Feeling Overwhelmed When Home Educating? Here’s How to Cope

If you home educate, it’s likely that you wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, you made the decision for a reason. But that doesn’t mean you don’t feel overwhelmed at times. In fact, let’s be honest, home education is overwhelming. It’s not as simple as sending your child to school—all the pressure is on you, and you go from being not just a parent but also a home educator.

Trying to balance all your responsibilities isn’t easy and it’s normal to experience moments of frustration and burnout. We’re human. If you’re struggling with stress, self-doubt, or the sheer workload, know that you’re not alone. 

The good news is there are ways to cope with your feelings and ways to make home education more manageable so that it’s not as overwhelming for you.

Why Do Home Educators Feel Overwhelmed?

There’s a lot of pressure on us as home educators. Trying to provide your children with the best education possible, juggle multiple roles, and meet expectations (whether from yourself, your family, or others) can take its toll. 

Here are some reasons why you might be feeling so overwhelmed.

You’re doing too much

Whether it’s helping your children learn, managing household chores or trying to handle your other responsibilities, you’ve likely got too much on your plate, which is leading to burnout. 

You’re putting pressure on yourself

We’re often our worst enemies and can put way too much unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Try not to make your expectations too high or do more than you can actually handle.

You don’t want to fail your children

You obviously want what’s best for your children but at the same time, you don’t want to fail them. These feelings can be hard to overcome, especially when doubt creeps in.

You compare yourself to others

It can be difficult not to compare yourself to others, especially when you see other home educating families on social media who seem to have it all together. 

You don’t have enough support

Without support, especially from those closest to you, it’s easy to feel isolated and unsure about your decisions. It’s no wonder you feel overwhelmed if you’re having to do it all on your own.

Tips to Reduce Feeling Overwhelmed When Home Educating

1. Make things simple

You don’t need to overcomplicate things. Home education can be as simple as you make it, and it doesn’t need to look anything like school. Let go of traditional expectations and routines and do what works for your family. Your day doesn’t have to be six hours of structured learning. It can be as simple as spending the day indoors exploring new interests or starting a new hobby.

2. Create a flexible routine

Whether you’re a routine person or not, having one in place will do you a world of good if you get easily overwhelmed with all your responsibilities. Simply breaking up the day can help you to get things done and manage your priorities. And the good news is you can adapt or change your routine at any time. 

3. Set realistic goals

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about trying to get things done, set realistic goals that are easily achievable. This will definitely make you feel a lot more productive and make things less stressful

Related: Setting Goals for Home Education

4. Look at what works and what doesn’t

In order to prevent you feeling overwhelmed when home educating, the best thing to do is take a look at what is causing you to feel overwhelmed. What about your day works and what doesn’t. Once you pinpoint the things that are causing you stress, you can change them to make your life easier.

5. Find your community

Connecting with other home educators is not only good socially or for learning ideas, it’s one of the best ways to seek advice when you need it and get support from people who may have been in similar situations to you. When you find your community you also find valuable friendships and people that you can rely on—not to mention, people who will reassure you and help you when you’re feeling overwhelmed. 

6. Set boundaries with social media

While online communities can be helpful, they can also create a lot of stress if you constantly compare yourself to others. It’s easy to think that other families have got it all figured out when in reality people often share their highlights and not their struggles. If social media makes you feel overwhelmed or leaves you doubting yourself, take a break from it.

7. Prioritise your self-care

Your self-care is one of the most important priorities. In order to look after other people, you need to look after yourself, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you feel like you are putting too much on your plate or you just need some ‘me time,’ make sure you are practising self-care.

Related: How to Practise Self-Care While Home Educating

8. Let go of perfectionism

There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ home education. Every family’s journey looks different, and that’s okay. Try to focus on progress rather than perfection. Accept that some days will be harder than others, and that it’s part of the process. Celebrate small wins and remember that learning is a lifelong journey.

9. Get help and delegate tasks

You don’t have to do it all on your own. Getting help is a must if you’re struggling. Whether it’s involving your older children or sharing responsibilities with your partner or your friends and family. And remember to outsource what you can when you need to.

10. Be positive and flexible

The most important thing is to remain positive, even on the days when you’re struggling most. It’s easy to focus on what’s not going well, but shifting your mindset can make a big difference. Remain flexible to prevent getting overwhelmed, write down daily wins, and remind yourself why you chose home education in the first place. 

Feeling overwhelmed when home educating is completely normal, but it doesn’t have to define your experience. Remember, the most important thing isn’t ticking off every subject—it’s creating a love of learning in a way that works for your family.