Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom? Here's One Thing That Helped Me - by Jan L. Burt

 Homeschooling is a journey. 

A beautiful, challenging, and often overwhelming journey down a long path.

So many moms find themselves asking, "Am I doing this right?"

If you have ever asked yourself that question, or if you feel stressed, overwhelmed, uncertain or downright exhausted, know that you are not alone. 

In this post, I'm going to share one thing that helped me during my super-overwhelmed stage of life as a homeschool mom. And I hope I can share some encouragement, too. 

Sometimes homeschool moms need a boost to help us keep going, because homeschooling is tough, it's a long-haul road, and it certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Your children are your students, and they stay right there in your home when the school day is done. This constant connection makes homeschooling the unique enterprise that it is, but constant connection can be taxing for moms. It's a full-time calling that requires dedication. And it can easily take over every aspect of your life. It's not just about curriculum or how homeschooling can "take over" your house. Homeschooling can consume your inner life, too. 

This is why learning to manage your time is crucial. 

Over the course of my 25 years as a homeschooling mom, I learned that the key to a successful homeschool, and indeed a successful life, lies in managing my minutes. Our lives are built and lived moment by moment, literally minute by minute. What we do with those minutes determines the outcome of the culmination of all our years. This is a hard truth to reconcile with, but it's pretty important we acknowledge this truth. 

So, here's the one thing that helped me more than anything else when I was facing overwhelm in my homeschool (and really in every area of my life). 

Time-Blocking

I would make a list of all our non-negotiable activities for the week. Appointments, lessons, any other commitments. 

Then I would add the academic schoolwork for each of my kids for the week. Just making a list of what I was planning to teach them for the week gave me a clearer picture of the amount of time I needed in order to homeschool well. (It also allowed me to eliminate some schoolwork that really wasn't all that needed for them at that point in time but was taking up a lot of my very precious and limited time each week.)

I also learned that I needed to factor in travel time to and from lessons and appointments - you can probably guess how I figured out that I needed a bit larger time buffer in order to not be constantly rushed!

I also considered potential interruptions and added a few minutes here and there to account for the inevitable unexpected. 

Lastly, when I would plan out each week in time-blocked increments (such as 15 minutes for practicing cursive to 50 minutes for high school math) I planned to do the hardest subjects first. It worked really well for me to knock out the most challenging and frustrating school subjects early in the week. By doing this, I got rid of the feeling that they were looming like a dark cloud. I just did it early and had a much better week of homeschooling! 

Here's an example of how a 30-minute time block was structured for our family:

Child 1: Math with Mom (30 minutes)

Child 2: Typing program on their own (30 minutes)

Child 3: Piano practice (30 minutes)

Child 4: Literature assignment (30 minutes)

Child 5: Small engine repair in the garage (30 minutes)

As you can see, only one of my five children was working directly with me during that half hour, but all five of my children were completing schoolwork. 

Sure, it took a bit of planning and fiddling with the schedule the first couple of weeks, but after that, it really did become second nature and my stress level dropped dramatically. Things were getting done on time, we weren't running late for practices or lessons, and I had a lot more bandwidth and mental capacity for every aspect of life. 

The best encouragement I can give you that might just spur you on to give the time-blocking idea a try is this: Homeschooling is hard, and raising children is hard. But it's going to be hard one way or the other. If you fly by the seat of your pants each day, that's hard. If you spend some time over the weekend planning out the week using a time-blocking method, that's also hard. Which hard would you prefer? When you realize that in many situations you can actually choose your hard, it makes it a whole lot easier to choose the productive hard over the stressful hard. It also makes it much easier to enjoy the present moment, because the big stuff is already planned and you no longer are worrying about it. 

Below I've included a few points that will hopefully be helpful to you.

(Also, could I quickly share about my new Amazon Influencer storefront? It contains curated finds that I love and the commissions earned allow me to share all my ministry content entirely for free - and in the next few weeks all of my content from my online store will be moved to my website where it can be accessed free of charge. My store is: Rooted and Renewed Finds with Jan L. Burt's Amazon Page.)

Getting Started with Time Blocking

To begin time blocking, start with the hardest subject for one of your children. I suggest picking a struggling child and their most challenging subject, allocating a specific time block for it. Then, plan what the other children will do during that time.

Prioritizing One-on-One Time

Guard this dedicated time fiercely. It’s too valuable to be traded for minor reasons. This focused attention shows your children they are a priority. It builds their confidence and strengthens your bond.

The Simplicity of Effective Planning

The nuts and bolts of time blocking are simple but effective. By prioritizing planning, you can create a more ordered, peaceful, and productive homeschool. It’s a method that can bring significant encouragement and blessings to your family.

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. The tools and strategies you employ can make all the difference. Embrace the challenge, choose your hard wisely, and plan with purpose. The rewards—for both you and your children—are immeasurable. Speaker 1’s journey is a testament to the power of intentional planning and a mother’s love. Your homeschool can also be a source of deep fulfillment and lasting memories.