Tuesday 20 September 2011

Doldrums

This is me at the moment, struggling with mine and family member's health issues and very little enthusiasm for home schooling, not great since we are only at the beginning of a new school year!  Several bloggers recently have written about burnout and how it can affect a family.  Well meaning friends and family members have advocated placing B in school/learning centre and shunting Pip through the system once she is old enough.  Right now I vacillate between agreeing to school and then disagreeing, so for the time being I know I have to sit tight until I reach as peaceful an answer as possible.  In an effort to raise my spirit's here are some recent pictures:

 Benedict working on his space lap book.

 Pip "writing"

 Benedict with his new art teacher Miss W.

 Benedict and Dave painting the new wood store.

 Three times table tackled.

 Pip's "quiet time"

 Puppet making with Simon.

 Sleeping Beauty.

 "Beary nice to meet you!"

 Sunday Steam Special.

Right I'm now off to bed once I've checked Mr B and tomorrow is another day, Thank God!

4 comments:

Eva said...

The pictures looks so peaceful and nice. I hope you can find out what is right for you. We haven't done very much this week either. Peter is in and out of state so often the next few months, that I am behind with my household chores. I need to get caught up before we can continue. I wanted to start my main lessons this week, but with Flora being sick and lots of cleaning up to do, I'll wait another week. So I'm having all the children help me to clean up and read some books to them in between. Our first week went well, and I like my new schedule, but order is necessary as well. Sending you hugs and support from across the ocean.

Love,
Eva

Sandra Ann said...

Thank you so much for your encouraging and honest words.

San xx

Shirley-Ann said...

My heart really goes out to you. I know EXACTLY how you must be feeling. Honestly, I was tettering on the edge a few months back. Plauged by guilt but just could not get it together. I wrote a rather rambly post about it. (I'll leave the link at the bottom of this message), one thing I have realised is that sometimes you just need a break from the pressure. No, not put the children back in school, but ditch school for a bit. Connect with the children, have fun, re-group and just be a mom instead of teacher. You'll know when the time is right to begin formal lessons again. The children will not suffer.

I still have days when I think, 'I just can't do this - I'm not coping', but then the next day is fine and we have a great day. The 'not coping' days are getting less. I don't think there is a single homeschool mama who has not felt this way at some point. It's okay to think and feel this way. God will NOT test you beyond your endurance. He knows what you can handle.

Thinking and praying for you at this time.

Blessings in Christ
Shirley Ann

http://bugsbeetlesandbarefootdays.blogspot.com/2011/07/notes-to-myself-from-hard-lessons.html

Eva said...

Can you believe it, this was in 2011! Such a long time ago . . .