Feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling
Why Overwhelm Made Me Almost Quit Homeschooling(and Why I’m Glad I Didn’t)
Feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling?
Let me take you back to a time I fondly refer to as The Burnout fiasco of the Life Without School household—
A time when I was one “Can I have a snack?” away from sticking everyone in school uniform and sending them out the door. Then disappearing into the woods with a blanket and snacks. (Who am I kidding? I would never go to the woods, too many creepy crawlies!) A nice coffee shop maybe.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t quit homeschooling. But I came so close, I had the schools number pulled up on my phone.
I Loved Homeschooling… Until I Didn’t
I started homeschooling with so much excitement:
The new curriculum, the gazillion craft supplies, the dreams of reading aloud while the kids painted with smiles on their faces.
But somewhere between math tantrums, phonics meltdowns, and discovering that kids apparently need three meals a day (every single day?? PLUS snacks!!), the magic started to fade, and fast!
And here's what really tipped me over the edge:
I Was Never Alone
Ever.
Ever-ever.
Like, someone was always looking at me. Breathing near me. Touching me with sticky hands.
There was no quiet. No breaks. No solo grocery runs where I could browse the cereal aisle in peace and question my life choices like a normal person.
And that’s when feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling became my daily norm.
We don’t really have family nearby, which means I was the village. The entire village.
And wow, the village was tired.
When you have tiny kids, all needing something from you at all hours of the day, you really do start to question your sanity.
Having small age gaps between kids didn't help I guess.
Social Media Didn't Help My Burnout
Thankfully I wasn't really on Instagram at the time - but those homeschool what's app group were bad enough.
There was always some mom making sourdough, painting watercolours of birds, and teaching her four-year-old to speak Arabic—all before lunchtime.
Meanwhile, I was spending so much time wondering how homeschool mums were able to feed their kids everyday and still get anything else done!
Feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling made me doubt everything—my capability, my choices, even my identity.
I started to believe I was failing. That I wasn’t doing enough. That I wasn’t enough.
The Big Realisation: I Was Burnt Out
I didn’t need a better planner. I didn’t need a new curriculum.
I needed a nap. And space. And maybe a coffee I didn’t have to microwave four times.
What I really needed was to stop trying to do all the things all the time—and give myself permission to rest!
This is something I really struggled with. For many reasons but one of them being that if I didn't do it, it wouldn't get done and essentially I saw myself as failing.
(I remember my sister once mentioning having a lie down on the sofa during the day - and I said I've never done that, there literally isn't time - I was barely spending any time sitting on the sofa let alone lying down! Her reaction - utter disbelief - made me really think.)
My (Actually Doable) Solutions
Here’s what saved me:
1. Breaks Every 6 Weeks
We now take a full week off every six weeks. No school. No guilt.
Sometimes we go on days out. Sometimes we just stay in and get the house clean.
Sometimes we even spend that week going to see family without feeling like we need to rush home for an early bedtime.
But every time, it helps me reset. It quiets that voice whispering, “You’re not doing enough.”
It helps me step out of that state of feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling, even if just for a little bit.
2. Monthly Friend Escapes
Once a month (ish), I meet a friend. It might be for coffee, an afternoon organising a cabinet together, or even just wandering around Ikea discussing our favourite rooms and then of course stopping for a tea/coffee and slice of cheesecake.
It’s not about what we do. It’s the adult conversation and mental reset.
And it reminds me: I am still a person, I still have interests and hobbies. I'm not just dinner lady with a whiteboard and tuff tray!
Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Quit
Feeling overwhelmed with homeschooling is real. But it doesn’t mean you’re failing.
Sometimes, it’s a signal that you need rest—not more effort.
Once I stoped trying to set my homeschool up like I was auditioning for the Pinterest Olympics, things started to improve!
I stopped comparing our homeschool to anyone else's but I also lowered my expectations of me!
I'm just 1 person, why did I expect myself to do the job of several people without a single break? Surely I wouldn't expect that from anyone else?
We slowed down. We laughed more. We ditched the pressure and leaned into what actually worked for us.
I still get tired. I still sometimes dream about school uniforms.
But now, I know how to spot burnout—and how to pause before I crash. (That's usually when I send an "Ikea Tuesday?" text to my bestie.)
To the Overwhelmed Mom Scrolling Instagram at Midnight
If you feel like you’re failing because your homeschool doesn’t look like a magazine spread, please hear me:
You’re not failing. You’re just tired.
And tired people don’t need to quit. They need a nap, a break, and a trip to Ikea with someone who won’t ask for snacks.
Check out my other post about Burnout as a Homeschool Mum.
