by Linda G. Hull

Created on: July 14, 2009

Veteran homeschool families have learned that taking breaks is not cause for guilt or discouragement. Everyone reaches a point where rest and diversion is sorely needed. Sometimes the best way to rejuvenate yourself and your kids is to break your routine.

A really fun way to incorporate learning and relaxation is a field trip. Our family always enjoyed outdoor excursions to the park, hikes along local trails, or fruit picking in season. So pack up the kids and make a day of it!

We had a rule at our house. When Dad got a holiday, so did we! Plus we added in the usual public school holidays. Sometimes we even had a snow day which meant opportunities for our kids to make some extra money shoveling snow for the neighbors.

Involving your kids in sports activities is a good stress breaker for them and gives you some much needed solitude. Yes, you can find solitude sitting on a bleacher! Spending an hour skating or bicycling can be lots of fun, counts as PE, and gets everyone outside. On snowy days, pull out the bread tins to make snow bricks or trek to the nearest hill for sledding.

Playing classical music in the background while doing school work helps keep the moods relaxed and increases learning by helping kids to focus. When the kids start to get antsy, break out the music "you can dance to" for a good aerobic workout. Let them bounce around to their heart's content. A few minutes provides a release and gets oxygen to the brain. With endorphin levels in the brain increased, spirits rise and dispositions improve.

Don't feel bad about taking the summer off from regular school work. Use your summer vacation time to visit museums, exhibits, or art galleries. These are educational and reduce your guilt. Provide more learning experiences by enrolling your kids in a summer camp experience. The local library's summer reading program is a great way to foster reading skills.

Practicing healthy lifestyle habits reduces frazzled nerves and burnout. Eating a healthy breakfast and lunch will energize you for the rest of your day. Avoid foods that give you a sudden rush from too much sugar, then leave you feeling depleted. After lunch, plan a thirty minute break. Don't feel bad about taking a power nap when the little ones go down for their nap.

When you or your kids are sick, no one is going to feel like doing school work. Take a sick day to recuperate. Pamper yourself and your kids by staying in your pj's and drinking lots of hot fluids.

If you're worried about accomplishing your yearly goals, don't forget that when you plan your school quarters you can add extra days to cover those sick and vacation days. Plus if you want to do a four-day school week, just remember to take that into account when you plan your yearly calendar.

Homeschooling allows you the flexibility to plan your school year on your terms. Remember to prevent burnout and frazzled nerves, break your routine with fun activities, outings, and days off.

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