While homeschooling your child is rewarding, it doesn’t come without a few challenges. What happens when your child gets tired of learning and just can’t complete one more lesson? Academic burnout is a genuine concern and one you may have to confront if you decide to homeschool. Here are some helpful ways you can prevent academic burnout from becoming a serious issue with your homeschool student.
1. Set Your Priorities
When you start on your homeschooling journey, just about everything you encounter seems like a great idea and something you want to try. Sure, there are endless possibilities. But you don’t have time to do everything. It’s vital that you set homeschooling goals so you know what must get done and what extra things you can add in when there is time in the schedule.
2. Change Things Up
Put your current curriculum on hold occasionally to do something different. Watch a new documentary or incorporate some cooking lessons into your day to keep things interesting.
3. Spend Time Outside
No matter where you live, it’s important to include some outdoor time in your homeschool curriculum. Kids thrive in the outdoors, and there’s a lot we can learn from spending time in nature. Hold some of your regular lessons outside and create some plans around your child’s outdoor interests.
4. Schedule Some Down Time
If you don’t already do this, schedule a bit of downtime each afternoon. Your child can spend time reading or napping (depending on age) in their room. And you get a much-needed break, too.
5. Include Field Trips
Make sure you include field trips in your homeschooling curriculum. These can be as simple as a visit to your local state or city park or as elaborate as a full-blown family vacation that includes relevant history and nature lessons along the way.
6. Get Some Help
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to seek out some partners in your homeschooling journey. These might be other family members or community members who can support your efforts. For example, some families might hire a tutor to come in once per week to help out with math or get together with other homeschool students for study groups.
Get the Help You Need to Prevent Academic Burnout
If you want to prevent academic burnout with your homeschool student, these tips should help. But there’s always the chance that your student might be struggling with something else, and there’s nothing wrong with getting help from a professional.
The South Carolina Association of Independent Schools (SCAIHS) provides the resources you and your child need to succeed in your homeschooling journey. We provide a variety of resources, such as curriculum, lesson plans, and discounts on materials. Learn more about membership or contact us today for more information.