into;a;part;of;the;house;that;he;would;like
to;keep;as;a;neat,;tidy,;homeschool-free
zone.
After eighteen years of homeschooling,
I’ve;learned;that;there;are;a;few;areas;I
really;need;to;keep;a;handle;on;in;order
to;keep;burnout;at;bay.
•;Grading—Do;it;daily,;or;at;the;very
least, weekly. Getting behind in this
area;quickly;becomes;a;heavy;burden
and;causes;guilt,;which;makes;for;the
“perfect;storm”;of;burnout.
• Meals—Devise some type of a meal
plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everyone has an off day now and
then,;in;which;case;it’s;perfectly;okay
to serve up bowls of cold cereal or have
pizza;delivered,;but;overall;you;need;to
have;a;workable;meal;plan.;This;seems
like;it;would;be;more;work,;which;will
only add to your burnout, but actually
you will never conquer your burnout
without;organizing;a;consistent;plan
for;your;family’s;meals.
•;Chores—
Make;a;chore;chart;and;sim-ply require your children to do their
part. Trust me; they will rise to meet
your expectations.
• Activities—Ask your husband to be
your “governor” when it comes to
activities for you and your children.
Don’t;ask;him;for;advice;and;then;ig-nore him either! Trust him enough to
do what he recommends!
•;Time;with;spouse—
Make;this;a;prior-ity! Set an alarm on your cell phone,
and when it goes off, the world needs
to stop while you spend time with your
spouse. This is very important in terms
of;fighting;burnout;victoriously.;You’ll
be;amazed;by;how;reenergized;you;will
be;after;a;leisurely;walk;with;your;hus-band—not;to;mention,;your;kids;will
learn a wonderful lesson about the importance of marriage!
I have run the gamut on homeschool
burnout,;but;I;haven’t;yet;mentioned;the
most;important;thing;you;need;to;know.
In fact, I saved it for last so that you
would;be;most;likely;to;remember;and
apply this one thing. Notice that I failed
to;mention;that;you;should;make;time;for
yourself.;That’s;because;doing;so,;as;a;cure
for;burnout,;simply;does;not;work!;I;refer
to;it;as;the;“Me-Time;Myth.”;If;you;are
honest, you will admit that at the end of a
long,;relaxing;weekend;away;by;yourself,
you;are;more;selfish,;moody,;and;out;of
sorts than you were to begin with.
The only real prevention and cure for
homeschool burnout is “Jesus-Time.”
Invite the Lord into all aspects of your
homeschool,;make;time;for;prayer;and
Bible;study,;and;teach;your;children;to
do the same. If there is just one thing you
take;away;from;this;article,;please;let;it
be this! Replace the “Me-Time Myth”
with the solid reality of “Jesus-Time.”
The results are peace, more spare time,
improved relationships, and an increased
reliance upon the Lord. What home-schooling;mother;wouldn’t;want;that?
I am praying that you will grow closer
to the Lord daily, even as your home-school burnout fades away. Remember
that God has called you to homeschool,
and He will give you all that you need to
homeschool;for;His;glory.;Second;Peter
1: 3–4;says: “According as his divine power
hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory
and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature.”;We;can;trust;that;it;is;God’s;will
for us to have all that we need for life and
Godliness, which includes homeschool-ing;without;burning;out!;Believe;that;the
Lord’s;great;and;precious;promises;are
for you, and trust Him to guide you day-by-day.
Jan L. Burt is an eighteen-year homeschool
mom to five kids (aged 20, 18, 17, 15, 13),
wife of Tony (retired U.S. Army officer and
youth pastor), author of The Homeschooling Mother’s Bible Study, and former TOS
Crew product reviewer. Jan’s second book,
All Things Homeschool—Hints, Tips &
Encouragement for the Homeschooling
Mother, is due to be released as an E-Book
in the fall of 2013. Follow Jan at www
. MomsWhoHomeschool.blogspot.com,
and buy her books at www.AllThings
Homeschool.weebly.com.
The NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible was
written for women, by women. Featuring
notes by Lysa TerKeurst, author of the
New York Times Bestseller Made to Crave,
& the women of Proverbs 31 Ministries,
it will inspire you to live a lifestyle that
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for all womankind.
peace, purpose
and perspective
Replace;the;“Me-Time;Myth”;with;the;solid
reality;of;“Jesus-Time.”
