Episode Details

If you’re worried, hurried, and exhausted, there’s a good chance you’re doing too much in your homeschool. You may be homeschooling too many hours, teaching too many subjects, or carting kids to too many activities. When we hoped to escape the traditional school rat race, why do we so often overdo it in our homeschools? I’ll share three common reasons with practical steps for recovering your homeschool happiness.

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I’ve been a homeschool publisher since 2015 and recently hit a wall. I didn’t want to do anything. I thought I just needed to buck up and work harder. I created a detailed, packed schedule for myself that didn’t even last a day. The problem wasn’t that I didn’t have a good work ethic; it was attempting to do too much for too long. The reasons I did are the same reasons homeschool moms do it.

First, I was using activity to manage fear.

In my case, I thought if I didn’t publish a new book every year that my business would fail. So I published at least one a year in addition to publishing podcast episodes, managing customer service, and speaking at conferences. It meant that I had no time to improve other aspects of my business.  I could only respond to urgent tasks like making dinner, cleaning the house for company, and my family’s needs.

In the same way, homeschool moms try to teach long hours, including many subjects, classes, and activities because they’re worried their kids won’t have a good education, have good social and emotional skills, get on a good sports team, or get a good scholarship.

In the middle of my burnout, a good writer friend asked me, “What if you stopped writing for a couple of months?” I stammered. Stopped writing? You mean not have a new curriculum ready for spring conference season? Umm, I couldn’t do that. Could I?

I’m not sure what I would be sharing with you today if my friend hadn’t suggested I get off the writing treadmill. Because she did, I’m going to suggest this alternative to managing fear with more activity: talk to a homeschool mentor. She doesn’t have to be an official coach—just someone who’s further down the road than you. Share your homeschool schedule, routine, and curriculum list with her. If she laughs, you’ll know for sure you’re doing too much. But the best thing a homeschool mentor can do for you is reass