I don't feel like doing this any longer.

[Sahamamama]

I like to think of myself as "committed to homeschooling." My husband and parents are supportive, at least verbally/theoretically. We don't (now) struggle to come up with materials or money to put into it. We do struggle with space (tiny house). Maybe that's it? The space?

 

I don't feel like homeschooling on and on and on. I'm okay with the idea on other days. What's the matter with me? I keep thinking, "There are other things I want to do. Put them on the bus, for example. Experience silence. Get a job, make money. Feel 'put together' in a way that homeschooling doesn't seem to provide. Organize my sock drawer."

 

I wouldn't be lazy, if they were in school. I just would like to push this responsibility off onto someone else for a while. Does anyone know what I'm ranting about here? Any suggestions for getting through it or moving on? Open to all options, surprisingly.

 

Academically, the children (6, 6, 8) are all doing extremely well, so homeschooling is "working," if by that we mean children who have great academic skills and rich content knowledge. I don't mind that it's work, either. Work is not what I'm balking at, I don't think. It's the monotony of it, honestly. I feel like a Ship Captain who is forever saying the same things, over and over and over and over. Does the crew ever kick in and start to move the ship towards its destination? I realize they are all a bit young for that at this point.

 

I'm just tired of feeling like I'm the only person in the entire family who gives a rat's behind about the actual school work. The girls love being home -- play time! freedom! camaraderie! My husband likes to proudly say "We're homeschooling," but what does his "we" mean, exactly? His erratic work schedule is another pet peeve. He's either (1) gone for days/weeks at a time, or (2) "working" from home, which means we lose whatever structure we managed to get while he was gone. He does not get up and out, so we can get our day started, and there is no space here for another body in the room. So, in theory, he's supportive, but there is not ONE other person in this family besides me who cares about the actual work of "doing school."

 

The girls are not uncooperative with doing their school work, though, just getting it rolling. Somehow, in this small space, with no consistent work routine (for hubby), it's requiring so much of my energy just to get each day going. Aahhhhhhhhh! It's like fighting against 3-4 people's tendency to want to simply play all day. They are all great at playing, seriously. When my husband is away, he's working 14-20 hour days, in the OR/surgery. It's life-and-death, brain/spine/heart surgery type of stuff, on very sick people or on little babies -- intense, KWIM? I'm not going to kick him out, the girls want to see Daddy, I need a break, he needs a rest, so... we veg. But, come on, already! When it's time to get back to work, it's always all on me to restart the engine. Again and again and again. I am tired of it.

 

What a drag I am.

[dbmamaz]

it sounds like partly you are just burnt out on parenting. it happens. if you want to try to put your kids in school for a year, it wont kill them - but it sounds like you are kinda glad you homeschool, like its a part of your identity as a family. Could you find a coop where you put them there and leave them a few hours a week? Or get a mothers helper to watch them a few hours a week? it sounds like you need some more 'me' time . ..

[AimeeM]

I'm burnt out too

*hugs*

[Shellydon]

It happens, push onward.

[momtoamiracle]

my dh has the same work schedule. He started it in Jan. Tomorrow he comes home after a 11 day trip. Then he will work from home for a couple of weeks and then leave again. I feel like I'm just getting into a routine. He comes home and messes it up. Not that I don't want him home, I do. it's hard being the only parent home.

 

My son is also six. There is a lot of instruction that comes with school at this age. It is exhausting. He's not always excited about it either. Every day he drags his feet and I go through the 'if you were in school you'd be doing this all day long." This is a daily struggle. I sometimes fantasize about him going to school and I have a whole house to myself, a clean one too. But then I talk to thers whose kids are in school and their kids are crying every day because they hate school.

I know it will get easier, this is a hard age.

 

TAke a break if you can. Soak in the tub, read a book. Let the house go for a little. I had to do that for a month this winter. We did no school work and I stayed in my pajamas most of the time. It was nasty weather and there was nothing else to do. I feel better and refreshed because of the rest. Motherhood is hard in itself, topping it with homeschooling can be brutal at times.

 

HUGS

[8filltheheart]

It is times like those that I create unit studies that are interesting to both the kids and me. I need something to rejuvenate my enthusiasm and to captivate theirs.

 

Other than math, I would put away all other school work and do something completely and totally different. Is there something that you have wanted to learn about? It can be anything! Then you find resources for you and the different appropriate levels for your kids. You cover all other subjects from that topic.

 

FWIW, it sounds like classic burn-out. I have lived there multiple times. :( It gets better and your feet will eventually get back underneath you and you will be glad you persevered. (((hugs)))

[5LittleMonkeys]

I don't have any advice. Just wanted to say I get it..I've felt that burnt out too. I couldn't really tell you what I did to get through it though, other than to go super light, unit studies, interest led projects, lots of field trips for awhile then I seem to get that drive, desire and enthusiasm to get back to a more routine schedule. I don't have a dh that works odd hours though so I don't have that to contend with. I will say that I don't get that feeling as often since my dc are older and can do more on their own. So days that I'm not feeling the vibe they can still get most of their work done. Sorry you're feeling this way. :grouphug:

[JBJones]

I could have written much of your post. I'm totally burned out as well. We've only been at this for three full years, just started our fourth. I dream of going back to work, but public school is not a good fit for DD. So like Sheldon said, I just push onward. But, I can really relate.

[lea1]

I am in a similar situation. My husband is a family physician and is working full time at an urgent care an hour and a half from home, while also starting his own practice in our city. When he works at the urgent care, he works 2 or 3 days in a row and stays overnight there. Then he comes back home late that night but usually has to see one of his own patients at his practice in our town early the next morning, before our sons even get to see him. He is working very long days in both locations and has take-home work from his own practice, when he is in town. It has been very stressful and I often feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

 

I have been doing what must be done and not much else. For housework, that means that things are usually picked up and we all still do our chores so the beds are made and the place usually looks fairly neat. However, the floors are not being mopped as often, the furniture is not dusted as often and the bathrooms are not cleaned as often. Additionally, the kids and I have been eating out much more than I prefer, which I know is not good but something has to give and, at the end of the day, I am usually exhausted. The boys may also get to watch an extra 30 minutes of a movie and/or spend an extra 15 minutes playing a video game, when dh is away for days at a time at the urgent care.

 

We recently took a 2 week vacation, which was a wonderful thing and I think we all needed it so much. This schedule is wearing on all of us. After we returned and returned to our normal routine, dh and I both realized that we can't go on like this. He is planning to cut his hours at the urgent care in April and then cut them more in May, so that he will be at half of the hours he has been working. That should help our problem a lot.

 

I really feel for you. It is not a healthy situation for anyone in the family. Are there any steps you can take to ease the load on yourself? If dh had not reduced his hours, I was planning to hire someone to come in at least once a month and to the heavy cleaning and I was going to start hiring a sitter for one half day a week to give me a break from the boys. Is there anyway you can do something like this to give yourself a break?

 

ETA: One other thing we do is switch our days around so we can be off when dh happens to be off an in town. Sometimes he will have one or two weekdays off but has to work at the urgent care over the weekend. When that happens, we will switch school days, taking a weekday off and working on Saturday, for instance.

[Sahamamama]

I totally understand what you mean about dh and erratic work schedules. I have always heard to think about next year only. As in "Do I want to hs next year." Worry about the other years as they come. (Easier said than done).

 

That is definitely good advice for me today, and I will heed it. Thank you.

 

As for the dh with the work schedule, you referenced a "small space." Does that mean that you live in a very small house and there's nowhere for him to go but in the room with you?

 

Less than 750 sq. ft. for five people. Two small bedrooms, a bathroom, a small kitchen (not eat-in), a living room (for EVERYTHING). That's our house. One closet. Seven years. I am tired of it, really. We are working on getting out, though.

 

My dh works erratically too sometimes and one thing I have tried to do is let them have some "Daddy" time but then cut it off.

 

Yeah, I know, I mean -- Geez, Louise -- enough "Daddy time" already! He's like the Happy Homecoming Hero, and I'm the Let's-Get-Back-to-Our-Work Meanie Mommy. All the time! Aaaaah! They certainly DO have "Daddy time." It's not his fault, though, it's mine. I have to be more clear about when I think "enough is enough." Now that I think of it -- this is so helpful -- my husband is only goofing off with them longer to give me a break, right? So my signals need to get clearer to him, and to the girls, and that should help us transition. I do think the CONSTANT need to transition -- he's home, he's gone, he's home, he's gone -- is wearing me out, but, hey, it's a great job. It really is. Bottom line, life takes a ton of money.

 

Yes, he wants time with them, etc. but if you are hs they are getting way more time with him than if they were in ps.

 

True, very true.

 

Or put some of the schooling off on Dad (fun parts).

 

He plays games with them. The popping sound of Trouble in the Bubble does not bother him, LOL. ;) He listens to their little girl chatter (endless). He listens to them read aloud (adorable). He snuggles and tickles and tells them completely improbable stories. He talks to them about the Stock Market, car engines, computers, fractions of cake, bowel disimpaction surgeries, why people burp and pass gas, and other manly things. Is that school?

 

Perhaps there is somewhere he can go during school where he can still relax--outside, coffee shop, tinker in garage, etc.

 

If we close on our house on Friday (or Monday?), he will have a space. We will have a space. It should be better. Hang in there, hang in there...

 

As for getting them to do the work, workboxes have helped me. I'm only schooling one really though. Giving clear parameters about how much time I am going to spend on school and then having her go finish the rest independently on her own time has helped me. HTH.

 

That was more helpful than you know. Thank you.

[Sahamamama]

I am in a similar situation. My husband is a family physician and is working full time at an urgent care an hour and a half from home, while also starting his own practice in our city. When he works at the urgent care, he works 2 or 3 days in a row and stays overnight there. Then he comes back home late that night but usually has to see one of his own patients at his practice in our town early the next morning, before our sons even get to see him. He is working very long days in both locations and has take-home work from his own practice, when he is in town. It has been very stressful and I often feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

 

:grouphug: I completely get this. On the one hand, I want to "handle it," because we agreed on our goals and I'm supportive of what we are both doing to achieve them. On the other hand, there's only so much of "me" to go around. I see you have nearly-twins (7). Your boys would fit in the line-up right between my girls (6, 6, 8). :) I love this age, and I'm going to enjoy it. I just wished I wasn't so drained all the time, KWIM?

 

I have been doing what must be done and not much else. For housework, that means that things are usually picked up and we all still do our chores so the beds are made and the place usually looks fairly neat. However, the floors are not being mopped as often, the furniture is not dusted as often and the bathrooms are not cleaned as often. Additionally, the kids and I have been eating out much more than I prefer, which I know is not good but something has to give and, at the end of the day, I am usually exhausted. The boys may also get to watch an extra 30 minutes of a movie and/or spend an extra 15 minutes playing a video game, when dh is away for days at a time at the urgent care.

 

We do survival mode, too, sometimes. I think about military wives and wonder how they do it? They must be at least as tough as their husbands, to pull the load for months on end! :) I do think some of the frustration (for me) is the in-again, out-again aspect. He's here, he's gone, he's here, he's gone. He comes in and the girls cling to him, he packs up and goes out and they fall apart. It's emotionally exhausting in a way I hadn't expected. I like that he's here (truly), and I'm thankful for the work, but there's just no pattern or flow to our lives. We've been doing this for almost four years now, with heavy overnight travel for two years.

 

We recently took a 2 week vacation, which was a wonderful thing and I think we all needed it so much. This schedule is wearing on all of us. After we returned and returned to our normal routine, dh and I both realized that we can't go on like this. He is planning to cut his hours at the urgent care in April and then cut them more in May, so that he will be at half of the hours he has been working. That should help our problem a lot.

 

I hope it works out for on the new schedule.

 

I really feel for you. It is not a healthy situation for anyone in the family. Are there any steps you can take to ease the load on yourself? If dh had not reduced his hours, I was planning to hire someone to come in at least once a month and to the heavy cleaning and I was going to start hiring a sitter for one half day a week to give me a break from the boys. Is there anyway you can do something like this to give yourself a break?

 

I haven't looked into this, but I might soon.

 

ETA: One other thing we do is switch our days around so we can be off when dh happens to be off an in town. Sometimes he will have one or two weekdays off but has to work at the urgent care over the weekend. When that happens, we will switch school days, taking a weekday off and working on Saturday, for instance.

 

 

Yes, we school on weekends when he's gone, or in the evenings, or nice, quiet long days when he's gone. Then, we can actually get into "school mode." It's the in-out-in-out bit that I haven't mastered yet.

 

Thank you, Lea. It helps to know there are other pluggers and plodders out there! :)

[Mommy22alyns]

:grouphug: It happens. You're definitely not alone!

[In the Rain]

I guess all I have is a :grouphug: . It is hard to balance out the need for learning with the need for "Daddy time" with a dad who travels.

[JudoMom]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

I don't have a lot of time to post a detailed response, but I wanted to say that when this happened to me when my boys were younger, I put the books away and just focused on being a mom/wife. I don't regret it at all. Bake, clean your sock drawer, let them play. The books will be there. If you decide after decompressing that school is the right option, then go for it. But I wouldn't make that decision right now.

[BlessedMom]

:grouphug:

[Soror]

I felt that way this summer. I followed the motto to, "fake it until you make it." My brain was fried and I was pregnant and tired. We just did one day and then another. I don't know what really got me out of it to be honest. Now that I'm all excited and enjoying it all again I'm trying to plan things out and am keeping an eye towards doing things I want to do and buying materials that will make things easier for me. I've been listening to lectures as well to rekindle the spark, however when I was in a deep funk I didn't want to think much about school, we just did what needed to be done and moved on. I did however keep focused on our relationships and just enjoying the kids no matter what we were doing and work on becoming a better mother.

[Another Lynn]

:grouphug: I've felt this way too. Sometimes I had to man-up and make everyone do school. Sometimes I had to admit that it was time to chill out.... I didn't have the will-power to lead where no one else was headed. I agree with several pp - if Daddy's home, then Daddy time is the lesson!!!!

 

FWIW, belonging to a homeschool community and having some IRL homeschooling friends is a huge help and encouragement.

[justamouse]

:grouphug:

 

I SO know.

[texasmama]

Your lack of space seems like a big factor. My dh works from home (small business owner), but he offices upstairs while we are doing school downstairs. We hardly know he is here. Also, though I have mixed feelings about my part time job, one of the side benefits is that it makes me appreciate the opportunity to be with my kids. Two days a week, I leave at 6:20 am before they are up and I don't get home until 5:20 pm. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that jazz. I think you need to get some alone time...and a bigger house. :)

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I definitely hear you. This is a tough time of year for most of us, I think. I'm a committed HSer as well, but as a major introvert, looking down the the stretch of the next nine years is...well, at a minimum, a little overwhelming :( I agree that more space will make it easier, and I also think that as the girls age a bit, it will get easier. They're young enough now that you can still revel in the daddy time. When it happens that he's home unexpectedly, throw the schoolwork out the window and run for the hills! Take advantage of this time while you can, as JudoMom said above.

 

Also, are you moving within your state? A smidge northward perhaps? Say, maybe, one county northward? :tongue_smilie:

[Hedgehogs4]

Yeah, um...it's March. I'm wearing a matching tee-shirt right now.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Work is not what I'm balking at, I don't think. It's the monotony of it, honestly. I feel like a Ship Captain who is forever saying the same things, over and over and over and over. Does the crew ever kick in and start to move the ship towards its destination? I realize they are all a bit young for that at this point.

 

I'm just tired of feeling like I'm the only person in the entire family who gives a rat's behind about the actual school work. The girls love being home -- play time! freedom! camaraderie! My husband likes to proudly say "We're homeschooling," but what does his "we" mean, exactly? His erratic work schedule is another pet peeve. He's either (1) gone for days/weeks at a time, or (2) "working" from home, which means we lose whatever structure we managed to get while he was gone. He does not get up and out, so we can get our day started, and there is no space here for another body in the room. So, in theory, he's supportive, but there is not ONE other person in this family besides me who cares about the actual work of "doing school."

 

The girls are not uncooperative with doing their school work, though, just getting it rolling. Somehow, in this small space, with no consistent work routine (for hubby), it's requiring so much of my energy just to get each day going. Aahhhhhhhhh! It's like fighting against 3-4 people's tendency to want to simply play all day. They are all great at playing, seriously. When my husband is away, he's working 14-20 hour days, in the OR/surgery. It's life-and-death, brain/spine/heart surgery type of stuff, on very sick people or on little babies -- intense, KWIM? I'm not going to kick him out, the girls want to see Daddy, I need a break, he needs a rest, so... we veg. But, come on, already! When it's time to get back to work, it's always all on me to restart the engine. Again and again and again. I am tired of it.

 

I tried to quote part of your words in a quote too, but it wouldn't let me. In particular, I wanted to address the "no pattern to our lives" part of what you said. I have been where you are. For me, it did get easier, but it was not relaxing and going with the flow that got us there. It was creating a schedule. Strict days and hours for school. We are not strict during those hours, but we are strict about keeping hours. We have had some back and forth and adjusting (even fairly recently), but without a doubt, maintaining the hours is what serves us all best, because the most exhausting thing for me was what you describe perfectly by saying you have to restart the engine over and over. A schedule and the habit of keeping to it starts our engine here now. It takes some time for kids who have been "free" for so long to internalize a new routine and follow it without resistance, but my kids did get there. Now we all agree that it gives us peace. I am not cajoling them to work, and haven't had to for a long while, because the expectations are the same every school day--whether DH is here or not...which leads me to the commiserating part of this post. LOL

 

For what it's worth, my DH has been every different kind of gone. For deployments of 7 to 12 to 15 months, for temporary duty of 1-3 months, field time or TDY of 1/2/3 weeks, 1/2/3/4/5/6 days in then out, then in and out, then in and out... Absolutely, positively, unquestionably, the hardest kind of separation for us is the in and out that you are experiencing. Longer separations are stressful in their own way, of course, but they make it easier for me to do the essential thing, which is to establish a pattern. The pattern is the thing. Seriously, the pattern is the thing.

 

I agree that space is also a big deal. I do hope you get a bigger house and soon! Your DH needs to be able to disappear (or else take over schoolwork and keep to the schedule for you while you grocery shop and sip Starbucks :tongue_smilie:). If you can move and settle in before the new school year starts, I am certain you will find life much easier.

 

I understand your challenges (really, I do!). Still, the best advice I've got is to set and keep a schedule, one that works whether dad is home or away. They are young enough that when he is home, they will still have enough time outside of that schedule to play and just be with him. But when he is home and when he is not, that schedule will help keep you sane. The beautiful thing about it for me is that I don't waste time and energy thinking we should start, getting them to start, feeling guilty about a late start, blah blah blah. For me, it was an aha moment to realize that a school schedule also keeps your you schedule. I now have plenty of time when I'm not thinking about or doing school. It is no longer all-consuming. Anyway, I know the instinct when you are burned out and overwhelmed is often times to relax but, for me, the opposite is what works. What was burning me out and overwhelming me was, as you say, constantly having to restart the engine. (And seriously, I get you here...it's not just restarting the engine; it's hauling out the battery cables and cranking and waiting and cranking and waiting and getting a spark and then it goes out and then cranking and waiting...) Now all I have to do is turn the key and the engine comes on easily. It took a while for the routine to become habit but it is the best thing I have ever done for avoiding burn-out. Knowing what we need to do and scheduling time to do it is what lets me breathe. It is what gives me time and energy for hobbies, for DH, etc.

 

Signed,

 

Commiserating...DH currently gone since 1/9, with a (hopeful!) return date of 4/5!

[SunnyDays]

Just more :grouphug: for you. It's a hard time of year for many of us, and you have several factors compounding that. I hope your house deal goes through smoothly, as that HAS to help a bit!!

 

[mommymilkies]

I so feel your pain. We had an 800 sq. ft. Place a few years ago. And absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder! My dh has been so in the way lately just on top of us constantly. I miss our old dependable routine. I'm ready to pay him to not come home until dinner!!!!

[Kfamily]

I completely understand how dh's erratic schedule (and his complete and adoring love of his family that he wants to spend time with...that I wouldn't/shouldn't dream of complaining about....LOL!) plays such a huge role in how each and every day of the week unfolds. It's so hard. I have one too...I call him lovingly (and not so lovingly some days :)) the "Big D" for the "Big Distractor"! With our schedule having endured so many changes in the past two years, both girls (and me with planning time) have really fallen behind. It doesn't help that my older dd is in high school now and the pressure is tremendous.

 

Hang in there! Hopefully, a new house with more space will help a little more. I agree with 8FilltheHeart, your children are young enough that you could and should throw some convention out of the window and try out some new things to learn. :)

 

And I have to say, as the mother of a 10 and 16 year old now :crying: , they do grow up so quickly. I have been lately (seeing my 10 year old really begin to leave little girl life behind... who is my last little one in the house) missing the sweet little things they do. Enjoy this beautiful age of your children. I do remember how overwhelmingly busy this time in life can be, though. But, one day you will actually miss it. :lol:

[happypamama]

I didn't read all of the follow-up posts, but a couple of things jumped out at me.

 

With an erratic schedule, I would try to plan to do school on the days he's working long hours, and I'd take off/do lighter schoolwork on his days off. Trips or projects or enrichment activities for the days he's off?

 

If he's off often enough that you really can't skip the bookwork on those days, I would lay this out for your DH and see what he suggests. Perhaps he would be happy to sleep in a bit, or he could do breakfast with everyone and then head to a library or coffee shop for a couple of hours? Or just hole up in the bedroom? Or he could do a concentrated activity/book/project with one or two of the kids, while you work with the others? If he is working at home, I think some discipline for everyone is probably in order, and it would help if it comes from your DH. Maybe he can say, "Okay, we've had breakfast, and now Daddy is going in the bedroom to do his work, and you will stay here with Mom and do yours. I'll see you in two hours, and then if you've completed your work, I'll have time to play in the afternoon." And then he needs to disappear and try to keep from reappearing for a while. At least, this is what DH and I would set up if he were working at home a lot. (If he was just off a lot, but not actually working at home, I'd have him do some subjects or play with the little boys while I worked with the big kids.)

 

As for getting things started, I would spend a couple of weeks drilling the routine. At my house, as soon as breakfast is finished, my kids clear their dishes, brush their teeth/wash their faces, and start their reading, which is laid out in workboxes for them. The 4yo does this, but instead of reading, his job is to find an activity to do, whether it's playing with toys or doing an early learning activity (I put these in his workbox); he's not to interrupt the big kids. Reading is a good way to ease into the school day, for us, and it lets the big kids accomplish something independently while I do the dishes/switch the laundry/vacuum/etc. I tie starting all of this with a prompt and pleasant attitude to use of electronics -- you don't do the work, you don't get the reward.

[Lilaclady]

Hugs to you. I don't know if it might help to plan to school somewhere else, maybe at the library or at a bookstore especially on some days when your Dh is back, so he can have some rest and you can get some school done with the girls but in a different enough environment that it might be fun. You might also plan some field trips for such days. Hang it there, it will hopefully get better.

[HS Mom in NC]

Your children are still in the very intensive part of homeschooling...and parenting. The twins add an extra dimension to it. Right now everyone has Spring fever and can see the end of the school year which makes them antsy. Maybe a temporary change in approach might help?

 

*If you're very workbook/textbook oriented, maybe a living books type unit study on something YOU find interesting and educational for the kids would break the monotony.

 

*If you do very living books unit study type things, maybe some colorful, less expensive workbooks would be a nice change of pace.

 

*Maybe you could unschool an interest your children have for a few weeks. Maybe, if you're unschooly, you could do something more structured to mix it up.

 

*Maybe you could get a list of wonderful literature and just read it or play on CD for a few longer sessions each day while the kids do quiet things. Then, when they get stir crazy, you could take them on a field trip that YOU would enjoy too. Or, while they listen on CD you could do a short term project on your own at home.

 

*Maybe you could arrange for another homeschooler near you to do a local exchange student set up where her kids do school with you for a few days one week while she does her own thing out of the house and then you can send your kids to her house for a few days while you do your own thing out of the house some other week. Once a month?

 

Whether you continue to homeschool or not, it's OK to find some time to yourself to do something you enjoy.

 

*Maybe a baby sitting co-op set up would let you do something YOU enjoy. Can you trade evenings out with another parent or relative you trust near you?

 

*Is it in the budget to hire a sitter on a regular basis to give you time to yourself?

[Sahamamama]

I've felt this way too. Sometimes I had to man-up and make everyone do school. Sometimes I had to admit that it was time to chill out.... I didn't have the will-power to lead where no one else was headed.

 

Lynn, this is it! Yes -- the will-power to lead where no one else is headed. Most days, I do have that will-power, and leading the troops fearlessly onward up Mount Parnassus is not a problem. :patriot: But lately... :svengo:Could it be that the kids are weary of our looooonnnnnngggggg, dull, gray/grey, wet, cold, raw winter? Tired of being cooped up (we have gotten out, even in the cold -- we like the cold, just not the gray/grey).

 

They are so rowdy, it's like coordinating a circus. The twins' energy level increases exponentially, in inverse proportion to my own. That is, they are The Power, and they quickly fill the leadership vacuum on my low-E days. And their "leadership" tends towards ponies, doll babies, burlap embroidery, paper snips, letters to Grammy, love notes to me, :001_wub: rainbow fairy dresses, and Polly Pockets. :cheers2:

 

Meanwhile, eldest is reading a book or crocheting a blanket. She would gladly do these things ALL DAY, every day -- read a bit, craft a bit, run in the fields and pick daisies a bit, eat, snuggle, sleep, begin again.

 

I have to accept the fact that it could be years before any natural inclination kicks in, right? :001_rolleyes: No wonder it feels like I'm pushing a boulder up a hill every morning. If I can wrap my head around the "will-power to lead" factor, that will help me read my gauge. Empty or full? Half a tank? I can run on half a tank. It doesn't need to be completely full.

 

Thanks, Lynn and Company. It's truly helpful.

[Sahamamama]

I definitely hear you. This is a tough time of year for most of us, I think. I'm a committed HSer as well, but as a major introvert, looking down the the stretch of the next nine years is...well, at a minimum, a little overwhelming :( I agree that more space will make it easier, and I also think that as the girls age a bit, it will get easier. They're young enough now that you can still revel in the daddy time. When it happens that he's home unexpectedly, throw the schoolwork out the window and run for the hills! Take advantage of this time while you can, as JudoMom said above.

 

Also, are you moving within your state? A smidge northward perhaps? Say, maybe, one county northward? :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Yes. How did you know? :bigear:

[Sahamamama]

For what it's worth, my DH has been every different kind of gone. For deployments of 7 to 12 to 15 months, for temporary duty of 1-3 months, field time or TDY of 1/2/3 weeks, 1/2/3/4/5/6 days in then out, then in and out, then in and out... Absolutely, positively, unquestionably, the hardest kind of separation for us is the in and out that you are experiencing. Longer separations are stressful in their own way, of course, but they make it easier for me to do the essential thing, which is to establish a pattern. The pattern is the thing. Seriously, the pattern is the thing.

 

It's like trying to pattern water rolling across the table, isn't it? I was okay with it for the past year or so. It was easy to say to myself, "Relax, Mommy, they're very young, they're only in K and 2nd, let it go." But lately it's like nails on a chalkboard to me, I think because the perpetual need to reestablish the pattern is so draining. I get it going, he's home, POOF! I get it going, he's home, POOF! I get it going, he's home, POOF! That gets really old after a while.

 

I talked to my husband and children tonight. Yes, I did. And I said that we need to all honor our commitment to homeschooing, and not just to "being home." They are of an age to be able to move beyond that. I don't mean no more playing, ack! Just that, on a school day, they need to understand that this is where the day is going, end of story.

 

And I told my husband that with this pop-in, pop-out schedule and our space issues, I feel like I'm moving the freight train down the track five feet, dead stop. Five feet, dead stop. Five feet, dead stop. It's excruciating, exhausting, and quite inefficient, really. Discouraging, too. It's a lot of output for a little progress.

 

I understand your challenges (really, I do!). Still, the best advice I've got is to set and keep a schedule, one that works whether dad is home or away. They are young enough that when he is home, they will still have enough time outside of that schedule to play and just be with him. But when he is home and when he is not, that schedule will help keep you sane. The beautiful thing about it for me is that I don't waste time and energy thinking we should start, getting them to start, feeling guilty about a late start, blah blah blah. For me, it was an aha moment to realize that a school schedule also keeps your you schedule. I now have plenty of time when I'm not thinking about or doing school. It is no longer all-consuming. Anyway, I know the instinct when you are burned out and overwhelmed is often times to relax but, for me, the opposite is what works. What was burning me out and overwhelming me was, as you say, constantly having to restart the engine. (And seriously, I get you here...it's not just restarting the engine; it's hauling out the battery cables and cranking and waiting and cranking and waiting and getting a spark and then it goes out and then cranking and waiting...) Now all I have to do is turn the key and the engine comes on easily. It took a while for the routine to become habit but it is the best thing I have ever done for avoiding burn-out. Knowing what we need to do and scheduling time to do it is what lets me breathe. It is what gives me time and energy for hobbies, for DH, etc.

 

Signed,

 

Commiserating...DH currently gone since 1/9, with a (hopeful!) return date of 4/5!

 

This is my epiphany day, so in a year or two, I will look back on this post -- which I almost didn't submit -- and see that it was the turn-around for our homeschool. It isn't that we never have a routine, it's simply that we haven't had one that survives the impact of Daddy coming and being home. I do believe it's time to get this established, especially after our Family Conference tonight. I have a few questions, though:

 

How do you insist on "doing school" when he's home, without coming across as heartless or more focused on the work than the relationships? How do you maintain the structure, without your husband feeling "left out?" How do you keep the train going down the track, and still have time when he's home to recharge? I can see where my "crashes" contribute to the POOF! KWIM? It's not just the kids and the husband. ;)

[NASDAQ]

 

How do you insist on "doing school" when he's home, without coming across as heartless or more focused on the work than the relationships? How do you maintain the structure, without your husband feeling "left out?" How do you keep the train going down the track, and still have time when he's home to recharge? I can see where my "crashes" contribute to the POOF! KWIM? It's not just the kids and the husband. ;)

 

I also have a husband who can have an irregular work schedule.

 

Look, if he had work to do, he'd do it, right? Well school is the kids' and my 'job,' and it has to get done even if my husband is around. If he's going to be home in the morning when we do school, then we're going to be doing school, whether he's here or not. And he can be around (we have a VERY small house) but only insomuch as he either helps or stays out of the way. It's the same as anything else I'd have to do if he's around. It's not "school is more important than relationships," but "academics and relationships are both important, and so sometimes one gives, and sometimes the other gives." And academics have first priority at nine in the morning.

 

If he's home I encourage him to take them out of the house as soon as we're done school.

[Tracy]

Can you just school on dh's schedule? My dh is a teacher, and as much as I would love schooling year round and taking a week off every month or two, there is no way I can do school with him around. He is too fun, and the kids miss him.

[welovetoread]

I get it. Been there. For our family I get the homeschooling blahs, around Feb or March when my soul is eager for sunshine and warmth and the wind, cold and snow keeps dragging on. I start singing the school bus song and then we know we need a break. We put the books away and work on projects and field trips, spring cleaning and just try to enjoy each other again.

when we are renewed we start back up again. Be kind to yourself and allow breaks. ITS OKAY to be burnt out and need a break, homeschooling is so much more than book work :)

[lewelma]

I have not read all the posts, but share in your small space problem. Our home is 600sq ft for 4. My dh is working on a PhD while concurrently working a full time job, so he does a lot of work at home. We have put a small desk and a small comfy chair in our room so that my dh can work in there either at the desk or lounging in the chair. This keeps him out of our way when we are schooling. We also have a small folding table in the boys' room that is a great height for sitting on the floor -- that way one child can do work independently in the even smaller second bedroom. I have even been known to move a comfy chair into the hall and use a clip board to work on something when all the other rooms are full.

 

In a small space, you need to be creative, and use it ALL.

 

Ruth in NZ

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Yes. How did you know? :bigear:

 

 

I PMed you!

 

ETA: And just in case anyone is thinking I'm stalking Sahamamama, it was just wishful thinking. We live in the same state :lol:

[Alte Veste Academy]

This is my epiphany day, so in a year or two, I will look back on this post -- which I almost didn't submit -- and see that it was the turn-around for our homeschool. It isn't that we never have a routine, it's simply that we haven't had one that survives the impact of Daddy coming and being home. I do believe it's time to get this established, especially after our Family Conference tonight. I have a few questions, though:

 

How do you insist on "doing school" when he's home, without coming across as heartless or more focused on the work than the relationships? How do you maintain the structure, without your husband feeling "left out?" How do you keep the train going down the track, and still have time when he's home to recharge? I can see where my "crashes" contribute to the POOF! KWIM? It's not just the kids and the husband. ;)

 

I almost didn't submit a post about three years ago. It was probably the most important post I ever made here. :D

 

In fairness to your situation, when my DH is home, he is mostly going off to work every day. Very helpful, obviously. But because he is gone so much, he does actually accrue a great deal of leave that he is forced to "use or lose" at some point, above and beyond when we are breaking or on vacation. It's times like those that we still do school even if he is at home.

 

Here's how I put the situation to my kids. They must receive an education. Period. That education can take place either at home or in school. If they were in school, they would go for seven hours a day, during the hours of (insert your local elementary's hours LOL). During that time, they wouldn't see Dad at all. Since they are being educated at home, they only do school for 3-4 hours a day (that was about what I would have done with the older at that age, probably 2 hours for the 6 year olds). Yay for all that extra Daddy time! Woo-hoo, homeschool efficiency! Now, the other great thing about homeschooling, in addition to having more Daddy hours on the days that he is home, is that we can schedule (SCHEDULE! :D) our school breaks to coincide with times that he has bigger breaks or takes leave. But the bottom line remains; they must receive an education.

 

We have also had frequent talks about The Tortoise and the Hare. We can't go in spurts and fits. It's exhausting to keep losing momentum and our good habits suffer for it. We benefit greatly from plodding steadily along. I bought an awesome Safari giant tortoise figure (Mom!) and three smaller Safari tortoises to follow along behind her. They are our mascots. Mine has a purple ribbon, DS10's has a green bow-tie, DD8's has a pink ribbon, and DS6's has a blue bow-tie. :D The Tortoise. That is how I put it to my kids.

 

It is not an either/or with education and relationships here. Both are essential. Aside from all that, I'm sure you've read enough of my posts here to know that I keep school engaging. We have a lot of fun here. Also, doing content work in the mornings and individual skill work in the afternoons means that their afternoons are fairly free. Perhaps switching up the order you teach different subjects could give each of your kids a chance for one-on-one time with your DH on the afternoons that he is home?

 

Another thing we have been doing (started last fall, but are currently on hiatus due to DH's absence) is history as a family. We do readings in the evenings and watch documentaries all together. We watch a lot of science documentaries too. That shared time is great for all of us. Relationships and education. Doing this shifts some time out of the school hours into the family hours and keeps DH involved in what we're doing. It's a total win-win here. DH has also taken over the lion's share of DS10's math instruction and, when he returns, will do some supplementary science stuff with the kids too.

[WTMCassandra]

You've gotten some good suggestions, and I'd like to propose something slightly different.

 

I agree with the schedule (I'm a HUGE believer in a consistent schedule helping propel one automatically thru the day whether you feel like it or not).

 

However.

 

What if you make two schedules?

 

1. Daddy's at work. Full load, all subjects.

2. Daddy's home. Math, phonics, handwriting. Perhaps a special Daddy read-aloud for an hour each day (this can be a nice family book like a Sonlight book that is fun but also school). I think this would work best if you sit down with your husband and get his input on what window in the day to do those skill subjects that really must be done daily with young children. And if Daddy's willing, perhaps do a science experiment on a day like this. Many dads like doing science experiments.

 

Once you get used to this, you can switch between the two schedules, and it can be almost as good as a consistent schedule. A week can look like: D at work, D at work, D home, D at work, D at home. Simply mix and match the two schedule types to fit your week.

 

I think this would be a good compromise between doing things consistently and allowing for some Daddy time.

 

I would post both schedules prominently and remind your DH what you both agreed to on the days he is home.

 

And, definitely, it does sound like you need more space. Hope your house closing goes through.

[Alte Veste Academy]

You've gotten some good suggestions, and I'd like to propose something slightly different.

 

I agree with the schedule (I'm a HUGE believer in a consistent schedule helping propel one automatically thru the day whether you feel like it or not).

 

However.

 

What if you make two schedules?

 

1. Daddy's at work. Full load, all subjects.

2. Daddy's home. Math, phonics, handwriting. Perhaps a special Daddy read-aloud for an hour each day (this can be a nice family book like a Sonlight book that is fun but also school). I think this would work best if you sit down with your husband and get his input on what window in the day to do those skill subjects that really must be done daily with young children. And if Daddy's willing, perhaps do a science experiment on a day like this. Many dads like doing science experiments.

 

Once you get used to this, you can switch between the two schedules, and it can be almost as good as a consistent schedule. A week can look like: D at work, D at work, D home, D at work, D at home. Simply mix and match the two schedule types to fit your week.

 

I think this would be a good compromise between doing things consistently and allowing for some Daddy time.

 

I would post both schedules prominently and remind your DH what you both agreed to on the days he is home.

 

And, definitely, it does sound like you need more space. Hope your house closing goes through.

 

I think this is seriously brilliant. :)

[fraidycat]

:grouphug: I get it.

 

I have to agree with AVA (I wanna be like her when I grow up, btw :laugh: ) that the constant in and out is definitely the hardest. Longer deployments we miss them, but we have (almost) total control over how we want our schedule and day to go. All the training mini-deployments, work-ups, gotta go do this for a couple days kind of stuff is WAY tougher. This is where we're at right now - burnt out. DH was gone for two weeks, home for two, gone for three. Now he's back, and I haven't even ATTEMPTED school one day this week - we just pretend it doesn't even exist. Actually right now, I am so crispy fried that I have my DH phoning me every morning *just to get me out of bed*. Even the alarm clock isn't cutting it these days - if left to my own devices, I'll turn it off and I'll sleep until noon.

 

I'm off to pour over AVA's sage wisdom again until it embeds deep within my *fried* brain cells.

[8filltheheart]

 

 

This is my epiphany day, so in a year or two, I will look back on this post -- which I almost didn't submit -- and see that it was the turn-around for our homeschool. It isn't that we never have a routine, it's simply that we haven't had one that survives the impact of Daddy coming and being home. I do believe it's time to get this established, especially after our Family Conference tonight. I have a few questions, though:

 

How do you insist on "doing school" when he's home, without coming across as heartless or more focused on the work than the relationships? How do you maintain the structure, without your husband feeling "left out?" How do you keep the train going down the track, and still have time when he's home to recharge? I can see where my "crashes" contribute to the POOF! KWIM? It's not just the kids and the husband. ;)

 

Have you thought about how you can use his being home to your advantage? It could be a great opportunity for you to have 1-on-1 time with each of your children while he does his daddy thing with the others.

 

Working with the natural flow of family life, could you allow a few minutes of complete derailment when he arrives home---yay, daddy's here; let's give daddy a hug; how are you daddy. etc. Give him time to change, regroup, etc. While he is doing that, you and the kids shift gears. This is special time. We get to take turns doing special school work alone together and special time with dad.

 

I would also be firm about pouting. Pouting about doing school work would mean bedroom time and no special time with dad.

 

Another thing you could do would be to pull dad into projects if he is that kind of dad. (My dh would hate it. ;) ) But, for example, say you are doing a study on the human body. Having dad home to help trace kids' bodies on paper and coloring in organs, etc would be much easier with 2 adults vs. just you.

 

My dh's schedule is very erratic at times, but our approach is completely different. School-age kids have to keep plugging forward after just a quick hug. He will sometimes do a few things with the little kids, but more often than not, he will go into our bedroom and do his own thing until I get to the pt that I can break with most of the younger ones and leave the older kids on their own.

[twinmami01]

I'm burnt out too

*hugs*

 

 

Me too. I'm sure there are quite a few of us who can relate. (((((HUGS))))))

[GinaPagnato]

It happens, push onward.

 

 

This.

 

I totally feel you. It does get better in many ways as they get older and start assuming more responsibility for their own education.

 

Until then, soldier on, Mama. :grouphug:

[Sahamamama]

:grouphug: I get it.

 

I have to agree with AVA (I wanna be like her when I grow up, btw :laugh: ) that the constant in and out is definitely the hardest. Longer deployments we miss them, but we have (almost) total control over how we want our schedule and day to go. All the training mini-deployments, work-ups, gotta go do this for a couple days kind of stuff is WAY tougher. This is where we're at right now - burnt out. DH was gone for two weeks, home for two, gone for three. Now he's back, and I haven't even ATTEMPTED school one day this week - we just pretend it doesn't even exist. Actually right now, I am so crispy fried that I have my DH phoning me every morning *just to get me out of bed*. Even the alarm clock isn't cutting it these days - if left to my own devices, I'll turn it off and I'll sleep until noon.

 

I'm off to pour over AVA's sage wisdom again until it embeds deep within my *fried* brain cells.

 

 

:grouphug: I think it's more draining than we at first realize, this living with constant transition in the routine. If my husband is gone for 2-3 weeks, we really get into The Mode! But it's the day here, day there, week here, week there kind of thing that stalls the engine.

 

I've been thinking about all the advice posted here. While I agree with the need for a schedule that survives my husband being home, I think we will wait on trying to establish that until after we move. That way, we won't be working against two factors at once -- his erratic routine and our very limited space. We have one toilet, one tub. I think this is what slows us down, actually. Even showers for five people take the time they take, let alone baths. If my husband gets in there before I do, it's a long wait, let me tell you!

 

Upon further reflection, we are doing well enough with working solidly when he's gone, getting some work done when he's home, and having time to reconnect. He misses us, too! :) I think there's great value to the things he does do with the girls when he's home, and it would be a shame to miss out on that for the sake of a spelling lesson.

 

If we were in, say, 3rd or 4th and up, I might think differently on it, but 2nd and K (and the strong work they are doing) shouldn't have me in a dither. We are not "behind" in anything at all. My 2nd grader is doing mostly 3rd grade level work or beyond, and the K'er twins are doing great with all their work. So what's the big deal (for now), if we take another month or so and try to get into another house, get as much work done as we can, and enjoy our family? I promise not to come crying and moaning on your collective shoulder again. :)

 

After we move (if we can), I do like the idea of establishing a few routines (which is close to what we do already). I would work to establish THREE routines:

• Ant Schedule -- hard at work all day, preparing for the future, lifting heavy loads, start and stop times

• Honeybee Schedule -- getting the essentials done, making sweet memories by working together, taking time to smell the flowers, a short list of work to do

• Grasshopper Schedule -- playing the fiddle, singing and dancing, not a care in the world, no school work on the list for that day (perfect for when Daddy's home, LOL)

 

It's corny, but my girls would like it! :) They love bugs.

[Sahamamama]

Thanks, Eight! I just want to take this opportunity to say that I love your posts on teaching writing. It's like being in the classroom of a master teacher and taking in the genius that is you.

 

Have you thought about how you can use his being home to your advantage? It could be a great opportunity for you to have 1-on-1 time with each of your children while he does his daddy thing with the others.

 

Working with the natural flow of family life, could you allow a few minutes of complete derailment when he arrives home---yay, daddy's here; let's give daddy a hug; how are you daddy. etc. Give him time to change, regroup, etc. While he is doing that, you and the kids shift gears. This is special time. We get to take turns doing special school work alone together and special time with dad.

 

Yes, we do this. The girls love that time with him, in spite of the limited space. Where is there to go? So they snuggle and tells stories on the bed, and one of my 6 year olds comes out and says, "Daddy just explained to me all about what he does for work. He explained all the big words, and I understand it completely now." That was priceless. Part of the problem is that I don't want to coop them up in a 12' x 12' room while I'm working with the 2nd grader for an hour. We have one room for our living/dining/play/homeschooling room. I'm sure that's about 95% of the problem of "getting it going" when my husband is home.

 

I would also be firm about pouting. Pouting about doing school work would mean bedroom time and no special time with dad.

 

Oh, they never pout. They know better. ;) But they wouldn't pout about school in any case, they all love it!

 

Another thing you could do would be to pull dad into projects if he is that kind of dad. (My dh would hate it. ;) ) But, for example, say you are doing a study on the human body. Having dad home to help trace kids' bodies on paper and coloring in organs, etc would be much easier with 2 adults vs. just you.

 

My dh's schedule is very erratic at times, but our approach is completely different. School-age kids have to keep plugging forward after just a quick hug. He will sometimes do a few things with the little kids, but more often than not, he will go into our bedroom and do his own thing until I get to the pt that I can break with most of the younger ones and leave the older kids on their own.

 

 

I will keep this in mind and try it on for size. But I have to wonder how my husband would feel about this, after being gone for two weeks. "Hi, Daddy, gotta get back to work." :crying: Sniff, sniff.... No, that won't work for us, at least not for the K'ers. When he walks in the door, they go nuts. My 2nd grader looks at me, as if to say, "May I say hello to my father, or do I need to finish Grammar?" Hug him, of course, and then come and finish Grammar! :) And then go have a snuggle.

[Miss Marple]

:grouphug:

I don't know how much help I can offer but I know what you are going through because I've BTDT with 4 little boys. Honestly I've had to do it all. And that meant I had to learn all about sports, cars, hunting,boy emotions, etc. because dh was/is always needed for some sort of medical emergency. It was especially hard when the boys were young because I needed some time to myself or with other adults. But that didn't happen very frequently. One practical thing I did that helped was to take the boys out to lunch a couple of times a week. Sometimes we took the lunch to the park and they played which allowed me some quiet time, other times we would meet dad for lunch - often that was the only time they might have seen him for several days. Also, on Saturday dh would watch the boys while I took the morning off and did something. We are in a smallish town so the boys would often head to the hospital with him if he was called in. They would stay in the doctor's lounge and watch TV until I could get back or they would just stay there if it was a short call. Also homeschooling allowed me to fit daddy-time into our schedule. If he were to be home late, I would let the boys stay up late because they could sleep in.

 

I spent years resenting being the only parent (at least that's how it felt).I felt like a maple tree and everyone was tapping into it until there was nothing left for me. I wanted to do the fun things with the boys; I didn't want to always be the bad guy. But it got much easier once the boys were older and able to be left alone for short time periods. Now I find that I miss having the boys around LOL. You are in a tough time period, but it does get better. For us, flexibility was the key to making it work. Spending a little extra $$ on eating out for lunch was a sanity saver as well. I hope the new house comes through for you.

[In the Rain]

 

After we move (if we can), I do like the idea of establishing a few routines (which is close to what we do already). I would work to establish THREE routines:

• Ant Schedule -- hard at work all day, preparing for the future, lifting heavy loads, start and stop times

• Honeybee Schedule -- getting the essentials done, making sweet memories by working together, taking time to smell the flowers, a short list of work to do

• Grasshopper Schedule -- playing the fiddle, singing and dancing, not a care in the world, no school work on the list for that day (perfect for when Daddy's home, LOL)

 

It's corny, but my girls would like it! :) They love bugs.

 

What a fun idea! We have different routines or schedules for different days, and my kids would love your way of labeling them! I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!

 

will keep this in mind and try it on for size. But I have to wonder how my husband would feel about this, after being gone for two weeks. "Hi, Daddy, gotta get back to work." :crying: Sniff, sniff.... No, that won't work for us, at least not for the K'ers. When he walks in the door, they go nuts. My 2nd grader looks at me, as if to say, "May I say hello to my father, or do I need to finish Grammar?" Hug him, of course, and then come and finish Grammar! :) And then go have a snuggle.

 

 

I agree that this would be difficult. My husband misses us so much when he is gone that he would be really sad if we treated his return like no big deal. After a normal work day it would work, but not after a trip.

[Anne in CA]

Without reading all the responses I wonder if you do not feel that the "grind", is the hardest part? You are doing well, even if you are struggling for routine. There are many women who don't do well because they do not see the need for routine. As long as you see the need for the routine and strive for it, your home schooling efforts should pay off.

 

But if you are a "sprinter" instead of a "marathoner", home schooling may seem not so fun because of the day in day out everything the same sort of life. I struggle with this also and have been home schooling for 15 years. I do lots of things to break up my life so that i can "sprint" in other areas. You would want to be careful what kind of job you get as a "sprinter", because it could be worse than home schooling if you don't like the same thing over and over again.

[Soror]

Fwiw I have a 2nd and k'er as well. We've just done the 3rs all year and I don't feel the least guilt about that. I will be adding content next year for the 3rd grade but it will be optional for the 1st grader. I have had some weeks with interruptions and such. I like to look at our work in one week chunks. If we have something that keeps us from work one day, then I have at times just distributed that work over the other days or work on Saturdays. I think on days daddy comes home I'd perhaps work until he comes home and try to start early if possible and then quit when he gets there, making up the rest of the work on the other days of the week. Of course that is more possible with the small ones and would be more difficult/impossible as they get older. I do prefer to keep regular work every day but sometimes at least at this point it has worked ok to make up our missed days in this manner when needed.

 

I also like your idea of having different schedule depending on the day. Is there anyway to schedule your breaks around when he is home, that way the break is guilt free? Or perhaps scheduling to work through summer so you can take more breaks through the year. I probably missed an answer to that somewhere so forgive me for repeating..

[Papillon Mom]

I haven't read any replies but your post was a wonderful blast of fresh air to me. There is so much pressure to love this and sail through like a calm, ship's figurehead. Unruffled, doing the difficult job of homeschooling no matter the distractions and often I feel like I'm tearing my hair out on the inside and wear this serene mask on the outside.

Thanks for the frank vent. I love you, man.

Take Care,

Amanda