In a Homeschooling Funk?

EP203: What happens when homeschooling feels hard because of circumstances beyond our control? As someone who's been through it, I know the "homeschooling funk" all too well. It's that burnout that sneaks up when life throws curveballs like moving, health challenges, or broader global events. Join me, Jean Miller, as I share heartfelt stories and gentle strategies to calm your nervous system and reclaim your mojo. Together, we'll explore how to shake up routines with fresh activities, release the weight of worry by focusing on core family values, and embrace self-care as a tool for resilience. This isn't just about surviving tough times, it's about finding ways to thrive despite them so you can find joy and resilience on your homeschooling journey.

Find the Show Notes Here (www.artofhomeschooling.com/episode203)

Inspired at Home Membership (www.artofhomeschooling.com/inspiredathome)

Chapters

• 0:09 Navigating the Homeschooling Funk
• 10:01 Focusing on Connection in Homeschooling

Transcript

Jean: 0:09

You're listening to the Art of Homeschooling podcast, where we help parents cultivate creativity and connection at home. I'm your host, jean Miller, and here on this podcast you'll find stories and inspiration to bring you the confidence you need to make homeschooling work for your family. Let's begin. The homeschooling funk seems to have arrived early this year. For so many homeschoolers I've talked with recently. In my experience, the homeschooling funk happens for many of us in February, but this fall has brought so much hardship for so many that it seems like the funk is here now.

Jean: 1:01

This homeschooling funk refers to a feeling of burnout or exhaustion when you'd give anything for a change, for a bit of a break. This funk can be caused by extra stress like moving, job changes or taking care of someone with chronic illness while homeschooling of someone with chronic illness while homeschooling, experiencing a flare-up of a chronic illness yourself, or a tragedy or natural disaster like the recent hurricanes here in the US, when life just feels like it will never be the same, or contentious politics, war in parts of the world, all contributing to a sense of heaviness and even hopelessness. And yet we have children and homeschooling lessons we're responsible for. Maybe for you, the funk comes from the fear of not doing enough for or with your children? And what if you've messed everything up by homeschooling them? We've all experienced some of these things, some of these feelings before, believe me. Looking back on my own homeschooling years, I'd experience a bit of a funk every February from feeling cooped up inside as snow or freezing rain or icy wind whirled around outside our windows. And I had very active children. But we also had some really challenging years in our family due to circumstances beyond our control, like the year I was bedridden during a pregnancy, like the year I was bedridden during a pregnancy, living on IV fluids for months, and then our daughter was born six weeks early or the spring. My mother-in-law was sick with breast cancer and I was her person. I took her to most of her appointments. She passed away the week before my boys went to sleepaway camp for the first time and the stress of it all took its toll on me and my health.

Jean: 3:09

Life keeps lifing, bringing us times of challenge and pain, times of optimism, times of insecurity. So what can we do when our family routines are disrupted for any extended period of time and we are pushed to the edge of our reserves, when we're deeply affected by all that's going on around us and our nervous systems feel frazzled. What do we do when we're in a homeschooling funk? Listen up, because I have three tips for you that come from the lived experiences of homeschooling funk. Listen up, because I have three tips for you that come from the lived experiences of homeschooling parents just like you, gentle, tips that you can implement today. Here you go Three tips to help you keep things simple so you can stay focused on your kiddos and take care of yourself.

Jean: 4:06

The first is switch things up. As I often say, scale back until it works and then add from there. But here's a little twist on this While you may have a tendency, like me and many others, to push through rather than take a break, the truth is that pushing through rarely works. It's just our resistance to our circumstances and our attempt to control a scary or unwanted situation. Just this little shift permission to switch things up can help you focus on being present so that you can witness and acknowledge, rather than try to fix or change. Switching things up could also include taking an online course together or putting aside lesson planning and simply working through a colorful, grade, appropriate skills workbook from the grocery store or a local bookstore. Try doing a page of math every night, right after dinner, for example. Or start your day with a hot bath and then cozy up on the couch to read and play games until lunchtime. Watch nature documentaries in the afternoon for a week or so. Give yourself permission to set aside your rhythm and routine for now.

Jean: 5:31

Next tip is let go of worrying for now. We all worry sometimes, but in times of stress these worries can take over. It can take some conscious thought to set aside the worries, and here are a few suggestions for how you might do that. Don't make any big decisions while you're in a funk. Sometimes just letting go of decision-making can free our minds from the worry, the anxiety. But here's another tactic. If you have something you're ruminating about, consider putting it off to a specific time in the future. You could even write down on your calendar, maybe three months from now, to circle back to this decision that you feel like you need to make, and then let it go for now. Instead, refocus on your values, what you hold most dear for your family. Embrace those values that live deep in your heart, and move forward one little baby step at a time. Hug your friends, your loved ones, make a healthy meal, get plenty of sleep.

Jean: 6:47

Here's a great suggestion from Sarah from the Art of Homeschooling team. Here Sarah says when I find myself worrying or ruminating over things I cannot control, I ask myself where I want my energy to go. Do I want to expend energy on worrying or do I want to save my energy for building resilience and staying present? I love that from Sarah. I was just listening this morning to a meditation from one of my favorite teachers on the Insight Timer app. If you've never checked that out, I'll be sure to link to it in the show notes a great free meditation app. And in a healing meditation, sarah Blondin shared this great question that we can ask ourselves is this really worth my misery? From listening to this meditation, I wrote an affirmation this morning. I am choosing to set down the anxiety and frustration for now and focus on loving myself. As I said, I'll be sure to put a link to this meditation in the show notes, which you can find at artofhomeschoolingcom, slash episode 203.

Jean: 8:04

And the final tip is get cozy. Think of simple little practices to help smooth out the chaos. Here are some sweet ideas that can foster coziness at your house. Wear comfy clothes all day, even your pajamas, simplify your wardrobe or live in a capsule wardrobe for just a few days in keeping a few favorite pieces of clothing that you like to wear. We allow our kids to do it. Why can't we? If the weather's getting colder, wear a beanie all day and don't fuss about your hair. I've been doing this with a favorite knitted cap that my sister-in-law made for me.

Jean: 8:50

Eat breakfast or lunch in the sun, even if it's just a little square of sunlight falling on your sofa. Read a juicy novel. Go to bed early. Hang your bedding outside to freshen it up. Sit with your kids. Just sit, watch your kids play and work and be fully present with them. Just let the days pass until you can move out of the funk.

Jean: 9:18

I hope these ideas help you as you journey through whatever anxiety or heartbreak you might be experiencing, and please keep these ideas in your back pocket for some time down the road when you might need them. Sometimes we all just need permission to simply be where we are. To acknowledge this is hard, and when that happens, remember to try some of these tips. Switch things up, let go of worrying for now and get cozy. One last suggestion I'll leave you with All of those lively arts that we love to weave into our homeschool lessons.

Jean: 10:01

They bring us joy, so perhaps choose just one to experience today, like reading, poetry, curling up with a great read, aloud story, dancing to fun music, and I'll be sure to put a link in the show notes for recordings of some beautiful songs of peace that might help soothe your soul. Right now you can find the show notes at artofhomeschoolingcom, slash episode 203. Thanks so much for being here. I'm sending you love and strength and peace through the airwaves from my heart to yours. That's all for today, my friend, but here's what I want you to remember Rather than perfection, let's focus on connection. Thanks so much for listening and I'll see you on the next episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast.