Homeschooling your child(ren) can be very rewarding but demands much of your time and energy during the day. One of the biggest challenges as a homeschooling parent is to make sure you set aside time for yourself so you don’t get burnt out from being around your kids 24/7. Here are a few different ways to make time for yourself as a homeschooling parent.
Share More Duties with Your Spouse and/or Children
Homeschooling is a full-time job, so you shouldn’t be required to be a full-time mom AND teacher without any help from the rest of your family. Designate chores like dishes, meal prepping, and cleaning to your spouse and children (if they’re old enough) to share the load more equally.
Take Your Kids to the Park
Kids have a lot of energy and sometimes they need to run it off. (Okay, all the time.) Instead of trying to tame them as they run around the house screaming, drive to your local park and let them do their thing for a couple of hours. Keep an eye on them of course, but enjoy your alone time on a park bench for a while.
Plan Get-Togethers
Planning socialization time for your children is particularly important for homeschool students as they have fewer opportunities than a traditional public school. Playdates can be extra beneficial if each parent takes off some of the weight being alone with your children all the time, and the socialization YOU get is just as important.
Hire a Babysitter
Babysitters don’t have to be saved for date night. There are probably many responsible teens in your neighborhood who will work for a reasonable price and give you a chance to get away by yourself (or with a friend) for a few hours. Go to the movies, grab some lunch, or just walk around the park for a while.
Take Advantage of When Your Kids are Sleeping
Depending on the age of your child this time will vary, but get an idea of when your kids are asleep and utilize that for some “me time.” It may mean early morning alarms, late-night reading sessions, or afternoon baths, but any time you can get by yourself and distraction-free is worth it.
Turn on the Television
Sometimes you desperately need a moment to yourself, but it’s raining outside, the kids have completed all their homework, and there’s no one to watch them for you. It’s perfectly okay to turn on their favorite television show (you can even pick an educational one to feel better about it) and enjoy a cup of coffee in the kitchen by yourself.
HomeschoolFacts.com has a complete list of support groups to help support you in your homeschooling endeavors and connect with homeschoolers near you. You can search the list of support groups here: https://www.homeschoolfacts.com/homeschool-support-groups.html