Homeschooling is a beautiful adventure you and your little ones are on. But what do you do when you don’t feel like homeschooling?
Homeschooling Slump
Falling in a homeschooling slump happens to the best of us. Just like with anything thing in life (nightly dinners, workouts, etc.), if you do the same thing over and over without any variation, it can be a bit blah
and that’s okay.
Rest assured that even though you don’t feel like homeschooling right now, it doesn’t mean that homeschooling preschool isn’t right for your family.
Here are a few things to try when you don’t feel like homeschooling.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Homeschooling
Take a Break
Sometimes, you and your little one need a break when you don’t feel like homeschooling. This can be for a few hours to a few weeks. Have unstructured play time, explore outside, and try relaxing (ha!).
Focus on Play-Based Learning
Play is important. For preschoolers, play IS work. They do some of their best learning through play.
Pull out some blocks, puzzles, and blank paper. Let your little one go to town on what they want to play.
By nature, these activities are less demanding and structured, which will help to lessen your load.
Change the Environment
What do you do when you can’t focus? You change the environment. Turning off the lights, changing the music, etc., are all ways we, as adults, alter our environment to make it work for us.
The same is very true for learning environments. Try moving to a different room, outside, or curling up in a reading corner.
Bring in Hands-On Activities
Choose activities that are enjoyable for both you and your preschooler. These may include baking, science experiments, or a nature adventure together.
Read Together
Reading with your preschool has amazing benefits for them. There is so much to be learned from listening to a story. Plus, who doesn’t love being read to? (There is a reason the audiobook industry is one of the largest in the world).
Experience new adventures and learn new things together while being curled up reading a good book. An added bonus to this is that your preschooler is associating happy feelings with reading, thus strengthening their desire to be a lifelong reader.
Connect with Other Homeschoolers
Being able to chat and discuss homeschooling with people who get it is golden. It’s hard for people to truly understand what you are going through unless they have been down in the trenches like you.
You may find these connections through homeschooling groups in person or online.
Seek out tips and tricks others use with their preschoolers and decide if it’s worth trying with your little one. You may even ask what they do when they don’t feel like homeschooling.
Rethink Expectations
Preschoolers have a short attention span, so you may be asking them to do too much without realizing it. The standard rule of thumb is that preschoolers can stay still for however old they are in years– that number in minutes.
A three-year-old can be expected to focus on a task for three minutes. Most of the time it’s even less. 😲
Reevaluate what you are expecting your little one to do. Adjust your expectations to meet your preschooler where they are at.
Delegate Responsibilities
If you can, bring in other family members or friends to help homeschool. This will allow you to clear your plate just a bit while providing a great opportunity for your preschooler to interact with other adults in a learning capactiy.
This may look like Dad reading before bed or Grandma doing learning activities or games with your little one.
Prioritize Self-Care
We know self-care tends to be a buzz word. But, taking time for yourself is one of the best ways you can recharge your battery. It’s hard to get away, we know.
Self-care may end up being taking a bath after bed time or reading during quiet time. Do something for yourself each day.
By prioritizing self- care, you are able to be the best version of yourself for your preschooler.
Reflect on Your Method
Think back about your time homeschooling. Go through your day (or the past month) and try to figure out what is causing you to feel fed up. This may be the item that needs changing.
If you don’t like doing math with your little one, what is it about math time that is making it awful? It may be time to change something about this time so you stop feeling like you don’t want to homeschool.
Getting Out of a Homeschooling Slump
When you don’t feel like homeschooling, it can be defeating. You may feel like a failure or that you need ot give up. This isn’t always the case! Try some of these tips to get yourself back on your feet. We believe in you!