RosieCotton Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 What do you do when you are so completely off your schedule and can't get your groove back? I'm been SUPER frustrated lately dealing with numerous issues. We took some time in December to relax and do crafts and just the 3R's. We've never really gotten back on track. I'm up late watching stupid shows and eating crap. We just had a break so how can I need a break? We haven't had some of the curriculum we've needed (And I've been pissed about this because it wasn't my doing), and are now finally getting Feb 1st, I know that's been part of it, having to create the wheel every darn day. But I can't say that's all of it. We lost our school room in Sept due to water damage/flooding and are finally getting back in there in the next month. The table hasn't really worked for us, it's been super distracting. I worked hard last year and we were way ahead. Now I feel way behind my goals and starting not to care. It seems like many of you have such a flow and don't get stuck like this. I heard SWB say she locked herself in the bathroom screaming lol - how can this be a normal thing??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 If you have been doing the 3 R's, then I would say that you aren't off track. At those ages, that was my goal every day. What exactly do you want to do each day that you feel upset about not doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 January is my worst seasonal allergies month. My kids are less badly affected but still sneezing if outdoors. Sometimes our bodies just need to recharged mentally, physically and emotionally. We just make sure the languages and math gets done. History and all the rest is just done by reading with little to no output. We just catch up later going back full steam from March. I also plan long term instead of day to day. It helps me because my younger just had a puke day so he did nothing, not even able to read his story book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Sometimes that means it's time to find a new groove. You have been doing just the 3R's. That's good. Just keep those going and make some small positive changes daily. You mentioned staying up watching stupid shows and eating crap. The very first change I would make is to go to the grocery store and splurge on some yummy good-for-you food. Strawberries are out of season and $, but so be it. Buy good fruits and veggies. Splurge on dips if it helps, and vitamins. Declare that late-night time when you would normally watch stupid shows your hour to prep those fruits and veggies while listening to (or watching) something inspirational. I like the CiRCE institute audio-library and SWB's lectures. Those 2 changes will probably take care of the rest. Let go of external time-frames. You CAN start a book in Feb and finish it in November. You might find you prefer it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Summer vacation motivates me. We schooled year round for a long time but I've found I'm much more productive with the promise of a block of time off. So now when I'm losing my motivation, I look ahead on the calendar where I plot our lessons and remind myself that if I don't stick with it we won't be done when I would like and summer vacation will be delayed. My kids are older though and have to get certain things done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it" Anne of Green Gableswherever you are, you start. No matter how off the path, you start walking again. One foot in front of the other. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 It almost sounds like a creative slump to me. As if you have been working so hard creating but haven't taken the time off to rest while you were doing it, and now your body and brain are making you pay for it. I would second the advice about getting on a good sleep schedule and picking an evening activity that helps you to rest. That might be reading, it might be yoga, it might be some television, but stay away from anything that doesn't put you to sleep. About the only thing that works for me is hard exercise at midday, and that's been tough with the weather lately. I've had to cut back caffeine, and try to get in a good walk with the dogs and even that isn't quite enough for me. The second thing I would suggest is making sure you do schedule a rest period for yourself as long as you are having to deal with the frustrations of having to make your own curriculum, and deal with a disturbed nest. You may need to do three weeks on, one week off, or two weeks on, take two days off, whatever forces you to take your rest when you need it instead of letting it pile on. I don't know if this resonates or not, but it sounds like you do drive hard when you are on; and one of the hardest things I've had to learn is that I can't run that way unless I'm prepared to take the downtime when I need it and not try to push through. Stay with your three Rs. Grab a few books and increase your read aloud time by covering history and science that way. And take care of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Do one thing really well today & tomorrow. Celebrate your success with that one thing. On Monday, try to add another 'success' to your day. Do it well for a few days before adding something else back in. I find success begets more of the same. Stop beating yourself up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Sometimes, I just have to ignore my feelings and do the right thing. Sometimes, I ask myself, "Do I want to do this, or will I feel better after I've done it? But, really, sometimes, we have to overcome our feelings and make the most of whatever situation we find ourselves in. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I don't need a break from school so much as a break from my student(s). Even if not diligently doing academics, having a young person around causes my mind to run on more than one set of rails at a time. On top of that, the holidays are really a killer! Anyway, I really do try to find a day when they can all be out of the house yet leave me in it. I vow to ignore all other household chores and just focus on school - regrouping, recordkeeping, planning, whatever. I don't try to plan far ahead, just enough to prime the pump, a week or two. I find just immersing myself into the material again really helps to restart the old engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Make a list of minimums. On day one, reward yourself with chocolate if you get 1/3 of the list done. Move up to 1/2 the list on day two and so forth. ;) If I'm a really good homeschooling girl, I reward myself with an addition to my yarn stash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Wow thanks for all the great support and ideas. And here I thought earlier to myself -- crap I shouldn't have said anything . . .why did I do that la la la la. I'm just having one of those Thursdays and being difficult. I think it's the cold dark weather. I'm buying one of those lights and starting some vitamins and oils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 My husband's self-imposed rule is to make the bed every morning. That way if nothing else at all happens, you got something done. I've instituted a schedule to get myself out of a winter-induced funk. Out of bed at 6:30 for quiet time. 7:30, everyone else gets up. 8:30, school starts. School is now checklist-based, so I don't forget. Make yourself do it until it is routine. It is really, really hard (because your kids are going to fight you as much as you are fighting yourself...), but you can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Sometimes it helps me to shake up curriculum a little. Not start over, but buy a new read aloud, change/add/start a morning basket or morning time, pull something different from the shelves (logic workbooks, How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, bust out some audiobooks, whatever). Just shaking things up a little helps me. I will cycle back around to our regular curriculum, but adding something new or different helps break me out of the doldrums at times. I'm sure my kids feel the same way. Add in some educational games? I'm not saying abandon the core of your school, but adding in some different curriculum or new topics might get you interested again. When I'm really sick of teaching, we spend some time doing read alouds from a whole host of subjects. Breaking away from curriculum helps me a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 You can't do anything about what's past, so I'd just focus on making a new schedule with your current reality and going forward with this. Do what you can in the circumstances you have right now. Remember that you are doing a marathon and not a sprint, and you have many years to do everything you'd like. There are very few things that must be learned by x age or the child will be ruined for life. ;) And even if you don't cover some things at all, it will be nice for the dc to discover some things on their own. I've had a wonderful time learning along with my dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Also, would it help to put some upcoming rest days on the calendar? Like in 4 weeks, you'll take a Friday and Monday off for a long weekend? Knowing breaks are coming is helpful for sure with burnout IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Sometimes, I just have to ignore my feelings and do the right thing. Sometimes, I ask myself, "Do I want to do this, or will I feel better after I've done it? But, really, sometimes, we have to overcome our feelings and make the most of whatever situation we find ourselves in. :grouphug: I just read a fascinating blog post about doing the things that make you like who you are when you're doing them. He talked about someone taking a vacation to a cabin in the woods and when asked why he would go there, he said "I like who I am when I am there." The author talked about himself and how he would get in a rut of doing things he wanted to do - like junk food and TV- and he started to like who he was less and less. I'm not explaining it very well, but I found it very inspiring. We have also been feeling a bit displaced because I have an infant and there isn't room for his exersaucer or swing in the school room so we've been in the dining room and everything is a mess.... Anyway, I bought these AWESOME plastic boxes at Costco the other day- they are 12 in by 12 in, they have a hinged lid and come in fabulous colors. I put all the stuff for each subject in a box. It has helped so much! It was fun organizing things and now things are more portable. I LOVE having a box that contains all the little pieces like the clock and the abacus for math and the tiles for spelling. But if reorganizing excites you, that could help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 T'smom is it a blog post you would be willing to link to? It sounds inspiring :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I would focus on one goal for the week, one thing more than you have been doing. Maybe just getting an early start and early bedtime. (This is our problem too.). Maybe just getting one more subject done than you have been. Sleep is so huge. It makes such a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 T'smom is it a blog post you would be willing to link to? It sounds inspiring :) Of course! I don't know why I didn't think to do that! I don't know the blogger personally or anything. http://www.raptitude.com/ It's his newest one, about self esteem. All of his stuff is very thought provoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.