Lisa Ehrman

How do you plan your summer time?  Do you envision the lazy days ahead with lots of sleeping late, relaxation and family vacations?  Or are your summer days filled to the brim with scheduled classes, to-do lists, and organizational goals? As a homeschooling mom, I always looked forward to summer as a time to accomplish all the things that I couldn’t do during the school year.  We didn’t homeschool during the summer break (June-August), so those months were free for other activities.  That didn’t mean that summer was a free-for-all for the kids or me.  We actually had plans. Every summer was a little different, but there are many things that carried over from one summer to the next.  I guess it’s because I come from a long line of teachers, that reading and libraries are so extraordinary to me.  My children were always expected to read over the summer and participate in summer reading programs at the library. When planning the summer’s activities, I think it’s so important to include each child’s opinion.  No matter the age of the child, letting them have a say-so is a good idea.  We liked to get together and plan what we wanted to do.  It was necessary to put some things on the calendar or they probably wouldn’t happen. When you ask children what’s important for them, you might be surprised at their ideas.  They may want to have a picnic, pick peaches, or something completely unexpected.  Older children might have to be reminded of the family budget, but they can still contribute ideas that are meaningful to them.  Everyone will feel important and part of the family when they are able to help plan the summer fun list. Children will also understand when the plans to organize the closets (or other chores) may need to be done in the summer.  Having more time for relaxing and daydreaming than working can be a great thing!  I always thought that being the mom and teacher was tough, because I didn’t want to always be a person who just enforced rules.  Summer gave me a time to be a different person with my kids; a time to wear another hat. My favorite summer was one that included lots of time chilling on the deck reading books.  I read 15 books that summer.  Many were homeschooling books and sitting there with the tree’s shade was so refreshing.  The children played in the backyard with a slip-n-slide and had a great time. What are some of your favorite summer plans?  Have fun making your Summer Bucket List! @2017, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Have you ever felt burned-out from homeschooling?  Numerous things can cause a feeling of burn-out when a mom has been homeschooling for years.   Physical exhaustion can lead to burn-out, because homeschool moms don’t usually get enough sleep or exercise (self-care).  Can I hear an amen?  Homeschool moms can also get emotionally drained from stress.  Educating children is stressful, even if the children are well-behaved and obedient.  We want to do an outstanding job as teachers and as trainers of our children’s character.  On top of that, we want to have a nice home that is clean and organized. Many homeschool moms must live on a tight budget, which also causes stress.  The list could go on and on: sickness in the family, special-needs child, care-taker to a parent, job-loss, etc.  I’m sure if you have homeschooled long enough, you’ve experienced some very stressful situations.  These situations can be used for good to allow you to teach your children how to deal with stress or crisis. For me, burn-out came when I was homeschooling and trying to work part-time.  At this time, my health was getting worse and worse.  I kept pushing myself and didn’t listen to the warning signs that my body sent me.  This was not smart.  One day my body just said….that’s enough!  I had to slow down. Hubby and I decided that when the fall came around we would put our kids in a Christian school.  The oldest really was excited and the younger one didn’t really care.  We had always taken things one-year-at-a-time, so we didn’t feel guilty.  I did have some people who treated me like I was a bad mom.  I knew I was doing what was needed at the time. For two years, my kids were in school, and they did great!  The oldest graduated with honors and enjoyed the sports and social life.  The younger was also an honor student.  I rested and rested.  I learned a lot and spent much time with God. After those two years, our youngest was homeschooled again.  He was excited to come back home.  He stayed home until he graduated.  My health did continue to get worse and worse, but we worked through videos and tutors. If you can, try to prevent burn-out.  Give yourself a break.  You can’t do everything.  If burn-out happens, it happens.  Work with it and don’t fight it.  See what needs to change and let God change your family for the better.  God will bless….period.@2016, copyright Lisa Ehrman