I'm on the verge of a burn out

[seemesew]

Long story short I've had some pretty severe health problems the last 6 weeks and I'm tired. We have been doing the basics for my youngest two in K and 3rd so math and their multi-subject language arts but not much else. Oh and a science co-op.

My 2 older kids are doing their stuff mostly independently and i try to check it but honestly I'm not doing that great of job and only have been able to do it like 1x a week. Their math is graded online so that's actually been going really well since i get emails and can see what they need help with or need to redo. But everything else... Who really knows if they are doing it because I've barely been able to check it.

All my kids are reading a variety of books, some I've assigned and some they enjoy.

I'm telling myself this is just a hard season and things will feel more joyful later but in all honesty I want to quit doing anything! I'm not thinking of sending them back to school but more just totally unschooling till next school year. I'm just tired and i don't like anything right now. The history i loved at first is now a drag, the language arts we've used for years is feeling confining suddenly, science is dry and... well, you get the picture. I probably won't do it but man I'm sure tempted to.

I'm not sure where to go for the joy I've always had in homeschooling but I'm feeling burned out on everything, even just plain old life. Sigh.

[seemesew]

Well, after rereading what i wrote i changed my mind, I'm definitely in burnout mode 😆

[ScoutTN]

It’s February. 
Do the basics and see how you feel in April.

[seemesew]

6 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

It’s February. 
Do the basics and see how you feel in April.

Very true! It just feels more than usual February blues but maybe not, it has been a long wet winter for this area.

[Nm.]

When I have those weeks, we use more online stuff to help. 

[Nm.]

Curious, what history/science? I’m tired of all the curriculum for history and science (I have a lot).  I wish I would have went with no curriculum until highschool as my DH recommended (elementary teacher).  Not sure what to do with it all 😂. 

[seemesew]

23 minutes ago, Lovinglife123 said:

Curious, what history/science? I’m tired of all the curriculum for history and science (I have a lot).  I wish I would have went with no curriculum until highschool as my DH recommended (elementary teacher).  Not sure what to do with it all 😂. 

We're using the Playful pioneers for my youngest two's history, it has some science in it as well but our science group uses the good and the beautiful science units which is our main science. TPP is mainly a book list and some suggestions of things to talk about with a few activities like we dyed some handkerchiefs when we read about it in Farmer Boy and things like that. The activities are not more than 1x a week and not every week has something. 

[cintinative]

February is a thing.  There is a very good reason they send catalogs in February! 

Give yourself a couple of weeks before you reset anything. I'm going to try to find a very wise post someone made here a while back.

((hugs))

Show yourself some grace in this season.  Dealing with illness is hard.  

 

[cintinative]

Here is the post, but unfortunately I don't remember who posted it. I will see if Google can help.

"

Just a reminder . . . it's February

Your curriculum choices probably don't stink.

You probably don't need a new house, job, car, dog or spouse (in no particular order).

Your parenting style probably doesn't need a total overhaul.

It's just February. Breathe deep. Have another look before you pull the trigger on that major change. Chances are, in a couple of weeks things will get better."

[ScoutTN]

14 hours ago, seemesew said:

Very true! It just feels more than usual February blues but maybe not, it has been a long wet winter for this area.

Take your vitamin D, get outside as much as possible, exercise, try some new foods or simplify meals, watch fun documentaries.

I’m on my phone and can’t see sigs. How old are your kids? 
 

I have had big health issues this winter too. It is hard! Hope you have progress and healing soon!

Edited February 22, 2023 by ScoutTN

[Tanager]

Health problems are hard. They are draining. It’s okay to take a break when you need it. My kids have thrived despite my health issues. During rough patches I give them tons of library books or send them outside, watch a documentary with them, have them bake while you oversee from a comfortable place, just enjoy each other. And I have to say I’m super impressed by my kid’s friends who are unschooled, those kids are awesome. I am guilty of not checking my kids work all the time 😉 Sometimes it doesn’t get checked and sometimes I give them the answer book and ask them to check it. We do the best we can, maybe we are too hard on ourselves with what we think we should be doing. I agree with just do the basics when life is hard, which for me are: math, reading, and writing(even if you don’t read it, sometimes we write letters as then they know someone else will read it.) My oldest just did the basics and followed her interests for elementary school science and history and it worked out great. My youngest is using curriculums and I feel they are so watered down and silly, but he likes doing them. How do your kids feel about what they are doing? Do they enjoy it?

I’m sorry life feels burned out. Long winters are hardest of all, putting health on top of it is a lot to handle!

First and foremost concentrate on you and finding a path to what works for you, get help if you need it. I zoom with a pain therapist who gives me suggestions, things to try, lets me vent... Sometimes we just need to vent, let it out, throw it down and stomp all over it!

[seemesew]

1 hour ago, ScoutTN said:

Take your vitamin D, get outside as much as possible, exercise, try some new foods or simplify meals, watch fun documentaries.

I’m on my phone and can’t see sigs. How old are your kids? 
 

I have had big health issues this winter too. It is hard! Hope you have progress and healing soon!

My kids I'm homeschooling are 16,14, 9 & 6 😊

 

18 minutes ago, Tanager said:

Health problems are hard. They are draining. It’s okay to take a break when you need it. My kids have thrived despite my health issues. During rough patches I give them tons of library books or send them outside, watch a documentary with them, have them bake while you oversee from a comfortable place, just enjoy each other. And I have to say I’m super impressed by my kid’s friends who are unschooled, those kids are awesome. I am guilty of not checking my kids work all the time 😉 Sometimes it doesn’t get checked and sometimes I give them the answer book and ask them to check it. We do the best we can, maybe we are too hard on ourselves with what we think we should be doing. I agree with just do the basics when life is hard, which for me are: math, reading, and writing(even if you don’t read it, sometimes we write letters as then they know someone else will read it.) My oldest just did the basics and followed her interests for elementary school science and history and it worked out great. My youngest is using curriculums and I feel they are so watered down and silly, but he likes doing them. How do your kids feel about what they are doing? Do they enjoy it?

I’m sorry life feels burned out. Long winters are hardest of all, putting health on top of it is a lot to handle!

First and foremost concentrate on you and finding a path to what works for you, get help if you need it. I zoom with a pain therapist who gives me suggestions, things to try, lets me vent... Sometimes we just need to vent, let it out, throw it down and stomp all over it!

They do like and want to do it but I just haven't been able to.

Thanks for the advice! I think venting is exactly what I needed. Its just been hard and I'm tired. My mom took the kids today so I'm getting a good break and its honestly been nice.

[Green Bean]

3 hours ago, cintinative said:

Here is the post, but unfortunately I don't remember who posted it. I will see if Google can help.

"

Just a reminder . . . it's February

Your curriculum choices probably don't stink.

You probably don't need a new house, job, car, dog or spouse (in no particular order).

Your parenting style probably doesn't need a total overhaul.

It's just February. Breathe deep. Have another look before you pull the trigger on that major change. Chances are, in a couple of weeks things will get better."

OH MY GOSH! I saved this quote in my monthly journal. I wish I had seen it years ago.

Seemesew: hang in there, Mama! March is just around the corner. And vitamin D helps a lot.

[Green Bean]

6 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

Curious, what history/science? I’m tired of all the curriculum for history and science (I have a lot).  I wish I would have went with no curriculum until highschool as my DH recommended (elementary teacher).  Not sure what to do with it all 😂. 

List it and sell it. Clean shelves are very relaxing.

[Tanager]

2 hours ago, seemesew said:

They do like and want to do it but I just haven't been able to.

That’s great that they like it. Not being able to do it is hard, take a break and relax, maybe they have an idea of something they’d like to do for a moment instead that is self directed (or grandma or sibling directed with your youngest). If funds are available you could try outschool with things they are passionate about. Once things calm down a bit you could reconsider, or slide something else in and see if you and they like it more.

Grandmas are the best! Maybe she could have more time with the kids, let her know how nice it is for you right now. 🙂

[cintinative]

1 hour ago, Green Bean said:

OH MY GOSH! I saved this quote in my monthly journal. I wish I had seen it years ago.

Seemesew: hang in there, Mama! March is just around the corner. And vitamin D helps a lot.

I wish I could figure out who posted it. Google and the search bar here are not helping.

[seemesew]

6 hours ago, Tanager said:

That’s great that they like it. Not being able to do it is hard, take a break and relax, maybe they have an idea of something they’d like to do for a moment instead that is self directed (or grandma or sibling directed with your youngest). If funds are available you could try outschool with things they are passionate about. Once things calm down a bit you could reconsider, or slide something else in and see if you and they like it more.

Grandmas are the best! Maybe she could have more time with the kids, let her know how nice it is for you right now. 🙂

These are all excellent ideas! I'll definitely ask her and I hadn't thought about outschool maybe I'll look into that.

[Nm.]

21 hours ago, Green Bean said:

List it and sell it. Clean shelves are very relaxing.

Because after a day or two of unschooling I realize why I bought it.  My kids need structure, but we tweak it a ton.  Still worth the guide.

[AnneGG]

I’m so sorry! I empathize. Hope you begin feeling better. IMO it’s okay to go into homeschool survival mode when we’re unwell. 

[Ellie]

One year, I burned us out by Thanksgiving. Long story. 🙂 So when I put the books away at Thanksgiving, which was normal for us, I didn't open them again until the next fall. Yup. Dc were 9 and 12.

It worked out ok for us. Both dc began taking classes at the community college when they were 14 and did very well.

[caffeineandbooks]

The original thread that @cintinative referenced is here: https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/706624-psa-it-is-february/#comment-8891193

If you think what you're experiencing is burnout, though, don't just wait and see.  You might find some helpful advice in SWB's burnout lecture, in which she says she herself has had multiple burnouts and talks about what to do about it. 

Good on you for backing off the pace already.  Last school year, I also got to mild burnout stage and after our spring break we just never went back to our books.  The older kids had almost 4 months off even their math (I still tried to do a bit of reading with the youngest), and we did things that I find lifegiving and hung out with people that I find refreshing.  My energy and enthusiasm have returned, and I'm being more aware this year of keeping margin in my week.

Health problems + teenagers + mid life transitions + long cold winters is a lot to deal with all at once!  Hugs to you.  May you find some light for your path again soon x

 

[seemesew]

On 2/24/2023 at 3:10 PM, caffeineandbooks said:

The original thread that @cintinative referenced is here: https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/706624-psa-it-is-february/#comment-8891193

If you think what you're experiencing is burnout, though, don't just wait and see.  You might find some helpful advice in SWB's burnout lecture, in which she says she herself has had multiple burnouts and talks about what to do about it. 

Good on you for backing off the pace already.  Last school year, I also got to mild burnout stage and after our spring break we just never went back to our books.  The older kids had almost 4 months off even their math (I still tried to do a bit of reading with the youngest), and we did things that I find lifegiving and hung out with people that I find refreshing.  My energy and enthusiasm have returned, and I'm being more aware this year of keeping margin in my week.

Health problems + teenagers + mid life transitions + long cold winters is a lot to deal with all at once!  Hugs to you.  May you find some light for your path again soon x

 

Thank you! I'll look at her lecture for sure! You summed up how I'm feeling pretty succinctly ❤️