How do you pump yourself up for a school year that you are not looking forward to?

[ElaineSmiles]

We are two weeks out from our first day of school.  I'm not looking forward to it. In fact I have all kind of emotions swirling around about this. Who has been there?  What have you done to regain a positive outlook?

I have things prepped out for at least the first nine weeks so at least that part is under control.  

 

[Gil]

I'm big on the whole just do it world view. I swear that I'm not a NIKE Spokesperson, but If I waited until I was motivated or swimming in positivity to do something, I'd never start.

Reflect on the why you are going to do anyway and then just start. Start out with the bare minimum and most essential daily and don't miss a day. Think carefully before you add on anything else.

It's okay to not be especially enthused about something that you do every day.

 

[Shoeless]

Like what Gil said, you have to just do it. Don't overthink it because you'll always find reasons not to workout/review that math lesson/fold the laundry/etc. 

[Nichola]

I struggled with starting school this year too. It’s been a hard year for us health-wise, and I didn’t feel ready to get back to the daily grind after our summer break. I’m wanting to take several breaks this school year though, so I knew I needed to start now in order to do that. We started on Monday, and I’ve been surprised at how calming it has been to get back into our school routine. I think breaks and rest are important, but there can be comfort in going back to daily routines too. 
 

One thing I would suggest is to make sure you are planning things in your school day that feed your soul as well as your kids. It could be poetry or art or math games or literature—it can look different for different people. Try to include one thing in each day that you look forward to doing. It really does help.

[ElaineSmiles]

Thanks--I think the "just do it" mentality may get me started for the year.  Tonight I'm going to block out a sample week of where my time will be going and begin to mentally accept the schedule. This year I'm going to be pulled in a lot of different directions, and I'm feeling kind of stuck in this time of life.  For a silver lining to focus on: our general community is expanding this year as we start a couple of new activities, and I'm excited to get to know more people.  Part of why I feel stuck is that I'm more of an extrovert.  I need more face time with people outside of my family, and I also need guarded time for education at home because taking our work out & around or attempting to squish schoolwork into the corners of life does not work for me or my kids.  Combine that with time needed at home for general homemaking responsibilities, and it's just a lot of time at home for us built up over a few years.  

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, ElaineSmiles said:

Thanks--I think the "just do it" mentality may get me started for the year.  Tonight I'm going to block out a sample week of where my time will be going and begin to mentally accept the schedule. This year I'm going to be pulled in a lot of different directions, and I'm feeling kind of stuck in this time of life.  For a silver lining to focus on: our general community is expanding this year as we start a couple of new activities, and I'm excited to get to know more people.  Part of why I feel stuck is that I'm more of an extrovert.  I need more face time with people outside of my family, and I also need guarded time for education at home because taking our work out & around or attempting to squish schoolwork into the corners of life does not work for me or my kids.  Combine that with time needed at home for general homemaking responsibilities, and it's just a lot of time at home for us built up over a few years.  

Knowing this social need for yourself might make it easier to look at the schedule and find a way to include 1-2 chunks of time regularly each week that can be social time outside the home for you to recharge and be re-energized for homeschooling and homemaking.

Can some of those "different directions" be streamlined or reduced, to free up a bit of time in the schedule for your needs?

Could a spouse or a relative to be the "point person" to take the kids once a week to their activities, so that you can have a chance to do a regular social outing?

How about scheduling the meal-making so it takes less time -- a 2-week rotating schedule of dinners is a routine that is easier than coming up with all new ideas every week. Or do a day of cooking for 2 weeks of meals. Or 2x/week are crockpot or insta-pot meals. All of which might free up a regular evening or two for you to more easily go do social stuff because there's less time focusing on that meal-making aspect of homemaking.

What about possibly adjusting your schedule so that all of the "different directions" happens 1x/week and the schooling is completed in 4x/week? Or doing smaller "bites" or units of schooling with more frequent longer breaks to give you recharge time -- like, school for 6 weeks, then take 1 week off, and take a shorter 9-week summer break. Or, more of a year-round schedule and school for 9 weeks / take 3 weeks off, with a 6-week summer break.

Also, since you've been doing this several years, I would guess your children might be old enough to include in the regular chores at home, so that could reduce the full load of homemaking requirements from falling on you, which might free up a bit of time for you as well. Maybe one night a week, kids and spouse make dinner, while you go out for a girls night with friends, or take a class outside the home, or meet with a crafting or tai-quan-do or whatever group -- whatever would fill YOUR cup. 😉 

Yes, I agree with above posters that we do have to gird the loins and "just do it" -- but remember that YOU have needs too, and it is important to include yourself in the family schedule, to meet your needs and refill your tank so that you CAN be available for everyone else, and be energized and able to successfully complete the school year, and do what needs to be done at the house.

Just rambling 2 cents there... 😉 BEST of luck as you plan for and start your new school year! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I agree with the advice above, but want to offer solidarity. We start Monday & I am not feeling it. We’re accompanying DH on a work trip this week & I’m hoping a few final days of surf, sand, & sun will improve my outlook! 🏖️ 

[Meriwether]

I am having a lot of trouble even planning for this year. I am...highly unmotivated. My family will be traveling 7 out of the next 10 weekends. I'll also be moving a 2nd child to college. I want to take my daughter to visit one of her cousins in about 12 weeks. At some point over the next year, probably 1st quarter of next year, my husband is going to be transferred and we will have to move to a new place with all that entails. My oldest child will be doing a college program this year, which I didn't know when I purchased close to $900 worth of curriculum for him this spring. Over the spring semester, travel will be a little less. Maybe 3 or 4 trips over three months. I just am having a hard time seeing what school will look like and how I can possibly get it done. Of course, putting off planning won't make the school year go better.

[ElaineSmiles]

I'm starting on Thursday and am glad to have given myself a decent amount of lead to to emotionally prepare.  I'm feeling better about starting but still tired thinking of all the work involved. I would like homeschooling to not be an isolating experience this year.  Even around other homeschool families it can feel that way since we are all so busy with our own stuff.

My husband works from home, and we have arranged one afternoon a week for me to get out and do something social for myself.  This is outside of night/weekend opportunities that come along, and it feels good to have time to count on to be social!  I am going to make an effort to cast my net wide this year to find people I have something in common with (outside of homeschooling).  I think the biggest thing is viewing my self as a whole person and not "just a mom."  Not everyone goes through this struggle, but I am not lucky enough to have been able to avoid it.  😆

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

Just coming back to offer a glimmer of hope -

We started back today & had a WONDERFUL time! Everything ran smoothly; no noticeable “summer slide”. DS was happy to be back. Onward & upward! 

Edited August 7, 2023 by Shoes+Ships+SealingWax

[AnneGG]

This is the first year we didn’t start the Monday after July 4th. This summer just felt short and I didn’t even start to feel relaxed until July!
 

We started last Wednesday, with half days! The kids took the best first day of school pictures in their history. Everyone is smiling and all eyes are looking at the camera. Lol! Hopefully it’s a sign it’ll be a great year.  I haven’t had a decent group kid photo since the baby was born over a year ago. 

[Shoeless]

I was really dreading this coming year until I simplified a few things and now I am much more relaxed about the year. I'm actually kind of looking forward to it now. 

If there is some part of the next year that is causing dread, maybe that's something to look at more carefully and see what can be changed, or even deleted, to make the year more tolerable. 

[ElaineSmiles]

20 hours ago, Shoeless said:

If there is some part of the next year that is causing dread, maybe that's something to look at more carefully and see what can be changed, or even deleted, to make the year more tolerable. 

This is really good advice.  We've made moves to increase social time for myself as an adult, and that's got me feeling better about things.  I also came back from my break taking Spanish, so having something that I am learning will help feed me and make me feel like a more interesting person, too.  

[ElaineSmiles]

Tomorrow is the day!  I've got everything ready, and even though there has been some tweaking and some changes I think I will be able to handle the next few weeks.  We are starting 16 school days before co-op begins, so we'll have those be 16 very consistent and productive days.  After that things get a bit hairy, but I will know more about how the kids are doing with some of my expectations and the tweaks we have made by then.  

I'm feeling better and in the frame of mind to "just do it" tomorrow.