10 strategies to avoid homeschool overwhelm

homeschool overwhelm
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Now that the second week of homeschool is done and dusted, how is everyone feeling? We have many weeks of this ahead, and with the Easter holidays no longer really representing a “break” as we might have originally planned (hmmm, more being stuck in the house together?!), today I wanted to share my tips for avoiding homeschool overwhelm in this marathon we’ve all unwittingly been signed up for during the Coronavirus lockdown.

In this new way of living where we are potentially homeschooling, homeworking, PLUS keeping the household ticking over, doing battle with trying to get supplies in the face of long queues and no more delivery slots PLUS trying not to kill our other halves, keeping our sanity in check is no mean feat.

So the question is – how do we avoid homeschool overwhelm in the coming weeks down the line? Especially when our brains are being fuelled by the anxiety-inducing media frenzy which has become the hallmark of Coronavirus reporting? Read on for some of my strategies to avoid homeschool overwhelm.


Keep on top of that timetable

A couple of weeks down the line, and you may feel that the urge to keep to that timetable you eagerly drew up in week one is fading. But no! It’s important to keep them in a routine just likeat school. This will help to keep them in a familiar structure and give them the boundaries they need to help make this a continued positive experience. But of course, a little flexibility is okay too….

Just keep moving

Keep up that exercise routine so the kids stay active. If you haven’t already been doing this, do parent and child yoga together or something more active such as HIIT, a Red Light Green Light workout, or wiggle it out in a dance session. There are lots of places online to get workouts which you’ve probably discovered already. Hands up who has been doing Joe Wicks’ morning workout? A great way for kids and parents alike to let off some steam.

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Building competitions and beer pong!

Get a bit of competition going between the parents and kids and see who can build the most imaginative thing using Lego or MAGConnex magnetic building bricks. This can extend to other things like den building, building the tallest tower with items destined for recycling, balloon powered bottles (see whose can go farthest!) and more.

The other thing we have discovered is how addictive playing beer pong on the kitchen table is (minus the beer!) is. Don’t know how to play it? This will give you an idea.

Cooking skills

Now is a great time to teach your children the culinary tricks of the trade. Involve children in cooking and baking to keep them stimulated. Get them involved in getting breakfast, lunch or dinner ready which will see them coming out of this fully self-sufficient! You can also read our tips on cooking with kids here.

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Daily diary

Ask the children to keep a record of what they have done and list the three things they’ve enjoyed most. This could be in written format, or you could hone their movie-making skills by getting them to create vlogs.

Plant some seeds of love

In a way, we are really lucky that this is all kicking off as Spring is coming into effect. The coming weeks will be the perfect opportunity to enjoy the garden when the sun shines and plant herbs, flowers, fruit and vegetables that you can enjoy in the future. In April you can get going with chillis, tomatoes, cucumbers and peas which are also great for newbie gardeners (both are pot-friendly too).

Take up a new hobby

Think of a new hobby such as knitting (french knitting is great for kids!), photography, painting, gardening, collecting or magic to keep the children engaged and happy. Here’s a useful list of 50+ hobbies for kids for some inspiration.

Dust off the board games

If you’re anything like me, you will have a stack of board games at the back of a cupboard which only make it out to see the light of day once a year. Well now’s the time to dig them out! Think Monopoly, Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble and not forgetting the likes of good old Guess Who and Connect 4. Card games are also great – two of our faves are Uno and Boggle Slam.

benefits of playing board games
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Avoid homeschool overwhelm by keeping calm

Life really is crazy right now and things are happening which are totally unprecedented in our times. However tough the weeks and months ahead may seem, keep the family as calm and relaxed as possible. Encourage the kids to have a long, hot soak in the bath or even introduce them to a bit of meditation and mindfulness.

Positive connection is also important in these times so arrange plenty of facetime calls with friends and relatives and consider setting up a feel-good virtual get together using the group video chat app Houseparty or getting their class together on a Zoom call.

Make time for self-care

With so many of us not only homeschooling but also remote working, as well as keeping the house looking like a bomb has hit it, our days have never been fuller. With so much going on self-care is a top priority, not an after-thought. So either at the beginning or end of the day, be sure to carve out some time for self-care and do what is important to you, or do something that feels good. Whether that be some yoga, a long soak in the bath, journaling, reading or whatever you fancy!

We’d love to hear what strategies you will be using to avoid homeschool overwhelm. Do share in a comment below.

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