7 Self Care Routines for Homeschoolers
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Get centered before your homeschool
There’s a lot to be said for hitting the ground running, but that doesn’t mean you have to hit the classroom running.
Every morning, I wake up before my kids and go for either a walk or a run. If I’m looking for an endorphin rush, then I run. When I need to think about a problem or just relax and calm my mind, it’s a walk. Both activities give me a chance to work out some of my stress in a physical way, so my mind is better focused.
Meditation and prayer are two other important morning routines. Calm your breathing, do a short bible study (this app/site is my favorite), or just practice mindfulness to center your mind and strengthen yourself for any challenges you may face in the day.
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Get enough sleep
No one knows better than a mom (and plenty of dads) how much sleep is sacrificed in the course of parenthood. Sleep is the first thing to go because we consider it wasted time when life is so busy.
But it is really, really hard to fully invest in our kids – not to mention our marriages, jobs, and health – when we are perpetually tired and spend the day riding the caffeine train. Lack of sleep makes us less patient, less focused, and more stressed. It’s also not healthy.
I gave up on the idea of getting a full 8 hours at night because it just wasn’t possible with my schedule. So, I made the choice to start napping. I grab an hour or two in the middle of the day when schooling is done and my the kids are occupied. Between my husband and older kids, this is finally doable (before, this was done with a baby on my chest).
Don’t underestimate how much better you perform when you get the sleep you need. Self care isn’t just about you, it’s about being full enough to pour into your children the things they need.
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Take a mid-day homeschool break
Another self care routine that I love is the late morning break. The English have tea and the Swedish have fika. We have snack.
About halfway through our morning, the kids and I break for snacks for them, and coffee and snacks for me. This keeps my blood sugar even (hangry describes me perfectly) and gives us a chance to stretch our legs and refuel.
Sometimes this means a 20-minute time-out for me to close my eyes if I’m not feeling my best. Or time for the kids to ride their bikes and burn off energy. Maybe it’s just 5 minutes for fruit and coffee. Whatever you need.
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Indulge in quiet time
Your day as a homeschooler can be really busy. And if you are homeschooler who works (even from home) or has other commitments, then you have a full schedule.
Give yourself the gift of some quiet time. My kids spend a portion of their afternoon in their bedroom or playroom, either reading or playing something together. While they do that, I catch up on work or run errands. Sometimes, my husband grabs take-out and we have lunch together.
Take this time to relax, nap, work, or clean. Concentrated, focused activity for an hour is better than 2 hours of interrupted multi-tasking.
To help your kids get into this quiet time, provide special toys that are only available at this time. Dangle the carrot of something fun later if they do an excellent job at quiet time now. Or remind them what doesn’t happen (like screen or outings) if they don’t follow house rules during this time. You know your kids best as far as what motivates them.
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Keep the pressure low
Kids are remarkably perceptive, so if you are feeling stressed about what they need to learn and when, they will feel stressed, too. Stressed kids don’t learn as well, and you won’t teach as well.
Try to keep expectations and pressure low. The beauty of homeschooling is that you are in charge of your child’s education and pace, fitted to their individual needs. Don’t let what other homeschoolers or teachers are doing change what your family is doing.
If someone gets sick or family comes to visit, then scrap your lesson plan for the day or week without guilt. You can make up time later on. If your kids are struggling with a topic, give it more time. If they are fascinated by a certain period in history, then dive deep and foster that love of learning.
Lowering the pressure is one of the most important self care routines of homeschooling that you can utilize. Both you and your kids will benefit from it.
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Plan your homeschooling
Earlier, I mentioned that I was all about the planning. This is one routine that I didn’t let go of because it is an integral part of my self care.
Knowing what we need to do each day relieves a lot of stress and disorganization from my day. The trick is to not make my plan my idol. It can guide my day, but not rule it.
As a homeschooler, you have a lot to keep track of. And while plenty of people unschool, I prefer a book-based curriculum that I put together myself. Which means, I need to plan.
Once a week, I lock myself away (or stake out a table at Starbucks in the pre-coronavirus days) to plan and put together our lesson plans, gather materials, and figure out the how and what of the following week’s homeschooling.
This is a huge stress reliever and makes me enjoy and anticipate the next week’s work even more. It’s a win for the kids and it’s a win for me, so I suggest taking some time to just plan things out – even if life happens and you need to make some game-day alterations.
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Get some exercise
I talked about running and walking earlier, but that was more in the way of a morning routine. Another great self care routine that will improve your homeschool days is exercise.
Yoga, spin class, hiking, and other activities that get your blood pumping provide more than one benefit. Sure, you’ll be in better shape from it in the long term, but in the short term, you feel more energetic, emotionally balanced, and motivated.
If you include your kids in your exercise, you can consider it their PE requirement. It’s actually become common practice for elementary school kids to do yoga in class to help calm them and make learning easier.
But even if you just exercise solo (or with an adult friend), it will still reap benefits for your kids. Both physically and mentally, you’ll be stronger and better able to handle the everyday hurdles of homeschool life. Plus, if you really need some downtime from the kids, lace up those sneakers and head out. You’ll all be glad you did.
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Do something fun for yourself
Homeschooling, like parenting, needs no martyrs. Working hard for your kids and giving them the best education possible does not mean you are chained to the classroom or can only spend time with them.
Put something on your calendar each week just for you, just for fun. Reading, coffee with a friend, strolling Target… whatever makes you happy and relaxed, indulge in it sometimes.
The whole point of self care is that you are filling yourself up to fill your children up. If you are running on empty, so will they. So take a break and take care of yourself.
Self care isn’t selfish, but rather a reminder to treat yourself well so that you have inside you all that’s needed to be the best homeschool parent you can be. This is a difficult and long journey if you take it all the way to the end, so treat it like the marathon it is.
Give yourself grace, treat yourself gently, and care for yourself as much as you care for all the important little people who you are educating this year. Those routines will only make your homeschool even better.
Looking for more on homeschooling and self care? Check out these popular posts:
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What Happens When You Let Yourself Run on Empty
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