Tuesday 19 November 2013

Homeschool Burnout

Homeschool burnout is one of those things we all experience somewhere along the line as home educators.  Those feeling of being overwhelmed and just not wanting to carry on yet in our hearts we know that is not true but our fickle feelings seem to tell us on occasion we are done for.  There are many signs and sypmtoms of being burned out and there are many posts out there telling us to just get over it and keep going.  The truth is we all need a helping hand and some encouragement.  My favourite self help for the times I'm over whelmed is practicing Mother Culture and if you want to know more practical ideas of implementing this in your home take a read of: How Important is Alone Time and Home Schooling ? .  Here are some further thoughts on homeschool burnout.

Symptoms
  • Feelings of being inadequit (above the norm)
  • Exhaustion 
  • Depression type emotions
  • Wanting to run away and put the kids back in school
  • Do you suffer from CHAOS {Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrom} due to the state of your home.
  • Short fused ?  Constantly frustrated/angry with the children ?
  • Feelings of being overwhelmed
  • A lack of hope or enthusiasm.
  • Feelings of anger and resentment towards members of the family
Help
  • Sleep are you getting enough ? Did you know "Sleeping only 4-5 hours a night induces mental impairment equivalent to a blood alcohol level above the legal driving limit." - Dr. Caroline Leaf 
  • Exercise such as a stroll will greatly improve your mental state and allow the household to enjoy the great out doors.
  • Do you practice Mother Culture on a regular basis ? Regular means just that regular or daily. 
  • Think seasonally. One interest per season, coupled with thirty minutes of reading a day, may be all that is needed to keep up the Mother Culture and regain any lost enthusiasm for living - Karen Andreola
  • Get some home help. Hire a teen to babysit for an hour if you have small children.  If you need the ironing taken care of hire a teen to spend a couple of hours a week assisting you.
  • Find a good support group of like minded homeschool mothers.  Take the time to go out and participate in fellowship with these woman.  The group I'm with meets fortnightly and has a cup of tea while the children play together.
  • Read a few good books to support you as a homeschool mom.
  • STOP partaking in the comparison game.  That is one merry go round you do not need to ride.  As home educating families we are individual and thus each and every familiy has different needs and ways of doing things.  If you are trying to do things the same as someone else you will burnout.
  • Take 15 min a day to organise.
  • Take a good look at your expectations ?  Are they realistic or idealistic ?
  • Put perfectionism on the shelf

On the www
Charlotte Mason advised the teacher to replenish her soul with a continual supply of ideas. ...stimulates your educational thought in many directions and keeps you from drifting into mere routine... Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself."


Blessings

Chareen

This post is part of the Homeschool Help series brought to you by a group of homeschool Mom's from around the globe.  Do not forget to visit and read their inspirational insight.



This week
 ---ooOoo---
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Sunday 17 November 2013

HSMJ it's been a Botanical Week

In my life this week…
It's been a delightful week this past week.  Paul and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on Saturday by spending the day out at the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens.
I enjoyed looking at this info graphic:  What People Think I do {Misconceptions about Stay-At-Home Moms}


In our home school this week…
  • We spent a delightful day on Monday with our local homeschool group touring the botanical gardens and potting up some plants. 
  • We have been learning times tables in math and started three digit addition.
  • Last week we presented Sir N with his very first bible which he has loved reading and using in biblical studies this week.  We have been reading about the  Ten Commandments and Gideon and completing the pages in Studying God's Word Book C  

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
  • Royal Botanical Gardens 
  • Tennis
  • Kelly Sports
  • Mom's Group
  • Church
My favourite thing this week was…
Questions/thoughts I have…
Things I’m working on…
In Bloggy world I’m reading…
I’m cooking…
On Pinterest I found...
  • Kelly from over at The Spunky Coconut
  • Amy from Homeschool Encouragement
  •  
I’m grateful for…
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…


Oh watching this was so much fun. A surprise performance at a wedding :) To Life: Vanessa's Wedding Surprise

Blessings

Chareen

Homegrown Learners

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor
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Saturday 16 November 2013

At Home in Dogwood Mudhole {Book Review}

I recently received volume one of At Home In Dogwood Mudhole - Nothing that Eats in the mail and have spent a delightful few weeks in gales of laughter thanks to Franklin Sanders. In this book I have been on adventure after adventure with the Sanders Family living in Dogwood Mudhole somewhere in Tennessee.

Details
  • At Home in Dogwood Mudhole
  • Author: Franklin Sanders
  • Paperback: 379 pages
  • Publisher: Four Rivers, Inc.
  • Published: 2012
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-13: 978-1-938817-06-9
  • Paperback $22.95
  • Kindle $16.95
  • PDF: $16.95
  • ePub: $16.95
  • Purchase from:  The Money Changer Store

There are four sections to the book with a total of 88 short chapters
  1. Leaving Memphis Five Miles at a Time
  2. Living in the Country Changes You
  3. Learning Curve
  4. A Real Farm
Scattered throughout the book are 23 black and white family album photographs.  You can see some colour photographs from the book at the At Home in a Dogwood Mudhole, Vol One Facebook Album.

My Thoughts

My first thought was "What on earth is a Dogwood Mudhole ?" and I was so pleased when I started reading this book that Franklin dove straight in and explained the title. 

Nothing That Eats is a tale of the Sanders family's move from the city to rural living. Their decision to move was motivated by the impending Y2K countdown and all the "what might happen with the arrival of Y2K..."

I enjoyed Franklin's humour and the easy down to earth conversational style of this book.  Having grown up in town and reading the funny side of learning to farm was at times so humorous I was holding my sides with laughter. I found that reading At Home in Dogwood Mudhole was a little like reading one of James Herriot's novels. The book covers the families exploits of acquiring pets and farm animals (dogs, horses, cattle, poultry, pigs and sheep) despite Susan's expectation when they moved they would have nothing that eats ...

Each chapter contains a gem of insight and inspiration that speaks to the heart or a practical life application that can be applied to your own life regardless of your walk of like. Here are a couple of examples I enjoyed.
Susan reminds me often that every day God gives us time enough to finish the work he has appointed for us. God gives us peace. We work; then we rest. We don't have to work seven days a week; we work six, but he pays us for seven. Our success does not depend on our efforts, but on Christ in whom we rest - Franklin Saunders (page 10)
In section one chapter five I enjoyed this statement about traditions
Now a tradition is not a rut. A rut is doing the same things year after year because you don't have enough imagination to do anything new. A tradition is something you do once and discover a joy so deep that you do it again, Christmas after Christmas, to keep on savoring it and make it last -  Franklin Saunders (page 23)
While it does not have the smooth transitions of a novel it is a meaningful read. It is honest and down to earth.  It is based on a collection of personal letters written over 17 years.  This first volume covers the years from June 1995 to September 2002. This book is the memoir of one families life and is not a how to begin farming or sustenance living.
Raising pigs is only slightly less trouble than raising children. They can escape any pen; hence our boar's name, Houdini. Once they get out, they can run 1,400 miles per hour, and make right-angle turns like a flying saucer. This is what Susan wanted to capture and train to an electric fence. - Franklin Saunders (pg 214)
When I reached the end of volume one I was pleased to discover that there are two more books scheduled for release. I am looking forward to Volume Two: Best Thing We Ever Did which is scheduled for release soon and currently available for pre-order, as well as Volume Three: The Sage of Dogwood Mudhole. 

Connect with Franklin


I look forward to handing this book to Sir N when he reaches the teen years and hearing what his thoughts will be.  I feel that Franklin does an excellent job of sharing his faith and the heart of the matter as well as taking you on a journey of discovering life at the very heart of living in a Dogwood Mudhole and the grace of an ever present ever loving Heavenly Father.

Blessings
Chareen


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