4 Tips for When You’re Stressed Out But Still Need to Homeschool

What do you do when you’re stressed out but still need to homeschool? I’ve been stressed out these past few months and homeschooling through it. Life isn’t always predictable or tidy.

Fortunately, there are some ways to make it easier on yourself as you homeschool while under stress. The most important step is to give yourself lots of grace. There will be times when we aren’t “on top of our game” and that’s okay. 

Ready to discover four of my favorite tips for homeschooling while stressed out? Keep reading to get the scoop on how to get creative, stay focused, and keep learning under stress this school year.

Homeschool Life Is Not Always Predictable

The truth is that homeschool life is not always predictable. There will be times in our homeschool life when we’re distracted, under stress, or not feeling well. In those moments, it’s difficult to feel like we’re on top of things with our child’s learning.

Life is full of curve balls! If you’re going through a difficult season, embrace flexible homeschooling and give yourself a break. While you’re homeschooling, there are some things you can do to make it easier on yourself too. 

Check out my tips for homeschooling when mom is sick to get ideas for incorporating learning when you can’t stick to the plan due to illness. There’s no substitute teacher to take over when you’re homeschooling but embracing technology, single-player games, and our interest-led discovery decks can help.

4 Tips for When You’re Stressed Out But Still Need to Homeschool

These past few months, I’ve been feeling stressed out. Homeschooling while you’re stressed is challenging! It’s hard to break free from your thoughts and fears to focus on your child’s education in the moment. If you’re stressed out but still need to homeschool, try these 4 tips.

Focus on Essentials only

When homeschooling feels overwhelming, it’s okay to take a step back. Focus on essentials only. Now is not the time to begin hosting poetry teatime or add an elaborate new science project to your homeschooling schedule. 

Concentrate on core subjects like reading, writing, and math. Let go of the pressure to do more of everything and squeeze in lots of extracurriculars. If all you can do is get through math, reading, and writing each day, that’s enough. 

Kids thrive when their environment is calm and consistent. Narrowing our focus in difficult seasons makes it easier to maintain a learning environment. We don’t have to cover every topic every day to build a strong foundation. 

Need an easy no-prep way to squeeze in learning that doesn’t require reading aloud or worksheets? Check out our interest-led Discovery Decks. These quick videos are kid-friendly and perfect for squeezing learning into any day.

Get Creative!

Sometimes all you need to meet the challenge is to get creative. Embrace different ways of learning new material. Find a great movie about the Revolutionary War instead of reading about it in a textbook. Homeschool with programs like Teaching Textbooks and Night Zookeeper.

Whether you learn by reading books aloud together on the couch, listening to educational podcasts, or playing games instead of completing worksheets, embrace these creative ways of learning new topics and practicing skills to make homeschooling while stressed easier on yourself.

You can even homeschool with video games! Sites like ABCYa and PBS Kids offer learning games for math, reading, writing, and science. There are even some excellent ways to learn geometry, ratios, fractions, elements, and physics while playing video games like Minecraft.

Another way we like to get creative is with unit studies that incorporate multiple studies. It’s an easy way to cover many different subjects with a topic your kids are already interested in or curious about. Check out our shop to discover more than 40 unit studies covering everything from survival skills to spy academy to Greek mythology.

Don’t Do It Alone

Another great tip for homeschooling while you’re stressed is don’t do it alone. Instead, embrace help by getting grandparents involved, joining a local co-op, or signing up for online classes. Sometimes outsourcing a few subjects can be enough to relieve any homeschooling-related stress and give you time to focus on self-care.

Leaning on your support system can make it much easier to homeschool when you’re feeling stressed. Whether they’re babysitting, teaching lessons, helping with science experiments, or just listening while you talk, a good support system is a big part of homeschooling successfully. 

If you don’t have an in-person support system, consider joining an online community.

Give Yourself Tons of Grace

On the subject of self-care, let’s give ourselves tons of grace. Giving yourself grace when you’re stressed is another important part of continuing to homeschool through challenging seasons. After all, you’re human and this season won’t last forever.

Some days will be harder than others. That’s part of life. When it just feels too hard to get through your usual homeschooling lesson plans, take a break. 

It’s okay to pause, take deep breaths, and simplify or scrap your lesson plans for the day. Sometimes we all need to take a break from lessons and just bake cookies or watch movies on the couch. More than anything, kids need connection with a present, loving parent so give yourself permission to rest and reset for tomorrow.

Additional Resources For Self Care In Your Homeschool

Taking care of yourself with practical self-care for your physical, mental, and emotional needs can make a big difference when you’re feeling stressed. Here are a few additional resources for practicing self-care in your homeschool.

What are some of your favorite resources and tips for homeschooling when you’re feeling stressed out? How do you incorporate self-care to overcome stress? Share your favorite tips in the comments. I can’t wait to read them!