As parents I do not believe that any of us set out to raise a child that is disrespectful, spoiled or bratty. We have all seen those types of children and vow that our kids will never act like that. Then horror of horrors your child throws his first fit in public or talks back to you. And all of a sudden it dawns on you; you are on your way to having a bratty kid. Here are some helpful tips on how to not raise a bratty kid so that you can enjoy the experience of being a parent and have a child that will be a benefit to society.

Discipline. It doesn’t take long for a toddler to toddle right into trouble of some kind. It is a learning time as they are just starting in their lives and this normally leads to a child getting into situations that can lead to trouble of some kind. This is the perfect time for a parent to teach the child not to do that action again. This process is called discipline. Discipline seems to have a negative vibe associated with it but discipline is a key teaching tool that parents are not using to its full potential. It is a teaching tool to help guide a child no matter the age to learn and obey rules placed on that child. Part of the learning is to understand that there are consequences to their actions. We as parents need to allow our children to experience the consequences from their actions. This learning tool will help them to make better decisions through their lives. That helps in not raising a brat.

Responsibility. If our goal is to not raise children who act like brats then teaching them responsibility is an important step. The children of this generation seem to have the concept that they are here to be waited upon and given their every whim. Long gone are the times when Saturday morning or after school hours are used doing chores around the house and yard as well as  part time after school jobs during the teen years. A child who is taught to work gains respect for the time and hard work it takes to keep things nice and in working order. Clean dishes just don’t appear they have to be washed, the grass in the yard just doesn’t cut itself it is a lot of hard work to keep it mowed and looking nice. And with that knowledge they will respect their own things along with stranger’s property.

Time. Nothing is better fodder for creating a situation where your child can get in trouble then extra time on their hands with no goals or challenges to stretch their selves. I don’t believe that a child should have an activity scheduled every single hour; we don’t want to overload our children. What creates the problem is when kids do the famous “hang out” with their friends hours after hours, day after day pretty soon leading to boredom. When a kid is bored they can end up in trouble creating problems for themselves and others. Sports, activities and chores are a few things to help give a kid something to fill their time.

Money. It is said that today’s young people spend more today then any other group in history. My question is how? Where are these kids getting all their money, allowance and part time jobs do not make for the highest spending consumer group? The adults in their lives are blindly handing money and credit cards to them making up for not being a part of their lives, for peace and quiet, for guilty voices whispering that we owe them, for the need to make up to them that someone isn’t in their lives; whatever the motivation is the money is free flowing and on its way to creating bratty self centered kids.

And so, mom and dad, as you can see there are some things that can be done to help our kids not to be brats. But you also have to see that most of these steps start with you. The discipline, responsibility, time management and monetary values all have one thing in common, you the parent. These kids rely on you, it is your responsibility to help and guide your kids. So, the next time you see a bratty kid remember they didn’t get that way themselves, they have parents who didn’t take the time to teach them that there is a better way to gain attention.

Have you noticed how hard it is to get a child to really think?

Have you ever wondered about the effects of television, computers and video games on thinking?  Have you wondered if these things are beneficial or harmful to a child’s education?  Sadly, there have been almost zero scientific studies on the effects of television and computer and video games.  Businesses and families may not be  particularly interested in finding out the answers to such a study.  It would be very comforting to think that the effects of video games and television are not particularly harmful.

Although there are only a few real studies, there have been a few of very good quality. There is one particular study from Leiden University in the Netherlands that shows that television has negative effects on reading skills. Among the study’s other conclusions they stated that television:

• Displaces leisure reading and inhibits the growth of reading skills
• Requires less mental effort than reading
• May shorten the time children are willing to spend on finding an answer to intellectual problems they are set to solve

It is becoming easier and easier to study how people think.   We just paste non-invasive electrodes on a person’s head to study brain waves. The recent television and video game studies have been done this way.  Three effects on learning abilities have been suggested by these types of studies:

1. Some television and video programming artificially manipulate the brain into paying attention by violating certain of its natural defenses with frequent visual and auditory changes.
2. Television induces neural passivity and reduces “stick-to-it-iveness”.
3. Television may have a hypnotic and possibly neurologically addictive effect on the brain by changing the frequency of its electrical impulses in ways that block active mental processing.

Television advertisers know that the best way to get viewers to pay attention is to capitalize on the brain’s instinctive responses to danger.  Sudden close-ups and pans alert the brain because they violate the reflex needed to maintain a predictable personal space.  Bright colors, quick movements or sudden noises get attention because the brain is programmed to changes that might predict danger.

Carefully planned manipulations separate the natural responses of the brain and the body.  Although the brain is alerted there is no need to respond physically.  Children thus stimulated without an outlet for the normal physical response could develop frustrations, irritability and hyperactivity.  Also children become habituated to surprise and a circus like environment.

You may enjoy reading Endangered Minds by Jane Healy. She writes, “We care deeply about the ‘smartness’ of our children, but our culture lacks patience with the slow, time-consuming handwork by which intellects are woven.  The quiet spaces of childhood have been disrupted by media assault and instant sensory gratification.”

So what does all this mean for homeschool parents?  Well, consider the very subtle effects of how you are allowing your children to spend their time.  How they spend their time may be altering their ability to learn and to get along with others. Just think about it.

Randi St. Denis is an educator, popular homeschool speaker, and a seasoned homeschooling mom. Randi works as a consultant to public, private, and homeschool families; providing teaching expertise and assistance for all types of children. You can visit her website at ChicagoHomeschoolExpo.com.

Hey, I’ve been doing this homeschooling gig a long time, and over the years I’ve met homeschooling moms that have one of two kinds of husbands in regards to homeschooling: (1) the kind of Dad that wants absolutely NOTHING to do with it except maybe providing the dollars for the homeschool curriculum, and (2) the kind of Dad that wants to offer help, whether just a little or a lot.

So, how do you transition the #1 kind of Dad into the #2 kind of Dad? First, you’ll need to take inventory and find out where Dad is spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. A simple conversation with your husband will help you to quickly get on the road to understanding his point-of-view and thought process about his part in this homeschooling journey. If he is resistant in ANY way, shape, or form, then do NOT try to force anything on him. Dad is not going to respond positively to your nagging, pressuring, crying, or complaining. You want him on-board, and what you DON’T want is to have him defensive from the get-go!

If he does express reluctance for involvement, I suggest committing the issue to prayer, asking for his heart to be softened and his eyes to be opened to just how big this homeschool commitment actually is. Even if he doesn’t shoulder the teaching burden by taking on a class or two, if he at least gains an inkling of understanding of just how massive the burden is, then he can quickly become your cheerleader out of sheer appreciation towards you for taking ownership of the work load. And, trust me. You WILL need a cheerleader now and then.

Having Dad’s understanding will go a long way towards a positive attitude in your homeschool classroom. When Dad understands Mom’s heavy load, he can begin to show support with encouraging words and emotional support. Eventually, he may begin to jump into the practical side of things, as well. His attentiveness to Mom’s thoughts and feelings won’t go unnoticed by the little people in the household either. Soon, the children will follow suit and begin to pitch a lending hand now and then, too. With Dad leading the helm with a positive example, the entire ship will be sailing to success!

Oh, the terrible two’s. As a mom of twin toddlers, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to my boys turning two. As their third birthday approaches, I now realize that it wasn’t really as bad as I had been expecting. I don’t think temper tantrums can ever be eliminated completely, but there are some things you can do to minimize and sometimes even avoid them.

One of the best ways I have found to avoid a toddler tantrum is by giving my boys choices. When you give your toddler a choice, he feels like he has some control over the situation, and is much less likely to throw a fit to get his way. This solution does have a catch, however.

When you are giving your toddler a choice between two options, don’t offer him anything you don’t want to give him. At this young age, they don’t yet understand that you are in fact getting them to do what you wanted in the first place. Yet, they think it was their idea. (You have to be sneakier about it when they get older, but this also works on older kids!)

I have listed below a number of scenarios I often find myself in with my boys. They fall for it almost every time!

One of my boys is very clingy and wants me to hold him all of the time. When we are at the grocery store and he wants to get out of the grocery cart, he wants me to hold me. I tell him he can either sit in the cart or walk and hold my hand. This usually distracts him from wanting me to hold him.

Most kids hate wearing hats, and it is often hard to get them to wear them outside. If I want my boys to wear a hat, they each have several to choose from and I let them pick out which one they want to wear. Sometimes it may take 10 minutes for them to decide, but they are both happy in the end (and so am I).

Food and eating can be big issues when parenting toddlers. A toddler can drive you nuts trying to get him to eat what you want him to. I have found that giving them acceptable choices usually gets them to eat what I want them to eat. If I want them to eat a vegetable, I let them choose between two vegetables. Having clear expectations also helps. If you tell them to eat two more bites before they eat dessert, they will usually cooperate quite easily.

Getting a toddler into the bedroom at night can also be a challenge. If you entice them into their room by letting them choose a book for you to read to them, you will probably have few complaints. After a story or two they are usually ready to settle down for bed.

If your toddler is starting to have a tantrum, try to distract him as quickly as possible. Try to get him interested in an engaging activity. Make sure that he is not hungry or tired.

Toddlers thrive on routine. Try keep them on as regular as a daily schedule or routine as possible, with regular sleeping times, eating times, and play times.

Establishing a daily routine for your toddler, as well as giving him choices as much as possible, will result in a happier and much more well behaved toddler.

I am too.  We "officially" take summers off from school. We swim on swim team and spend a lot of time playing at the pool. But for the kids and me too, summer can be sooooo lonnnnnng and hot! Seven kids hanging around the house with nothing to do can really get on my nerves, quick. So I have learned to plan ahead for summer recreation and education. Actually I like summer time lesson planning the best.

First I decide what general skills I would like the children to learn. This summer there will be piano, guitar, singing, how to mend clothes, and improve their cooking.

Next, I determine what school skills need improving: multiplication, handwriting, creative writing, spelling.

Then, I think about Christmas and what gifts the children might be able to hand make. It’s fun to make gifts in the summer when you aren't pressed for time.  It also helps the children to learn to plan ahead and they gain gift giving confidence from having a few early presents tucked away for the holidays. Usually these are handmade wood or fabric gifts. This year we also added pressed flowers to our handicraft repertoire.

Last, I look at the video store for movies that are historical or literary. My children have no desire to watch these unless I make them. But I know they will thank me for it when they are older. This summer we'll be watching Shakespeare's MacBeth and Romeo and Juliet. I also plan to do a World War I and II theme including:  the PBS series, Sergeant York, the flying ace Barron Von Richtoffen, the Sullivan Brothers movie, D-Day and Pearl Harbor movies, with The Bridge Over the River Kwai, Breaker Morant, South Pacific thrown in for fun.

If you are not familiar with movies that would be appropriate for the your child's age or what he is learning, there are books in the library that have lists. The libraries usually have excellent selections. Our Roswell Library not only has the video boxes on the shelves, but they also have a big black book with many more videos that they keep in the back room.

Speaking of libraries, we also sign up for the summer book club. The kids always beg to do the book club.

We often sign up for short term activities at the recreation center too. We have to pre-plan most  of our family activities. If we don't, there is always someone who will have a scheduling conflict. So we plan trips out of town, and field trips too. When the children were younger than third grade, we could pick up and go out of town on a moment's notice. But now that they are teenagers they have their own schedules that we have to consider too.

Picnics are our family's tradition.  We do a lot of picnics, in fact we eat most of our summer meals outside, on our back porch or deck. And we try to invite friends over at least once or twice a week to eat either at the park, pool or in the back yard.  Mostly I have the children get everything ready so that I'm not worn out.  I count on them for all the paper supplies, blankets, drinks in the cooler (we usually make lemonade, lemon juice, sugar, water), condiments, fruit and desserts. I get the meat and salad.

Other than the video movies, we don't watch TV or play on the computer very much. This gives us time to be outside and do all the extra things we want to do.  I actually unplug the TV and put it away, and erase the games off the computer.  If your children are turning on the TV every time your back is turned and your TV is too big to put away, then you might ask your husband or TV repairman to make a disconnecting plug for it. Then you can remove the plug when you don't want the TV on.

Concentrating on only one or two school skills or art activities for a day or a week works best. Each day we work on a project as long as we need to. Then we'll just leave the sewing machine or the woodworking things out on the table for the next day.  That's the beauty of summer.  We don't always have to put things away, and we don't have to overwork projects either.  Sewing, woodworking or creative writing for a week or two is usually enough.  We don't have to overdo our pass time activities. Little amounts of work are good enough. After all it is summer, a great time to relax, enjoy, and get a tan.  Have a great summer!

Children can learn to do household chores at a young age.  Even toddlers can be taught to pick up their clothes and toys and put them away.

Preschool-aged children should be doing a wider variety of household chores.  In our home, I keep my preschoolers' chore list short and simple, but they have come a long way in learning to clean up after themselves.

Not too long ago, I was still helping my four-year-olds get dressed in the morning.  That was one of the first tasks to be put on their chore chart!  I thought if I made it a "chore", and that if doing chores would earn them a special reward, then they would be more motivated to get themselves dressed in the morning, and I was right.

Another chore I have my preschoolers do is put their dishes in the sink after they eat, including scraping their plates into the garbage can first.  The first couple of times I had to remind them to do it after they ate, but very quickly it became a new habit for them and they started doing it without even thinking about it.

Young children have a way of making your home look like a tornado tore through it.  Picking up all their toys day after day gets really tiring, and some days I just want to give up.  I don't make my boys pick up every single toy laying around the house, but every afternoon I have them do a general cleanup to get most of their toys put away where they belong.  If you label containers for them, this exercise is also a great way for teaching them simple words as they look for the correct container to put away their toys.

At night time my boys put on their own pajamas and brush their own teeth.  There are many rinses available that make brushing teeth fun for kids... who wouldn't want their teeth to turn blue!? My boys look forward to brushing their teeth every night.

Every night before bed my boys get to choose a small toy from a "treasure" box I put together to reward them for doing their chores.  This box is full of small plastic lizards, frogs, stickers, temporary tattoos, and other small toys.  You would think a child wouldn't go to all that trouble just for a small temporary tattoo, but you would be surprised.  The novelty still hasn't worn off for my kids, even after several months. They really look forward to picking out their treasure every night.

My main goal in choosing these simple chores for my children was to have them start doing the things for themselves that I do for them day after day.  It frees up more of my time for other household chores, and they are learning to take more responsibility for taking care of themselves.

When it comes to homeschooling, there are lots of responsibilities. The comfort of the child in being homeschooled, the performance, the decisions and the outcomes are all dependent on the parent. Starting your kid on a homeschooling session and surviving it can take a lot of patience and endurance. Every single decision you take can affect the future of your child. So it is integral that, being the parent, you are familiar with some of the basic principles of surviving homeschool.

Here are some pointers to guide you towards successful homeschooling:

• Rather than focus on a particular area of academic study, let the child experiment, using their skills and interests in several areas of interest.
• When you are teaching your child you should not focus on their shortcomings, but instead you should guide them through appreciation. You should focus more on their successes than their failures.
• When you are homeschooling your child, you should not expect them to reach the goals of a public schooled child. The goals of a homeschool student are generally different and vary in each area of study.
• You should not evaluate a child using generalised norms; you should use specific goals set for that child alone. Each child is unique and homeschooling is aimed at nurturing their uniqueness.
• While homeschooling, consider not separating subjects in the curriculum. You can provide an integrated experience with learning that will help the students learn multiple areas of study at the same time.
• Do not concentrate too much on bookish learning. You should have more of learning-by-doing type lessons.
• You should not focus too heavily on ensuring that the child learns a particular subject. Instead you should ensure they develop the skills required to learn.
• You should not restrict the opportunities of learning for your child. Incorporate indoor as well as outdoor learning activities, and allow your child to mingle with other children to share ideas.
• Never try to formally repeat a grade as this may discourage your child. Always progress further with studies. You could try to have topics from areas of the child’s weakness but never repeat grades or subjects.
• Always reward your children on successful tests or when they reach tough goals. This will great help them remain motivated to do more.

Apart from these there are also a few things you should do as a parent to motivate your child towards successful homeschooling.

• Provide required resources like books, stationary and reference materials.
• Have regular field trips.
• Sit with your child regularly to talk to them and find out their attitude towards homeschooling.
• Have required furnishings like study tables and chairs, computer tables, table lamps to create a good study environment.
• Always track the progress of your child and try to reach predefined goals in the future.

Being a good parent depends on your skill in handling your children. Homeschooling may often be seen as tricky business by some parents. But following simple rules and maintaining goals can greatly help you overcome several obstacles.

When children are young, it is easy to set up some basic “rules” that will help them to understand their role in the home and their role towards others if you take the time to craft your rules in simple, easy to follow terms. As they grow, the rules can expand to fit children's changing situations. The challenge is determining a set of definable standards that will fit most every situation you might encounter. As a Christian, we found it fairly easy to adapt three simple rules for our children, and each was easy to remember, both for us and for our kids. We started when our children were very young, and as a result, the tone has been set for years to come.

All of our rules were from the Bible, and the first was taken from Matthew 22:37. It states, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is our first rule because it's the ultimate foundation for everything we say or do at home. This says that we belong to God, so we'd better act like it. When we do that, we will also learn obedience to God’s Word. That takes a lifetime of application, so we continually work in this area, both for our children and ourselves, but setting the tone for love of God, and study of His Word and His expectations begins the process.

Our next rule of the house is from Deuteronomy 5:16, and we shortened it when our children were young to this part, “Honor your father and mother.” That was very simple for young children. We could show it to them in children’s Bibles as they got a little older and then even later, they could read it for themselves to see the rest of the verse, but the idea was clear that mom and dad were to be honored, treated with respect, and trusted to lead in godliness since they could trust that everyone in the family was already obeying the first rule, to love God. Clearly, this rule got some challenging from our children over the years. But we kept coming back to it. It also covered many, many issues that came up for our children, and ones that we could not have foreseen, without being too specific up front. This allowed us to be flexible for a variety of discussions and situations, again, assuming that the parents too, are following the first rule and seeking to mentally and spiritually follow God in love.

The final rule, and this one covers a lot of ground so it has been a favorite for my husband and me, is from Ephesians 4:32. It says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” When our children were very young, we had them memorize the first part only, but we always said the entire verse. Over time, they learned the whole verse and it was amazing how many of life’s issues were covered by this single verse, and still are! How we treat others is truly learned in the home, both by what is said and by what is done, so this verse taught us to be kind and considerate, to be forgiving because we were going to need forgiveness ourselves, and to remember that it all starts at home. We had to model patience, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion to each other and by doing that, we learned to think that way all of the time, even outside of our home.

My children are getting older now, but we still live by these rules. We may not address them specifically as rules now, but we certainly hold them as the standard in our home. Because of that, our home is a refuge and pleasure to be in for all of us. I encourage you to consider the essential rules for your home, and begin to train your children in your rules of the house from an early age.

There is a knock at the door and your teenager opens it to find a young man standing there asking if the old car that is parked in your driveway is for sale. Your son is home alone for an hour when the phone rings and on the other end is a wrong number. You and your young children are walking in a parking lot at night when you hear footsteps behind you...

Each of these scenarios can lead to disaster, but here are some things you can do and say that will communicate to a thief that you or your children are not worth the trouble.

Criminals are generally a pretty lazy bunch or they would go out and work for their money like the rest of us! They usually pick on people they think are weak, unaware or easy prey because they don't want to chance getting caught or hurt. They usually rely on the element of surprise to catch their victims off guard in order that they will be unprepared. This is their greatest asset. Knowing this is YOUR greatest weapon against them.

The way you walk and how you answer the phone/door communicates how aware and savvy you are. The idea is not to give the bad guy any more information than he already has and to show that you are fully aware of all that is going on in your surroundings. If you do that, the likelihood is that Mr. Criminal will choose another victim.

Tips for communicating awareness at the door:

1. Children should avoid answering the door if at all possible - even teenagers. This makes it appear that an adult is not at home and can give the visitor the upper hand whether it is true or not. Children are not as ready or able to deal with people they don't know and can get flustered in situations that are unfamiliar with. What is your 14 year old going to say to this man asking about your old car?
2. Always look through the peephole or window before opening the door. If it is a stranger, size him up. Is he carrying a clipboard? Is he wearing a uniform of some sort? Does he look menacing to you. Use your intuition and common sense.
3. Never give out any more information that the visitor already has. He knows your address, your car and now he knows what you look like. Don't give him any more information that he can use against you. If you tell them that you still use the car for work, he now knows how to tell when you are not at home. Do not tell him how many people live in the house because then he knows how many to watch out for. Do not tell him who the car belongs to... "Oh that car is my brothers, but he is away at college." Now he knows that you have a brother and that the car is probably not used. It is amazing what information you can give this man just by answering his questions. And NEVER admit that you are alone or even who is not at home. "My brother isn't home right now, but I can have him call you if he wants to sell it." Do you see all you have told him? Many years ago, I was asked this very question about my car that I drove to college and back in. I inadvertently gave him all the information he needed to be able to tell when the house was empty. He had been watching our house for weeks and then broke in when the last person had left that day. My mother happened to forget something and found him in the house! Thankfully this man found a safe route out of the house and didn't stop to hurt my mother.
4. Just because someone asks a question, doesn't mean that it's your obligation to answer! You can simply say that you are not selling it and close the door. If he continues to ask questions, it is perfectly within your rights not to answer. You can tell him that point blank or, if you prefer, you can simply say that you have to go now (have something on the stove, have to make a phone call, whatever).
5. Be careful about letting strangers into your house. If you have an appointment with the air conditioning repair man-fine, but unexpected strangers are a different story. I make it a policy never to let unexpected strangers into my house. I don't feel comfortable letting a man that I don't know into the house when my husband is not at home. Even if a scheduled repair man is coming into my home, I do not allow my children to be in the same room alone with him.

There was a story a few years back of a woman who let an unexpected repair man into her home and left her baby crawling around near him while she went to finish the dishes in the kitchen. He kidnapped the baby. Don't give a stranger the opportunity to hurt your family!

Tips for communicating awareness on the phone:

1. Children should not be allowed to answer the phone until they are trained in telephone safety. It is cute to have your 4 year old answer the phone when relatives call, but is your 4 year old savvy enough to avoid telephone safety pitfalls? Will she remember that you told her not to say that Daddy is on a business trip for two weeks?
2. Never give out your family name or phone number to anyone you don't know.

Caller: "Is Josh there?"
You: "There is no Josh here. You have the wrong number."
Caller: "What number did I dial?"
Don't tell them what number they dialed. Ask them to tell you what number they wanted!
You: "What number did you want?"
Caller: "909-555-1212 Who is this?"
Never give out this information!
You: "I'm sorry. You have the wrong number." (And hang up-even if they don't.)

Tips for communicating awareness when walking:

1. Walk with confidence. Hold you head up and walk with purpose from place to place-especially at night. This communicates that you are strong and have a plan about where you are going.
2. Walk with your keys in your hand. Preferably with the key between your fingers poised to use as a weapon if needed. This shows that you are ready to get into your car or house as soon as you get there. And it gives our villain a lot less time to do any mischief.
3. Look around you. Notice what is around you at all times. This communicates that you are aware of your surroundings. It is much more difficult for Mr. Criminal to use the element of surprise to catch you off guard if you are aware of things that are going on around you. And it helps you to identify when you may be in danger so that you can take the necessary actions.
4. Look under and all around your car as you approach before getting in. This tells our perpetrator that you are further aware. It also helps you identify any potential problems where you are headed and normally feel safe.
5. Train your children to follow a command. If there is ever trouble afoot, you should have your children trained to follow a simple order you give that tells them to get into the car immediately. Have the older ones get in themselves as you put any babies or toddlers in carseats. Communicating awareness is essential for safety these days. It is imperative also that you train your children to be aware of their surroundings and to respond to a rehearsed command that you have in case the situation warrants.

Like any activity that requires a certain level of commitment, homeschool students and teachers are not immune to “burnout.”

What is “burnout” or being “burned out”?

It is simply the stress response you experience with what you are committed to has been perceived as more hard work than fun for an extended period of time. If it is not corrected and/or reversed before it escalates, it can result in mood disturbances, ill health, and poor decision making. Burnout is common, and can happen to almost anyone, especially if you are not aware of what is happening to you.

Homeschooling involves spending a lot more time with your children than you would if they attended school externally. This can be both a blessing and a curse.

On the blessings side, you are developing a stronger family bond and taking an interest in your child’s welfare and future. The rewards for this are practically limitless.

On the curse side, although it need not be a curse, you are the party almost solely responsible for your child’s education and access to socialization. This responsibility puts you in the awesome position of providing your child with opportunities that would not be afforded them through a conventional schooling system. On the flip side, if you are unwell or stressed (and, lets face it, some of us may become stressed over the magnitude of that responsibility alone!), you are still the responsible party, and this may compound your stress.

And, although our children are much loved, they can also take it out of you. Their enthusiasm and energy can be difficult to keep up with and, maintaining a balance of allowing them to be kids, and ensuring that they are learning the things you deem necessary, can be a tiring juggling act. It is because we love our kids that we feel such a vested interest in their outcomes, and want to do the best for them possible. And this may encourage us to put undue pressure on them and ourselves to try to achieve the best ‘for them.’

How can you tell if you are getting burned out?

Unfortunately, I am often slow to pick up on my own signs and symptoms of being burned out. They can include such vague behaviors and emotions including loss of patience, crying more easily than normal for you, irrational decision-making, loss or increase in appetite, over-reacting to minor events, and a skewed sense of priorities.

What causes burnout?

Although it will invariably seem like outside factors, over which you feel a loss of control, ‘cause’ your burnout, it is, in fact, caused by your attitude to these factors. The only real way to avoid burnout is to look after yourself and be mindful of your attitudes to events as they occur. If things seem overwhelming, at times we need to take a step back from them to realize that problems are rarely as big as they seem.

While no one disputes that outside events can impact on the running of your family and home, your first responsibility is to yourself and your well-being. I am not suggesting that you neglect your family at all. I am suggesting that you need to look after yourself so that you can effectively look after and educate your family. They need you to be fit, well and rational.Like any activity that requires a certain level of commitment, homeschool students and teachers are not immune to “burnout.”

What is “burnout” or being “burned out”?

It is simply the stress response you experience with what you are committed to has been perceived as more hard work than fun for an extended period of time. If it is not corrected and/or reversed before it escalates, it can result in mood disturbances, ill health, and poor decision making. Burnout is common, and can happen to almost anyone, especially if you are not aware of what is happening to you.

Homeschooling involves spending a lot more time with your children than you would if they attended school externally. This can be both a blessing and a curse.

On the blessings side, you are developing a stronger family bond and taking an interest in your child’s welfare and future. The rewards for this are practically limitless.

On the curse side, although it need not be a curse, you are the party almost solely responsible for your child’s education and access to socialization. This responsibility puts you in the awesome position of providing your child with opportunities that would not be afforded them through a conventional schooling system. On the flip side, if you are unwell or stressed (and, lets face it, some of us may become stressed over the magnitude of that responsibility alone!), you are still the responsible party, and this may compound your stress.

And, although our children are much loved, they can also take it out of you. Their enthusiasm and energy can be difficult to keep up with and, maintaining a balance of allowing them to be kids, and ensuring that they are learning the things you deem necessary, can be a tiring juggling act. It is because we love our kids that we feel such a vested interest in their outcomes, and want to do the best for them possible. And this may encourage us to put undue pressure on them and ourselves to try to achieve the best ‘for them.’

How can you tell if you are getting burned out?

Unfortunately, I am often slow to pick up on my own signs and symptoms of being burned out. They can include such vague behaviors and emotions including loss of patience, crying more easily than normal for you, irrational decision-making, loss or increase in appetite, over-reacting to minor events, and a skewed sense of priorities.

What causes burnout?

Although it will invariably seem like outside factors, over which you feel a loss of control, ‘cause’ your burnout, it is, in fact, caused by your attitude to these factors. The only real way to avoid burnout is to look after yourself and be mindful of your attitudes to events as they occur. If things seem overwhelming, at times we need to take a step back from them to realize that problems are rarely as big as they seem.

While no one disputes that outside events can impact on the running of your family and home, your first responsibility is to yourself and your well-being. I am not suggesting that you neglect your family at all. I am suggesting that you need to look after yourself so that you can effectively look after and educate your family. They need you to be fit, well and rational.